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Tennessee Higher Education Commission to recognize Lipscomb as VETS Campus at March 24 ceremony

Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 | 

Lipscomb University has been designated a VETS Campus by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) in recognition of the school’s services and resources to student veterans. Lipscomb University is one of only 13 institutions in Tennessee to have the distinction of being named a VETS Campus.

During a ceremony set for March 24, Lipscomb University will receive a certificate from THEC recognizing the institution’s designation as a VETS Campus. Speakers at the event will include Nashville Mayor Megan Barry; Lipscomb President L Randolph Lowry; Tom Morrison, assistant executive director of veterans education, THEC; Col. David Dellinger, chief of staff, 101st Airborne Divison (Air Assault); and State Senator Mark Norris. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in Lipscomb's Stowe Hall, located in Swang Business Center.

Currently, Lipscomb serves more than 300 students who have previously served or are currently serving in the armed forces. The VETS Campus designation is part of the Tennessee Veterans Education Transition Support (VETS) Act of 2014. Campuses that meet the requirements must prioritize outreach to veterans and create an environment in which veteran students have the resources to thrive. Specific requirements include annual surveys of veteran students, targeted orientation programs, and mentoring and support services developed specifically for students who are veterans. THEC administers the VETS Campus program and provides the designation to campuses that meet the requirements specified by the VETS Act.

In fall 2009, Lipscomb launched its veteran services program. For veterans who qualify for 100 percent of the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits Lipscomb University has committed to allocate the necessary funds to allow them to earn an undergraduate degree through the Yellow Ribbon Enhancement Program. The university also offers qualifying student veterans a variety of graduate degree options.

Lipscomb University’s program has been recognized for its quality and service to veterans. Last fall, Lipscomb was named among the top universities in the nation for serving student veterans by the Military Times in its Best for Vets: Colleges 2017 ranking. The university was ranked No. 12 in the country on that list.

Lipscomb’s program has also been recognized nationally for its quality. Military Advanced Education awarded Lipscomb the designation of a “Top Military-Friendly University” in its “2015 Guide to Military-Friendly Colleges & Universities.” Last year marked the sixth consecutive year that Lipscomb University was designated a Military-Friendly School by “GI Jobs,” a publication of Victory Media, for its veteran services program. In 2014, U.S. News also ranked Lipscomb as the second-best regional university in the South for veterans. The College of Business was ranked 24th in the nation in the Military Times’ 2013 Best for Vets: Business Schools Guide for veterans based on financial aid, academic policies and participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Last year the program was recently awarded a $185,563 grant from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s 2016 Veteran Reconnect grant program. Lipscomb University was only one of six universities in the state to receive the honor along with Chattanooga State Community College, Maryville College, Middle Tennessee State University, Tusculum College and the University of Tennessee-Martin.
In addition, a $25,000 Veterans Resource Center opened last November, funded in part by the Sentinels of Freedom organization, and includes areas for veterans to study and fellowship, a computer, television, kitchen/eating area, lockers and a place to relax in between classes.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly. The Commission develops, implements, and evaluates postsecondary education policies and programs in Tennessee while coordinating the state’s systems of higher education. There are nine public universities, two special purpose institutes, 13 community colleges, and 27 colleges of applied technology in Tennessee that educate nearly 250,000 students annually.

For more information about Lipscomb University’s veteran services program, call 615.966.1013 or visit www.veterans.lipscomb.edu.