UCF to Host Conference on Helping Student Veterans Graduate

Veterans often are faced with more difficulties to overcome than traditional students while trying to stay in college and graduate.

To help develop programs that encourage veterans to succeed in school, the University of Central Florida will host an Aug. 3 statewide conference for college administrators, faculty members, and other professionals that work with veterans.

Paul Viau, associate university registrar and director of the Veterans Academic Resource Center, said veterans face multiple hurdles, not the least of which is financing their education.

“Many are supporting families and are dealing with the same issues that older, returning students face: juggling school, job, home, family care, etc.,” Viau said. “On top of that, they often face challenges with transitions from military to civilian life.”

The conference – Completing the Mission: Retaining and Graduating Student Veterans – will be hosted in the Student Union by Student Development and Enrollment Services, the Veterans Academic Resource Center, and the Registrar’s Office.

The goal of the conference is to discuss strategies and collaborations to sustain student veterans and dependents towards success.

The conference will include networking opportunities with faculty and administrators from across the region; a keynote address from Dr. John Schupp, creator of the Supportive Education for the Returning Veteran program, and topical sessions presented by professionals working with student veterans.

Schupp, who teaches at Tiffin University in Ohio, has spoken to more than 300 campuses nationwide about veteran education, and has been awarded the Advocate of the Year from the Vietnam Veterans of Ohio, and the Zachary Fischer Distinguished Humanitarian award by the Department of Defense.

UCF has about 1,200 student veterans, 900 of whom are using their GI Bill educational benefits, Viau said.

The conference registration fee is $70 and the deadline is July 31.

For more details about the conference and to register, go to http://www.ce.ucf.edu/Conference-Services/Veterans/.