GREENEVILLE – Tusculum University will further strengthen its support of veterans and their families with the creation of two new courses that will ensure a more seamless transition from the military to student life.
Dale Laney
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission recently awarded Tusculum a two-year $95,500 grant to implement the two classes during the 2020-21 academic year. This is the third grant Tusculum has received from THEC to bolster veterans services at the university.
The courses are designed to help military-affiliated students achieve academic success by assisting them with the many changes that take place when they leave the military. Dale Laney, Tusculum’s director of veterans services, will teach the classes and be responsible for the program’s daily management.
“By having the Veteran Service Office conduct these courses, it establishes a closer, stronger connection between that office and each military-affiliated student,” Laney said. “This connection will ensure students know the available resources and how to access them throughout their collegiate experience. All military-affiliated students will have a closer networking cohort that will ease the stress of disconnection from the military and strengthen their sense of belonging.”
The first course, which will be taught in the fall each academic year, will be called “Tusculum Experience for Military-Affiliated Students.” The course will address issues these students face that hinder their focus on academic success and acclimate them to college and civilian life. Veterans and their families will become more aware of benefits they receive post-military service and help veterans and their spouses adjust to being students at an older age.
The second class will be “Leadership Studies for Military-Affiliated Students” and will be scheduled for each spring semester. It will provide more in-depth assistance with career preparation, mentoring programs, veteran and military-affiliated benefits and academic success skills and programs. It will also expound on civic engagement elements taught in the first course.
“Tusculum offers a welcoming environment for our veterans and their families, and we are pleased we will be able to further grow our connections with them through this grant,” said Dr. Tricia Hunsader, interim provost and vice president of academic affairs. “Our veterans and their families have performed a great service for our nation and will continue to be tremendous assets as civilians. We are thrilled they have chosen Tusculum for their academic pursuits.”