Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families
About the Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families
A Warm Welcome to our Nation's Credentials
On behalf of The University of Southern Mississippi, we would like to thank you for your service to our nation and willingness to “make a difference” on behalf of all citizens of the United States of America. We care about our veterans, their family members and all our active duty service members who volunteered to protect and defend our Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic. We are proud of you and want to be here for you and your family in your pursuit of a college degree and opportune professional career.
At The University of Southern Mississippi we clearly acknowledge that less than 1 percent of our nation's population has ever served in the Armed Forces, allowing the 99 percent of us to enjoy freedoms too often taken for granted. Nearly two million service members (Our Nations Credentials) have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. Many of these young men and women are returning in search of homes, jobs and an education. As a result, at Southern Miss we are firmly compelled to meet your post-secondary education needs, and that of your wonderful Family Members.
“There currently exist roughly 23.5 million living military veterans comprising 9 percent of our overall national population. Over 1.4 million veterans have entered the work force since 2002, and there are nearly 200,000 transitioning from military service each year.” Keith Wilson, director of education services for the Department of Veterans Affairs, stated that approximately 800,000 veterans used GI Bill benefits last year to attend school, a whopping 40 percent increase since 2009.
We want you to be a part of the Southern Miss Golden Eagle experience because we greatly value you, your contributions to our nation’s defense and willingness to pursue a college degree at one of the leading research institutions across the United States of America.
Vision
A nationally recognized comprehensive "military-friendly" education support program
(application, admission, matriculation, graduation and professional placement) that
successfully attracts military veterans, service members, dependents (family members)
and survivors to pursue their academic and professional development interests.
Mission
Establish sustainable conditions for a "military-friendly" education support program
that provides veterans, service members (active duty, Reserve Component and National
Guard), dependents (family members) and survivors (VSDS) the opportunity to pursue
a degree at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Goals
Actively love, care for and meet the needs and interests of our veterans, active-duty
service members, their families and survivors.
- Promote the University of Southern Mississippi for designation as a nationally recognized "Military-Friendly” school.
- Synchronize and expand existing veteran-student support functions.
- Identify, make application for and secure related transition assistance federal/state/private funding.
- Develop a Hattiesburg Campus Veterans Student Service Center to accommodate and provide applicable support opportunities.
- Establish active multi-media “Inform and Influence” Program to increase overall awareness of the USM veterans “Military-Friendly” program.
- Collaborate with University faculty and staff to enhance the veteran student experience.
- Establish advisory committee designed to provide creative thought, professional advice and overall mentorship.
- Develop a three-year “phased” plan for a military-friendly VSDS Educational Support program.
The University of Southern Mississippi Center for Military Veterans, Service Members
& their Families supports the following values:
Motivation
We will provide you an environment that encourages your individual success, membership as a proud University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagle and all the right conditions in preparing you for your professional future.
Care
We appreciate your sacrifice for the Nation in the name of Democracy and Freedom. In this regard, we understand the diversity of thought and “real world” experience you bring to the campus community. We want to learn from you and grow together as a campus community.
Accomplishment
We will treat you as we work together to enhance your overall college experience and thus provide you the best possible conditions to achieve academic success, individual growth and degree completion.
Motivation
We will provide you an environment that encourages your individual success, membership as a proud University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagle and all the right conditions in preparing you for your professional future.
Care
We appreciate your sacrifice for the Nation in the name of Democracy and Freedom. In this regard, we understand the diversity of thought and “real world” experience you bring to the campus community. We want to learn from you and grow together as a campus community.
Accomplishment
We will treat you as we work together to enhance your overall college experience and thus provide you the best possible conditions to achieve academic success, individual growth and degree completion.