The grant will allow Lipscomb University to host a conference on the subject of best practices for providing support to students in the military.
Lipscomb University has received a $100,00 grant from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission in order to host the TN VET Reconnect Conference: A Decade of Growth event in May 2025. The event will focus on helping education leaders become more adept at supporting students in the military and veteran students as they pursue their college educations.
According to an article on Lipscomb University’s website, Candice McQueen, the president of the university, is quoted as saying of the opportunity to host the conference, “We are honored to be chosen as the host for this pivotal conference, which will bring together leaders from across Tennessee to create a brighter future for military-connected students. Lipscomb University is dedicated to fostering an environment where our veterans and their families can thrive, and we look forward to the conversations and collaborations that will take place at this year’s event.”
The event will take place on May 13 and May 14, 2025. It will serve as an opportunity for academic leaders, staff, faculty, and student leaders from higher education institutions across the state to come together and discuss the successes and areas of improvement that have arisen from the past decade of Veteran Reconnect programming, which stems from the Veterans Education Transition Support (VETS) Act passed by the Tennessee General Assembly 10 years ago.
The conference will cover a variety of topics in breakout sessions such as “Understanding the Identity of a Military-Connected Student,” “Veteran Reconnect Research on Student Veterans Academic Success,” “The 3 Parts to the Department of Veterans Affairs,” and “Why Start a Student Veterans of America Chapter.” It will also provide policy updates and feature roundtable discussions.
The highlight of the conference will be Operation Song Workshop, which will give eight students who are in some way affiliated with the military the opportunity to perform songs they have written about their experiences for the conference’s audience.
Registration for the event begins in January, and attendance is free for anyone employed by a Tennessee institution of higher education or any military-connected student leaders.
Sam Lynn, the director of the Office of Veteran Services at the university, was quoted as saying of the event, “Supporting military-connected students is not just a responsibility but an honor. This conference is a unique opportunity for leaders in higher education across Tennessee to share knowledge, tools and resources that will enable all of us to provide even better support to those who have served our country.”
For more information about Lipscomb University, visit the school’s website.