For veterans seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree, Southern has a clear message this Veterans Day: “We’ve got your six.”
In military parlance, the phrase is the equivalent of protecting those in service. The language is second nature to Air Force veteran Britt Conroy, ’16, MS ’20, coordinator for Veteran, Military and Adult Learner Services. She’s leading a mission to help veterans get college degrees after their military service.
From assisting with the application process to providing details on the available programs, Conroy and her team are laser-focused on doing all they can to ensure veterans get the resources and guidance they need.
“A big thing I do for our veterans is provide counseling around the VA (Veterans Affairs) and other veterans education benefits students are eligible for, and liaising with the VA. It’s what I do every day,” she said.
Assisting the team effort is a crew of student workers, and a dedicated facility that includes a computer lab that can be used for studying, and a lounge that is regularly stocked with coffee and snacks.
“A lot of what they’ll talk about is the adjustment to college and having a space they can identify with,” Conroy said.
With a strong commitment to those who served, the office of Veteran, Military and Adult Learner Services has created a slate of opportunities to not only help veterans navigate the red tape of the application process, but to help foster a sense of community and appreciation. There are 299 veteran students at Southern, a number that has grown since Conroy began her job there in 2022.
One unique recognition the office developed is a commemorative “challenge” coin, a type of coin that represents a tradition in the military. Graduate student veterans receive the coin, which displays an American eagle head on one side, and the words, “Honor, Courage, Sacrifice” and SCSU Veteran on the other.
“When Brit came on board, we asked her what we can do for our veterans to make it special and show they’re appreciated. She came up with the idea,” said Lisa Galvin, associate dean for graduate enrollment management. Galvin, who is not a veteran herself but has family members who are, works closely with Conroy.
“I have such a gratitude for our veterans, I wish we could do anything and everything for them,” Galvin said.
Going the extra mile for veteran students includes reimbursing their application fees, Galvin said. The team has streamlined the application process. When a veteran applies to Southern, Conroy reviews it, verifies the veteran status, and enables the reimbursement of the fees for them.
“It’s the only population we do that for,” Galvin said.
The team also facilitates a free professional development course for all veterans. Next spring, they will offer an information session virtually, to educate veterans on graduate offerings available at Southern, highlighting the services that set the school apart.
Southern is a “Silver Status” military friendly school on Viqtory Media’s esteemed list of 2024-2025 “Military Friendly Schools.” The “Silver Status” in the 2024-2025 ranking makes Southern the highest-ranking institution among Connecticut’s small universities included in the survey. Over 1,200 colleges and universities participated in this comprehensive survey.
Conroy, a Southern alum, attained her psychology degree and returned to Southern for her master’s degree. She understands how daunting it can be to navigate the paperwork to launch a college degree program.
“It’s nice that I can give students the inside track of my experience as an undergrad and grad student. I’m able to talk from a real-world lens to our students coming in,” she said.
The Veterans and Military Resource Center also helps veterans obtain their military education records, joint service transcripts, and more. “Especially if they’ve been out of the service for a while, this takes something off their plate. It’s one less thing they have to worry about,” Conroy said.
Veteran graduate student Joseph Enyonu is one example of that successful program. His path to finishing his master’s degree opened when he learned about the GI Bill.
The firstborn of 10 children, Enyonu was committed to getting a college education He began his journey while juggling family responsibilities that included the serious illness of his mother and being held briefly by a rebel group in his home country of Uganda before escaping the unrest there.
Despite the challenges, Enyonu continued to seek opportunities to return to school. He dreamed of starting his own business and decided to immigrate to America. He was granted a green card, connected with a distant relative in Philadelphia, and found work. Still, he wanted to finish the master’s degree he had started years earlier, but the cost was an obstacle.
Then, a friend suggested Enyonu consider joining the U.S. military. “They said, ‘You can serve honorably and when you come out, they will pay your school fees.’ I said, What? They do that?” Enyonu recalled.
The suggestion sounded too good to be true. Enyonu, ever curious, watched YouTube videos to learn about boot camp training. He visited a local recruitment office and joined the U.S. Army in January 2020. His enlistment landed him with the 101st Airborne Division.
He was 34 years old when he finished basic training. Still, his journey was not complete. In the middle of his four-year Army hitch, Enyonu began applying to colleges. Southern was his clear choice once he learned that it was a state school where the GI Bill would cover his education.
“When I was applying for admission, the MBA coordinator told me that when you come here, we have a dedicated veteran center that will help you with anything and everything. That’s exactly what I got,” he said.
In addition to the GI Bill benefits, Enyonu learned about another government program that provides 100% scholarship for veteran dependents. That allowed Enyonu to save his GI benefits and instead, accept the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) program, which also included a stipend.
Enyonu is on track to complete his MBA in accounting this December. His optimism remains steadfast.
“I was brought up to believe that from nothing, you can build something. You don’t need a lot of material resources to change the course of your life. You need the mindset, a positive mindset, of I can do it. I can go get it,” Enyonu said.
Conroy said she hopes that examples like Enyonu are inspirational to other prospective students and veterans, because Southern’s veteran-friendly culture has much to offer.
To further engage with veterans and other students, Conroy’s office has a lineup of events for Veterans Day. Events will begin on Thursday, Nov. 7 and run through Wednesday, Nov. 13. Events include a cleanup project for headstones at the Westville Cemetery, a Veterans Day ceremony in the Adanti Student Center theater and a Marine Corps birthday party.
For details on the Veterans Day lineup or for more information on veterans degree assistance, contact the Veteran and Military Resource Center.
