Texas A&M System’s Annual Veterans Symposium to Highlight Transitions, Academic Support, Jobs and Data Tracking
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Key issues in the future of academic success for student veterans — transitions, campus support, career paths and data tracking — will highlight The Texas A&M University System’s 8th annual Military and Veteran Educational Support Symposium, hosted Oct. 12-13 at Prairie View A&M University.
Featured speakers and panelists include: Jason Dewitt, Research Manager for the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center; Dr. Craig Plunges, Director of Education for the Warrior Scholar Project, James Schmeling, Executive Vice President for Strategic Investment, Student Veterans of America; and Anthony Cucolo, Associate Vice Chancellor for Leadership Development & Veterans Affairs, The University of Texas System.
Updates on current programs and issues also will be outlined by representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Texas Veterans Commission, and the College Credit for Heroes initiative of the Texas Workforce Commission.
Special welcoming remarks will be presented by Dr. George Wright, president of PVAMU, and by Texas A&M System Regent Anthony Buzbee, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps with service in the Persian Gulf and Somalia.
“The Texas A&M System has a special relationship and commitment to our military veterans because of our history and the proximity of some of our universities to the state’s largest military bases,” said John Sharp, Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. “We are proud to host this annual symposium and to support our veterans as they pursue their education.”
Each year, the symposium attracts representatives from universities, agencies and nonprofit organizations throughout Texas for collaborative discussions regarding policies, strategies and operational practices for support of student veterans, their families, and service members. It has become one of the most respected and influential forums in the state for exploring the complex and impactful mission of helping military-connected students achieve personal, family and academic success on the path to leadership roles in the economy and society.
Through the GI Bill, veterans contribute significant financial revenues to higher education. As of July 2016, the Department of Veterans Affairs had issued $65 billion nationally in post-9/11 GI Bill benefit payments to 1.6 million individuals since the program began in 2009. In Texas, about 100,000 veterans are currently receiving GI Bill benefits of all types, through annual VA funding of more than $1.37 billion.
The public is welcome to attend the symposium, although attendance is capped at 130 in order to maximize interaction and exploration of topic issues.
About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $4.2 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and seven state agencies, the Texas A&M System educates more than 140,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $946 million in FY 2015 and helped drive the state’s economy.
Contact: Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell
lcopelin@tamus.edu