thedrifter
09-18-07, 05:46 AM
Group wants to ease transition for vets
Going from war to class can be struggle for students
By Christina Hamati, For the Daily on 9/18/07
After graduating high school, Ted Byrne wasn't getting ready to pack up his car and head for Ann Arbor. Instead, he shipped off to U.S. Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, S.C. Rather than going to fraternity parties or football games at the Big House, Byrne, now a 22-year-old LSA freshman, spent his first three post-high school years with the Marines in places like Hong Kong, Kuwait and Iraq.
To help students like Byrne, LSA junior and six-year Air Force veteran Derek Blumke started the Student Veterans Association of the University of Michigan in May. The group - which had its first meeting earlier this month - is the first of its kind at the University.
After reading an article in Current magazine detailing soldiers' transitions from active military duty to college life, Blumke, who worked as a photographer for The Michigan Daily last semester, decided to create the Student Veterans Association. He wanted to build a social network and ease the transition into campus life for other service members.
"It just made me realize that I wasn't the only person who was uncertain about the future and walking away from the security of having a job in the military," Blumke said. "I realized I wasn't the only one whose age and
experiences overseas set me apart from the majority of the student population."
The group's long-term goals include lowering tuition for veterans and convincing the University of Michigan to accept more transfer credits from military colleges.
Western Michigan University already has a program that waives the first semester of tuition for veterans and gives all veterans in-state tuition rates, regardless of their residency.
Blumke said he hopes to hold a benefit dinner in conjunction with campus Greek organizations that would send proceeds to a scholarship fund for the children of fallen soldiers.
The group also plans on hosting a panel discussion in the Rackham Building to inform the rest of the student population about what it's like to be in the military.
"A lot of people think they know about the military because of what they have seen in movies or on TV," said LSA senior Sam Kim, who served in the Air Force for four years. "But I think there's a lot of under-appreciation for the military and its function."
In addition to raising awareness about the military, the group provides information to veterans about what types of benefits are available. Blumke said the student veteran's group at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, called Vets for Vets, is his group's model. It specializes in providing veterans with information on what types of benefits they qualify for.
"Most of them don't know that they are eligible to receive thousands of dollars," said Liz O'Herrin, president of the Wisconsin group.
The state of Wisconsin allows all veterans with Wisconsin residency to attend any school in the University of Wisconsin or Wisconsin Technical College systems for free.
After speaking to O'Herrin, Blumke met with Senior Vice Provost Lester Monts to discuss installing paid office positions that would deal specifically with student veterans.
Monts said he wasn't sure such positions would be necessary.
"We don't feel the need to designate individuals to become experts on veterans' issues because of the small number of veterans we have here at the University," Monts said. "All of our academic offices are first class and I think they are capable of providing the kind of services that these students need."
The University has only 48 student veterans that make up just over .1 percent of the student population, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This ranks the University in front of only Northwestern University in the Big Ten in student veteran population.
Big Ten Student Veterans
Ohio State
NO. OF VETERANS: 598
PERCENT OF STUDENT BODY: 1.154
Wisconsin
NO. OF VETERANS: 224
PERCENT OF STUDENT BODY: 0.544
Michigan State
NO. OF VETERANS:98
PERCENT OF STUDENT BODY: 0.217
Michigan
NO. OF VETERANS: 48
PERCENT OF STUDENT BODY: 0.120
Northwestern
NO. OF VETERANS: 16
PERCENT OF STUDENT BODY: 0.119
Ellie
Going from war to class can be struggle for students
By Christina Hamati, For the Daily on 9/18/07
After graduating high school, Ted Byrne wasn't getting ready to pack up his car and head for Ann Arbor. Instead, he shipped off to U.S. Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, S.C. Rather than going to fraternity parties or football games at the Big House, Byrne, now a 22-year-old LSA freshman, spent his first three post-high school years with the Marines in places like Hong Kong, Kuwait and Iraq.
To help students like Byrne, LSA junior and six-year Air Force veteran Derek Blumke started the Student Veterans Association of the University of Michigan in May. The group - which had its first meeting earlier this month - is the first of its kind at the University.
After reading an article in Current magazine detailing soldiers' transitions from active military duty to college life, Blumke, who worked as a photographer for The Michigan Daily last semester, decided to create the Student Veterans Association. He wanted to build a social network and ease the transition into campus life for other service members.
"It just made me realize that I wasn't the only person who was uncertain about the future and walking away from the security of having a job in the military," Blumke said. "I realized I wasn't the only one whose age and
experiences overseas set me apart from the majority of the student population."
The group's long-term goals include lowering tuition for veterans and convincing the University of Michigan to accept more transfer credits from military colleges.
Western Michigan University already has a program that waives the first semester of tuition for veterans and gives all veterans in-state tuition rates, regardless of their residency.
Blumke said he hopes to hold a benefit dinner in conjunction with campus Greek organizations that would send proceeds to a scholarship fund for the children of fallen soldiers.
The group also plans on hosting a panel discussion in the Rackham Building to inform the rest of the student population about what it's like to be in the military.
"A lot of people think they know about the military because of what they have seen in movies or on TV," said LSA senior Sam Kim, who served in the Air Force for four years. "But I think there's a lot of under-appreciation for the military and its function."
In addition to raising awareness about the military, the group provides information to veterans about what types of benefits are available. Blumke said the student veteran's group at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, called Vets for Vets, is his group's model. It specializes in providing veterans with information on what types of benefits they qualify for.
"Most of them don't know that they are eligible to receive thousands of dollars," said Liz O'Herrin, president of the Wisconsin group.
The state of Wisconsin allows all veterans with Wisconsin residency to attend any school in the University of Wisconsin or Wisconsin Technical College systems for free.
After speaking to O'Herrin, Blumke met with Senior Vice Provost Lester Monts to discuss installing paid office positions that would deal specifically with student veterans.
Monts said he wasn't sure such positions would be necessary.
"We don't feel the need to designate individuals to become experts on veterans' issues because of the small number of veterans we have here at the University," Monts said. "All of our academic offices are first class and I think they are capable of providing the kind of services that these students need."
The University has only 48 student veterans that make up just over .1 percent of the student population, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This ranks the University in front of only Northwestern University in the Big Ten in student veteran population.
Big Ten Student Veterans
Ohio State
NO. OF VETERANS: 598
PERCENT OF STUDENT BODY: 1.154
Wisconsin
NO. OF VETERANS: 224
PERCENT OF STUDENT BODY: 0.544
Michigan State
NO. OF VETERANS:98
PERCENT OF STUDENT BODY: 0.217
Michigan
NO. OF VETERANS: 48
PERCENT OF STUDENT BODY: 0.120
Northwestern
NO. OF VETERANS: 16
PERCENT OF STUDENT BODY: 0.119
Ellie