West Virginia University’s third annual Veterans’ Summit, “Communication Across Veteran Programs—Reaching West Virginia’s Vets,” will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the ballrooms of the Erickson Alumni Center on Thursday, Nov. 3.
The Summit aims to increase communication with and among veterans and service providers in the areas of health care, employment and education.
WVU has previously hosted two summits dedicated to creating networking opportunities for veterans at the University and community. There are currently around 1,200 veteran students and employees at the University.
WVU officials, including Ken Gray, vice president of student affairs and the first African-American general in the Judge Advocate Generals Corps, and Veterans Advocate Terry Miller will make opening remarks. Patricia Gyurke, Director of Employment Services at WVU, Natalie Allen from the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, and Skip Gebhart, administrator of the WV Higher Education Policy Commission’s Veterans Education and Training Programs for West Virginia, will also address the group. More than 120 people that are expected to attend the event.
The program will also feature guest speakers from the area and nation, including Casey Cid, a WVU P.I. Reed School of Journalism graduate, who will give a presentation on the WV Veterans Mobile Application at 9:45 a.m. After graduation, Cid formed her own consulting company, Media Thirty Seven.
Lisa Rosser, a 20 year veteran of the U.S. Army and Army Reserves and creator of the website TheValueofaVeteran.com. Rosser, who spoke at the previous two Summits, will present “Communicating and Reaching Our Soldiers” at 10:15 a.m.
Carol Hando, the director of the Regents Bachelor of Arts and Sciences at WVU, will present an overview of the Regents Program at 11:30. Regents’ degrees are designed to help adult college students obtain their education while balancing challenges such as career demands and family obligations.
The event will also spotlight student veterans and panel agencies presenting information on health care, education, and employment opportunities their organizations offer to veterans.
In addition to the Summits, WVU offers a number of programs and support systems to aid veterans’ transition to student life with special course sections, faculty contacts and a veteran’s payment plan. WVU also participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which helps veteran students with tuition and other fees that may not be covered under the Post 9/11 GI Bill tuition benefit.
WVU has been listed among the nation’s “military friendly schools” by G.I. Jobs for the third straight year for its efforts.
Veteran service organizations, faculty and students interested in veterans concerns are encouraged to attend and asked to RSVP at: http://employment.hr.wvu.edu/veterans_summit_iii.
The site also includes a complete schedule of speakers.
For more information contact Amanda White at 304-293-7894.
Sponsors for the Veterans Summit III are WVU’s Division of Human Resources, Office of the Veterans’ Advocate, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, President’s Office for Social Justice and WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
-WVU-
10/21/11
Check http://wvutoday.wvu.edu daily for the latest news from the University. Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.
CONTACT: University Relations – News
(304) 293-6997