Saint Xavier University just held a ribbon cutting ceremony for a brand new Student Veteran Resource Center which hopes to provide student veterans with a welcome environment to congregate on campus. The new SVRC was opened on August 25th in the Warde Academic Center in room L209. The new facility allows student veterans easy access to veteran resources and for any help they may need on campus.
Veterans Coordinator, Sheri Gross has her office located in the SVRC and uses the facility to help student veterans access the abundant resources available to them on campus. Sheri Gross likes to consider the SVRC a, “one-stop shop” in terms of what the new facility provides veteran students. Sheri keeps an open door policy in her office and welcomes anyone to enter, including students who have not served in the military, but may have family or friends who have served.
The facility has a warm and welcoming feel about it, and provides a space where student veterans can approach their school work with friends and be afforded a degree of privacy. If any student veteran needs help with anything ranging from academic resources all the way to understanding their financial aid, the facility provides resources to guide them in the right direction. Sheri Gross hopes that with this new space available many of the veterans on campus can meet face to face and realize they have a support system in each other.
In terms of what drives veterans to seek an education at Saint Xavier University, Sheri Gross believes, “ Saint Xavier is a small community where you can know your professor and classmates, this makes it easier for veteran students to meet other fellow veterans.” Sheri also mentioned that many students who are veterans returning home, typically stay in the local area and want to pursue an education near there home. When it comes to schools in the south side of Chicago Saint Xavier does a great degree to cater to these veterans in terms of facilities and help with financial aid.
Sheri Gross pointed out that about 123 veterans on campus are using benefits and she makes it a priority that each student understands what their financial benefits entail. With the SVRC she hopes to now be able to have a more private environment where she can discuss this information with students.
The SVRC also aims to be student driven and student centered according to Sheri Gross, who pointed out that the facility also works hand-in-hand with the Student Veteran Alliance. The SVA is a group on campus aimed at getting veterans together at Saint Xavier to do activities. The activities the group focuses on includes movie nights and nights out around town. The group also makes it a mission to help educate faculty and staff on how treat veteran students in the classroom and outside of it.
For many veterans on campus it was difficult to meet fellow veterans in a homelike environment before a facility like the Student Veteran Resource Center opened its doors. With the SVRC now opened there is a welcome environment where student veterans can easily get the resources and social support they need to succeed at Saint Xavier University. For more information on the SVRC or the Student Veteran Alliance pay a visit to L209 and speak with Sheri Gross.
Jake Alleruzzo
Senior News Editor