Awarded Initiatives to Prepare Veterans for 21^st Century Jobs and Create Pathways to Employment
 

For Immediate Release: Monday, Nov. 12, 2018

Contact: Holly Liapis; Holly.Liapis@suny.edu; 518-320-1311
 

Albany – The State University of New York today celebrates Veteran’s Day and announces grants to 11 campuses from the Ambassador Trustee Carl Spielvogel Fund to boost education opportunities for more than 12,500 military students and their dependents across the State. The fund began with a generous donation by Ambassador Spielvogel, who serves on the SUNY Board of Trustees and is a veteran himself having been a 2^nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and a member of the U.S. Army.
 

“As we observe Veteran’s Day this year, we give thanks to those who have served and those who continue to protect our country,” said SUNY Chairman H. Carl McCall. “We deeply appreciate Ambassador Spielvogel for his steadfast dedication to SUNY, and his personal pledge to his namesake fund, and to our faculty and staff who are delivering these innovative programs to make sure we give our veterans an opportunity for an excellent higher education.”
 

“We are proud to serve our veterans, and with the generosity of Ambassador Spielvogel, a dedicated patriot and staunch advocate for higher education, the U.S. Ambassador Trustee Carl Spielvogel Fund will help our campuses provide academic assistance and support to more people who have protected our country,” said SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson. “My thanks to Ambassador Spielvogel and to all of our veteran students for their service.”
 

“Many of our veterans have had experiences way beyond their years fighting for democracy around the globe,” said Ambassador Spielvogel “As they come to New York, I am pleased to lend my personal support and provide resources to give more of our servicemen and women the advantage of a higher education through skills-based training, as well as a range of initiatives that will expand and improve educational opportunities.”
 

To date, the Ambassador Trustee Carl Spielvogel Fund has supported awards to further veterans opportunities at 11 campuses: SUNY Canton, Cayuga Community College, SUNY Empire State College, Jefferson Community College, Nassau Community College, SUNY New Paltz, Niagara County Community College, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, SUNY Potsdam, and Rockland Community College.
 

Among the opportunities made possible include a groundbreaking training program that prepares students as they transition from the military. This program, developed by the Northeast Advanced Technological Education Center (NEATEC) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Jefferson Community College, and Mohawk Valley Community College in collaboration with the U.S. Army’s Fort Drum graduated 40 students this past August. Through this intensive training program, soldiers acquired skills in advanced manufacturing practice, mechatronics, and hydraulics & pneumatics to facilitate their transition to private-sector careers. Soldiers graduated from the program prepared for future positions with companies including Ameren, Allied Motion, Bartell, Danfoss, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, HMI Pratt & Whitney, Indium, and Panasonic.
 

In addition, at SUNY New Paltz its Office of Veteran & Military Services began to use funding to develop a set of best practices and strategies for engaging and retaining military-affiliated students with a purpose to develop and disseminate a system-wide model of resources for military offices throughout the SUNY system. The program also expands on an existing program funded by a NYS Health Foundation grant, which focuses on improving military students’ health and wellness.
 

Examples of other funded projects and services include, but are not limited to, monthly veterans’ services workshops that will provide one-on-one needs-specific programming and resources, the development of a technology platform to help veterans track available programming at the State and Federal levels, access to child care, a training program for soldiers entering civilian life to be better prepared for work in the manufacturing economy, workshops for faculty, staff, and students, and the creation of a center and lounge for veteran students.

SUNY has a long-standing commitment to help military service members and veterans earn a college degree or workplace training. These students have access to a number of benefits and tuition assistance programs. The majority of SUNY’s campuses have been named military friendly by G.I. Jobs Magazine and are among the top 15 percent of colleges nationwide in offering the best overall experience for military students.

Veterans and those in the military who are considering continuing their education can visit SUNY’s Military and Veteran Students page for more information.
 

About The State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, with 64 college and university campuses located within 30 miles of every home, school, and business in the state. As of Fall 2017, more than 430,000 students were enrolled in a degree program at a SUNY campus. In total, SUNY served nearly 1.4 million students in credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs in the 2016-17 academic year. SUNY students and faculty across the state make significant contributions to research and discovery, resulting in $1 billion of externally sponsored activity each year. There are 3 million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.

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