The City University of New York this week will recognize more than 300 student-veterans for their academic achievements and launch a host of activities and programs to honor the nearly 3,400 military veterans enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs across CUNY.
“CUNY honors those who honor our country with its highest form of service,” said Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Those who serve in our Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard, we owe you our thanks and our respect. The CUNY Office of Veterans Affairs is proud of the level of diversity and academic excellence that our veterans bring to our campuses and recognize the contribution that they make as citizens and students.”
CUNY provides educational and career opportunities for student-veterans through collaborations across its 25 colleges; and leverages relationships with veteran-friendly businesses and nonprofit agencies across the New York metropolitan region.
“CUNY is absolutely leading the nation in serving student-veterans,” said Robert Timmins, who served with the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq and now works as the Director of Veteran Support Services at the New York City College of Technology. “The veteran programs at each college, as well as CUNY Central Office of Veterans Affairs, work tirelessly to connect our student-veterans to the opportunities and services that prepare them for graduation and to successfully enter the workforce.”
Thanks to these efforts, student-veterans throughout CUNY are thriving. Nelson Andrade enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2011 and was later deployed to Iraq. He retired from the Marines in 2017, with a PTSD-related disability, and wanted to attend Kingsborough Community College to study physical therapy. Initially, Andrade was concerned about making the transition from military to campus life. However, he credits the veteran’s services office at Kingsborough for helping him with the change.
“They helped guide me to the classes I needed and provided counseling during my first semester, when I really needed it,” said Andrade. “They introduced me to the Veterans Club on campus, which gave me a place to decompress, realign myself psychologically and integrate into campus life.”
At CUNY, student-veterans find opportunities where they can continue to serve.
Job Vargas was a high school sophomore from East New York, Brooklyn, on Sept. 11, 2001. The attacks motivated him to enlist in the Marine Corps right after he graduated. After multiple tours of combat in Iraq, and an honorable discharge in 2016, Vargas earned his associate degree at CUNY’s Borough of Manhattan Community College. Now, he is pursuing his bachelor’s in criminal justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and expects to graduate next month.
While at John Jay, Vargas met a fellow veteran who took him to the Veterans Club and Lounge on campus. “The services at John Jay are amazing,” said Vargas. “At the Veterans Club, we network and attend workshops on building résumés and applying for federal jobs. It’s just an awesome environment where we help each other progress through school.”
On Veterans Day last year, Vargas and the other John Jay student-veterans spoke to students at Community Math and Science Prep 328, also known as MS 328, in Washington Heights about their experiences. “The students really looked upon us as role models, especially when they realized we came up from the same type of neighborhoods,” said Vargas.
The school’s principal asked Vargas and his fellow veterans to start a mentoring program at MS 328. Now, the John Jay veterans meet regularly with students at the school, and sometimes they bring the middle school students to John Jay’s campus in order to expose them to college life. “This is my way of continuing to serve,” said Vargas.
The CUNY Office of Veterans Affairs will host the Veteran Academic Awards Breakfast as part of its annual Professional Networking & Resource Fair for CUNY student-veterans on Friday, Nov. 8, at The CUNY Graduate Center. The awards, given each year since 2013, recognize CUNY student-veterans who have completed at least 90 credits with a 3.5 GPA or higher, and community college student-veterans who have met the same standard and completed at least 30 credits. The event will begin with the Veteran Academic Awards Breakfast, followed by the Veteran Professional Networking and Resource Fair in the afternoon, which includes sessions on undergraduate and graduate admissions, financial aid and ROTC. Information will also be provided on wellness, STEM careers, small business opportunities, career readiness, interview prep and veteran resources.
The 25 CUNY institutions have a total of 3,351 student-veterans who hail from a diversity of personal backgrounds and have served in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, with deployments abroad that date to the Korean and Vietnam Wars and more recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The University has a recognized record of honoring and supporting its student-veterans. Seven colleges — John Jay, Queensborough, Lehman, the CUNY School of Professional Studies, Medgar Evers, the New York City College of Technology, York and the College of Staten Island — have been named Military Friendly Schools for the 2019-20 academic year, with CSI earning the No. 2 ranking in the nation for large public colleges. Last year, CSI was declared a Purple Heart University, an honor bestowed upon institutions of higher education by the Military Order of the Purple Heart. CSI is the first college in New York City to earn such an accolade.
Here are some of the many veteran-themed events planned across CUNY in November:
11/1-12/4
John Jay will collect personal hygiene items and basic clothing to donate to Veterans at VA St. Albans Community Living Center in Jamaica, Queens. Items will be collected in the Veterans Center, Haaren Hall 228, from Nov. 1 until Dec. 4. For information, contact Richard Pusateri, captain, U.S. Navy retired Military and Veteran Services at rpusateri@jjay.cuny.edu
11/5
The BMCC Veteran Resource Center celebrates National Veteran Small Business week with a “Grow with Google” event to connect businesses with local customers and grow brand awareness. For information, contact Shane Snipes, rsnipes@bmcc.cuny.edu or (212) 220-8222.
11/6
The BMCC Veterans and Career Resource Center will hold a “Thank You for Serving” event at 199 Chambers Street, where students will have a chance to leave messages for the college’s student vets.
11/7
John Jay hosts the Veterans Day & U.S. Marine Corps 244th Birthday Celebration in the Student Dining Hall East with USMC Sgt. Edward Vasquez serving as guest speaker. Sgt. Vasquez served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), as well as in Ghana, Croatia and Russia.
11/11
The BMCC Veterans and Career Resources hosts a Veterans Day Breakfast for student-veterans and their supporters from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room S341 at 199 Chambers Street. After the breakfast, several BMCC volunteers will participate in the Veterans Day Parade. For information on these events, contact Wilfred Cotto at 212-220-5363.
11/11
Sponsored by CUNY Central Office of Veteran Affairs, representatives from multiple CUNY colleges — student-veterans, service members, dependents and supporters — will participate in the NYC Veterans Day Parade, walking alongside the CUNY float with veterans and staff from across the University.
11/11
Baruch College President Mitchel B. Wallerstein will host the annual Baruch College Veterans Appreciation Luncheon to recognize and honor all students, faculty and staff members who served in the U.S. military.
11/12
In collaboration with the Department of Athletics & Intramurals, there will be a special singing of the National Anthem and a Veterans Halftime Skills Drill at the Medgar Evers College Gym at 7 p.m. to recognize MEC’s student-veterans.
11/12
Kingsborough Community College President Claudia V. Schrader presents a special luncheon for KCC veterans on campus at 11 a.m.
11/13
In collaboration with the MEC Veterans Club, there will be a special luncheon in C310 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. for all MEC student-veterans, service members and their dependents. There will be a presentation from the college’s Career Services Center on résumé building and crafting your elevator pitch.
11/13
Queensborough Community College will host a Veterans Grove Reflection and Remembrance Ceremony at the Charles F. Bova Veterans Memorial Grove inside the main campus gate on 56th Avenue, from 9:30-10 a.m.
11/13
Lehman College presents a Veteran Award Dinner in the East Dining Room of the college’s Music Building.
11/15
Sponsored by the Office of Veteran & Military Services, MEC Student Veterans will tour the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Please RSVP, as space is limited.
11/18
Kingsborough Community College hosts a Budgeting 101 Interactive Workshop from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the college’s Honors Lounge. The event will review strategies to plan your money based on priorities, goals and using on-campus resources to save more.
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