Guests attend the grand opening of the Veterans Resource Center. The center, housed in the E.F. Yerby Conference Center, offers support to student veterans to help with their transition from military to college life. Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Communications
OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi hosted a grand opening Wednesday (Feb. 21) of its Veterans Resource Center, which will provide student veterans with a variety of benefits to improve their quality of life on campus.
More than 1,300 Ole Miss students are veterans, active military or military dependents. This center serves as a space for them to study, receive support and camaraderie from other veterans and speak with university representatives about veteran issues, such as GI benefits and treatment.
The center is in the basement of the E.F. Yerby Conference Center and will be open to veterans on campus 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
The student veteran population on campus continues to grow, making this facility a much-needed resource to provide the best possible assistance for these students in their transition from the military to college life, said Evan Ciocci, president of the Student Veterans Association.
“We are extremely grateful the university is working to better our quality of life on campus and from here on out, we want to continue to provide resources, advocacy and support for student veterans,” said Ciocci, a sophomore general studies major from Sandwich, Massachusetts, who served in the U.S. Navy.
“SVA and veteran services provided the support to make Mississippi my home, and I love it here.”
Andrew Newby, UM assistant director of veterans and military services, speaks with guests Wednesday (Feb. 21) at the grand opening of the university’s Veterans Resource Center. Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Communications
Andrew Newby, assistant director for veterans and military services at the UM Center for Student Success and First Year Experience, has been working on providing a space for student veterans since his arrival at Ole Miss last year.
“We are so pleased to have this space for our student veterans to utilize and hopefully outgrow,” Newby said.
The resource center also will provide student veterans with academic resources and test materials, such as Scantrons and textbooks. The center is seeking donations of any unwanted textbooks to provide more options for its students.
For more information about the center and veteran services at Ole Miss, visit https://vms.olemiss.edu.