Annandale, Va. – Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is pleased to announce that the Department of Education has awarded it a grant totaling $466,000 for the establishment of a Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS). Roughly 15% of NOVA students are current or former military members or dependents, and this new center will provide a holistic, single point-of-contact for them. It will house a multitude of educational services for members of the military, veterans and their dependents related to transitioning out of the military, enrolling at NOVA, and completing their certification or degree. With these funds, NOVA will support a projected 4,500 student-veterans over three years.
“This center will provide a new and innovative way for NOVA to meet the unique needs of our student-veterans and their families,” said Anne M. Kress, president of NOVA. “This very generous award from the Department of Education will support individuals who have worked tirelessly to serve our country and who now seek to begin or continue their college educations. We are grateful for their sacrifices, and we are very happy to have an opportunity to help them reach their educational and career goals.”
The CEVSS will support NOVA students at each of the College’s six campuses, including ‘Qualified Opportunity Zones’ that house a significant number of veterans.
“This grant will make it possible for our team to expand our services to assist nearly five thousand additional students,” said Dr. Takesha McMiller, director of military and veteran services. “We are deeply grateful for this funding that is so crucial for programs like ours to grow.”
The center will hire a program coordinator, counselor and advisor to address the students’ educational, financial and social needs. It will also establish a comprehensive student support team represented by departments and offices across the college, including the Office of Accommodations and Accessibility Services; the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Financial Aid; and the Office of Enrollment Management and Student Success. This grant will also fund improvements to the campus space for veterans, providing laptops and other supplies.
For almost 20 years, NOVA’s Office of Military and Veteran Services (OMVS) has worked to provide comprehensive resources to veterans and military related personnel who are utilizing the G.I. Bill and its educational benefits.
NOVA congratulates the other recipients of this prestigious grant:
· Azusa Pacific University (Calif.)
· Concord University (W.V.)
· Florida State College at Jacksonville (Fla.)
· Forsyth Technical Community College (N.C.)
· Green River College (Wash.)
· Indiana Institute of Technology (Ind.)
· Las Positas College (Calif.)
· Mississippi Valley State University (Miss.)
· Mt. Hood Community College (Ore.)
· Norco College (Calif.)
· Pennsylvania College of Technology (Pa.)
· Pensacola State College (Fla.)
· Riverside City College (Calif.)
· Rowan College at Burlington County (N.J.)
· University of South Florida (Fla.)
For questions regarding NOVA’s military and veteran services, please contact Dr. Takesha McMiller, director of military and veteran services at tamcmiller@nvcc.edu. For press inquiries, contact Hoang Nguyen, hdnguyen@nvcc.edu.