Senator Brown announces a more than quarter-million grant for veterans services at Owens Community College
Senator Sherrod Brown announced a grant for veterans services at Owens Community College funded through the Department of Education. The programs will help veterans get their degrees, assist with financial aid and military benefits, and more.
On September 19, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown announced a $287,537 Veterans Upward Bound grant to fund veterans services at Owens Community College. The grant is funded through the U.S. Department of Education. The program will help to provide services to veterans working to earn their postsecondary education. These services include enrollment aid, financial aid, military benefits, course selection, and general ongoing support. Owens Community College is the first institution in Ohio to be the recipient of a Veterans Upward Bound grant.
Senator Brown was quoted in a press release on the award as saying, “As service members who have sacrificed so much for our nation pursue their education, we must make sure they have strong support along the way. This new Veterans Upward Bound grant will help Owens Community College uplift Ohio veterans and ensure they succeed.”
President of Owens Community College, Dr. Dione Somerville, was also quoted with her reaction to the news: “We are so grateful to Senator Sherrod Brown and the Department of Education for their support of and partnership with Owens through the TRIO Veterans Upward Bound grant. Our outreach to the people who serve or have served our great nation started when we opened in 1965, and we have continued to advance our services for veterans and their families ever since. Today Owens serves more than 500 military-affiliated students each year. This funding will help us provide veterans throughout the region with skill assessments, mentoring, tutoring in core areas, and will help us deliver on our mission of providing accessible and inclusive opportunities for higher education.”
Veterans Upward Bound is a federal program designed to help motivate veterans and provide them with the skills necessary to attain a postsecondary education. The program provides counseling, mentoring, tutoring, and academic instruction to help assess and enhance the education experience of veterans, and set them up for success in their education.
Senator Sherrod Brown is Ohio’s longest-serving senator on the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. He recently met with Ohio veterans in East Liverpool, Zanesville, and Dayton to talk about the Sergeant First Class health Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 that President Joe Biden recently signed into law. The PACT act is a bill that allows for more medical care for veterans who were exposed to toxic chemicals while in the military.
Owens Community College has a campus in Toledo and a campus in Findlay and offers more than 70 academic programs and certificates in a variety of subjects, such as healthcare, accounting, and more. The school also offers dual enrollment plans with local high schools. Owens Community College offers financial aid for students in need. Students who are interested in attending Owens Community College can learn more on their admissions page.