University News

WIU: Serving Military Personnel

August 27, 2010

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MACOMB, IL – For the second consecutive year, Western Illinois University has been designated as a "Military Friendly School" and will again be featured in the "Guide to Military Friendly Schools."

According to Rick Carter, director of the School of Distance Learning, International Studies and Outreach, a few of the many reasons behind Western's selection as a military friendly school include the University's strong on-campus resources for veterans and military personnel and the flexibility of academic program offerings, including online courses and the unique Bachelor of Arts in General Studies (BGS; formerly called the Board of Trustees Bachelor of Arts) degree program.

"The BGS degree program, which was established in 1972, serves adult students who are unable to attend a traditional college program due to other obligations, like military service," Carter explained. "In addition, rather than requiring a specific major, the program allows the student to design her or his program to meet individual educational goals. Students may also be eligible for academic credit for college-level learning that was done in a non-collegiate setting, such as the military or on-the-job training."

While the BGS degree is designed as a distance learning/online program, students majoring in the program also have the option of attending classes on Western's Macomb and Quad Cities campuses. For a veteran or an active member of the military, the program provides a great deal of individualization and flexibility, Carter added.

In addition to offering the BGS degree, throughout the years Western has served its veterans and military personnel welcoming them back to campus after their tours of duty and providing the resources these men and women need upon entering – or returning to – school. While veterans' services have always been a priority at the west-central Illinois public institution, veterans and military personnel now also have a place to call their own on the Macomb campus.

On Veterans Day 2009, Western dedicated the University's Wright Residence, 333 N. Ward St., as the new Veterans Resource Center. Blandinsville veterinarian Dr. Ken Wright, and his wife, Betty, donated Ken's boyhood home to Western four years ago. It's also at this new center where Western proudly displays the plaque from GI Jobs Magazine designating WIU as a "Military Friendly School."

The Veterans Resource Center provides streamlined services and resources in a centralized location to ensure that all veterans, guard members, reservists and active duty personnel receive individual assistance with any question or concern they may encounter. The center also sponsors a series of group seminars/workshops each year based on the current needs of its military student population.

"Prospective and returning students have used the center since its inception and the response has been overwhelming" said Kathy Meyers, assistant director of the Veterans Resource Center. "We are able to help minimize the barriers associated with transitioning to the University setting by providing necessary services and resources in a relaxed atmosphere. The center staff also assists students who are located at the Macomb and Quad Cities campuses, and throughout the world. The Veterans Resource Center connects veterans and their family members with the resources necessary to help them succeed."

According to Meyers, the center strives to promote the value of peer mentoring among its groups of veterans and active military personnel, and various campus and community partnerships have been established with Western's Veterans Resource Center. Students gain direct access to a comprehensive array of services such as VA benefits, financial assistance, disability resources, health care, career development and personal wellness. The center also features computer access, a study/meeting room, a lounge and a three-season porch. Four student-veteran peer assistants work with student-veterans.

"Having the center and its many resources available is a tremendous help. With the assistance of the staff, I discovered I was eligible for more benefits. At my previous school, I had lost out on thousands of dollars in assistance," said Brant Bonifas, a WIU recreation, park and tourism administration major, who also serves as a student-veteran peer assistant at the Veterans Resource Center. "I see a lot of students just like me come into the center. We are here to help."

Another student-veteran peer assistant, Matt Metzger, a law enforcement and justice administration and political science major, served in Operation Enduring Freedom and is a reservist stationed out of Great Lakes.

"The center helps student-veterans with every aspect of the benefits and resources that are available: applying for admission, financial aid, registering for classes and more," he added.

Veterans Resources has also joined forces with the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) to sponsor a service center on the WIU-Macomb campus each month. In addition, the WIU-Quad Cities campus has a partnership agreement with the Rock Island (IL) Arsenal (RIA), which allows current – and potential – college students interested in completing college proficiency exams to complete the exams at the Arsenal.

The WIU-QC exam facility, which is open to the public, is the first testing site in the Illinois Quad Cities. The agreement between Western and the Arsenal allows individuals the opportunity to complete an exam, such as a College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test, in person on Arsenal Island. A full-time WIU academic adviser, whose office is at the Arsenal, assists in administering exams, provides course and program information and advises students how to register for classes at Western.

This is the second agreement between the Arsenal and WIU-Quad Cities. In January 2008, the two entities joined forces to allow members of the RIA community to seek undergraduate and graduate degrees offered at the WIU-QC campus in accordance with a Department of Defense Directive on Voluntary Education for Military Personnel.

For more information about veterans' resources at Western Illinois University, contact Meyers at
KJ-Meyers@wiu.edu or (309) 298-3505. For more information on the BGS program, contact Carter at (309) 298-1929 or R-Carter@wiu.edu.



Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing