UT Southern receives $150,000 Veteran Initiatives Designation Grant

The University of Tennessee Southern has received a $150,000 Veteran Initiatives Designation Grant from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. The funding comes as part of a $1 million total investment in eight higher education institutions around the state to provide expanded resources to support military connected students with mental health guidance and enhanced education outcomes.

According to an article on the University of Tennessee Southern’s website, Daniel Scherr, Ph.D., who serves as the Criminal Justice Department Head and an Assistant Professor, was quoted as saying of the funding, “The Veterans Initiatives Designation Grant is a tremendous investment in the University of Tennessee Southern and, most importantly, in the veterans and military families we are privileged to serve. As a personalized, rural public university, this support will strengthen our capacity to expand meaningful programs, enhance resources and create greater opportunities for those who have served our nation and their families. This grant allows us to build on our commitment to ensuring that every veteran who comes to UT Southern feels valued, supported and empowered to succeed.”

Thanks to the funding received, UT Southern will develop a comprehensive support program for veterans and military connected students. Part of that program includes a full-time veterans services coordinator, who will be hired thanks to the grant. The program will be designed to aid in recruitment, enrollment, retention, and completion outcomes for veterans and military connected students, including academic advising, mentoring, creating a student community through a dedicated lounge space, and connecting students with outside resources.

UT Southern Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Prentice Chandler, Ph.D., said, “This grant represents an important step in strengthening how UT Southern serves veterans, active-duty service members and military-connected students. These students bring tremendous experience, leadership and perspective to our campus, and we want to ensure they have the resources and support they need to thrive. Pursuing the VETS Campus designation reflects our commitment to building a culture of care where every student knows they belong and has a clear pathway to success.”

The funding will expand upon the university’s existing efforts serving military connected students put into place by Veterans Coordinator Lt. Col. Cochran Pruett and Certification Officer Emma Hlubb.

For more information about the University of Tennessee Southern, visit the school’s website.