Madeleine Coles
News Editor
Many students may be surprised to know there are around 700 veterans attending ISU. They may be lessed surprised to learn only 15 percent of veterans are traditionally aged college students. And it likely isn’t a surprise at all that it is oftentimes difficult for veterans to transition from service to education.
That’s why Amy Christensen of the START program, Misty Prigent, coordinator of the Bengal Bridge program and Todd Johnson, Director of the Veteran Student Services Center, have worked for the last eight months to write a grant specifically for veterans.
Sari Byerly, Director of TRIO Services, announced at an event held to honor student veterans on Monday that ISU would be receiving the TRIO Veterans grant, which assists veterans in preparing for higher education, whether it is at ISU or another university.
“I’m just really excited because ISU is a great place to work, to go to school and to serve our community,” Byerly said in her announcement. “And with this grant we get to serve a larger percentage of our community.”
According to Byerly, there are nearly 17,000 veterans in the five counties that ISU’s TRIO program serves.
The TRIO Veterans grant will offer academic assessment and instruction services, tutoring in math, english and computer skills, mentoring programs, information and assistance with financial aid and admissions applications, referrals to additional college and community services, academic, financial and personal counseling, as well as other services.
Byerly said she is hoping to hire a Veterans TRIO Director as well as two advisors within the next few months to assist with helping the program get on its feet.
Any veteran interested in enrolling in any college for the summer of 2018 or fall of 2018 and beyond can contact the TRIO Services office for more information on the program and how to become involved.
Johnson added that the university is excited for the opportunity to be able to assist even more veterans and urged students to remember and consider the university’s current student veterans.
“ISU has a great veterans population,” he said. “They have a wealth of information, they’re great leaders, and if they’re in your study groups they’ll do most of the work.”
