75 Years of Veterans - Florida State University

An official publication of the Florida State University Student Veterans Center William “Billy”

Francis

Veterans are significant to Florida State’s heritage and were instrumental in the founding of the university. With large numbers of veterans going to college after World War II on the G.I. Bill of that era, the State of Florida responded by converting the Florida State College for Women to coeducational Florida State University in 1947.

FEATURES

6

1947 – A Pivotal Year

After a brief period of enrollment in the Tallahassee Branch of the University of Florida, male students were instrumental in the establishment of Florida State University 9

Student-veteran proposals address transition, retention Gathering input from military-connected students has been central to addressing their needs 10

The Veterans Alliance arrowhead is the proud symbol of Florida State University’s campuswide commitment to be a national beacon of veteran support and success.

From the President

The contributions of military veterans are woven into the very fabric of Florida State University and have greatly enriched our campus for the past 75 years. It is an honor to salute our veteran students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters and acknowledge all they have done for our nation and our university.

One way we do this is by presenting graduating students who have served or plan to serve with red, white, and blue honor cords to wear at commencement ceremonies. It is always special for me to see this recognition of their noble commitment to our country as we celebrate their achievement of a Florida State degree. It’s also gratifying to meet the family members and friends who have supported them throughout their armed service and higher education.

While at FSU, many are active on campus through membership in the FSU chapter of

Student Veteran Video Profile

Scan this code to watch Chris share how the Student Veterans Center helped him adjust to civilian life after his time in the military.

the Student Veterans of America, involvement in student government through the Veterans Student Union and Congress of Graduate Students, and participation in a variety of philanthropic organizations and volunteer opportunities.

Through their leadership, experience and service, our veterans and military-affiliated students have enriched the entire student body and have strengthened our university community by expanding our horizons, broadening the campus conversation, and showing us all the true meaning of service and sacrifice — and for that we will always be grateful.

Richard McCullough President, Florida State University

Chris Dacy

From the Director

Seventy-five years ago, Florida State underwent a transformational change with the admittance of men into what had been a women’s college for more than forty years. Most of these men were World War II veterans and their contributions laid the groundwork for the preeminent university we know today.

Through the years, veterans have enhanced Florida State through their maturity, discipline, and leadership. With nearly 1.5 million veterans residing in the State of Florida, and approximately 50,000 active-duty personnel serving within three hours of Tallahassee, veterans will continue to enrich the campus community into the future.

Veterans are a traditionally underserved group in higher education, but Florida State has committed itself to being the most veteran friendly and empowering university in the nation. Our elevated support of veterans in 2011 exemplifies the Seminole Spirit that flows in and through our university community, providing levels of veteran success that have made Florida State a national leader.

Specific to FSU is the energizing and encouraging culture afforded our militaryconnected students. This culture is symbolized by the Veterans Alliance Arrowhead, which represents the thousands of individuals, on and off campus, who have initiated, cultivated, and sustained relationships with our veterans.

These “behind the Arrowhead” allies extend from the Student Veterans Center to every corner of our university, and to each of you engaged in these efforts I extend my heartfelt thanks.

I hope you enjoy this look back, which captures only a small part of our veteran heritage. As we move forward, I know the Florida State family will continue to work together to make a difference in the lives of those who faithfully served our nation.

In gratitude,

William “Billy” Francis Director of the Student Veterans Center

On October 26, 2011, President Eric Barron announced several new initiatives designed to enhance services and support to veterans in their transition to college and pursuit of a degree. A university advisory board, which Barron appointed earlier that year after meeting with Collegiate Veterans Association members, recommended the new initiatives.

The ribbon-cutting for the FSU Student Veterans Center took place on November 11, 2011 (11/11/11).

From left: Student Veterans Center director Billy Francis, President Eric Barron, Navy veteran and Collegiate Veterans Association president Jared Lyon, and Navy Vice Admiral (retired) and FSU alumnus Gordon Holder.

1947 A Pivotal Year

Following the end of World War II in 1945, military veterans fueled Florida’s modern boom period. Using the GI Bill of that era to finance their college educations, these veterans were instrumental in the Florida State College for Women being converted back to a coeducational institution.

This surge in demand by veterans for college degrees started bringing men to the FSCW campus in 1946 with the establishment of the Tallahassee Branch of the University of Florida. The TBUFs were housed in barracks at Dale Mabry Field, a former Army Air Base three miles west of the main campus. The West Campus also provided some classroom space, and the first Student Union was established and housed in its “O Club.”

On May 15, 1947, Governor Millard Caldwell signed an act of the Legislature renaming the school Florida State University and returning it to its coeducational composition of more than four decades prior.

Its formation led to many changes for FSU that year. The student body chose a new alma mater and selected the Seminole as their athletics symbol. The Flying High Circus was established as an extracurricular activity men and women students could participate in together. The football team was restored and played its first home game since 1905. And the first permanent residence for the university’s president was acquired.

The next few years brought substantial growth and development with the addition of a number of departments and colleges including Business, Library Science, Nursing and Social Welfare. New campus structures included Strozier Library, Tully Gymnasium, the Business school, and Doak Campbell Stadium.

At the 1949 State Fair in Tampa, the Florida State University exhibit included a wall-size display that read, “Florida State University-Tallahassee — Where More and More Florida Youth Climb Golden Stairs to Better Living.” It showed that FSU enrollment in 1947 stood at 4,157 and by 1949 had jumped 25% to 5,512.

Florida State’s veteran-rich heritage is also reflected in the large number of alumni who served. Many distinguished themselves through their military service — noteworthy among these are Franklin Hagenbeck, former Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy; Gordon Holder, retired Navy Vice Admiral; and Michael Sheridan, retired Marine Corps Brigadier General — while others gained prominence in careers beyond the Armed Services. These include former Florida Governor Reubin Askew; former FSU presidents John Thrasher and Sandy D’Alemberte; former NASA astronauts Norm Thagard and Winston Scott; and former Flagler College president William Proctor. Each of the above individuals also served FSU in some capacity.

In 2010, Florida State student veterans Jared Lyon and Raoul Perez met with President Eric Barron to propose ways in which the university might be even more supportive of its veteran/military students. Barron took their recommendations to a campus-wide committee he formed to study and implement a comprehensive array of veteran programs and services. Among the proposals was the establishment of a Student Veterans Center and on November 11, 2011 — 11/11/11 — the ribbon was cut on this “one-stop shop” of resources for veteran and military students.

The campus-wide recommitment to veterans’ success has unified the university’s efforts to elevate these students’ graduation rates and guide them toward rewarding careers or graduate school. The thoroughness of these initiatives has FSU student veterans now graduating at rates comparable to the general student population and about 35% higher than their peers at other schools.

The esteemed Association of Public and Land-grant Universities conferred prestigious recognition on Florida State when it presented the university with its 2014 Opportunity Award in acknowledgment of FSU’s campus-wide veteran initiatives.

At the 2015 national conference of Student Veterans of America, the organization’s president at the time publicly lauded FSU for being the national leader in student-veteran support. As it happens, the current SVA national president is Jared Lyon, the 2012 Florida State graduate who was instrumental to the university recommitting itself to student-veteran support.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has also recognized FSU’s veteran initiatives, with senior VA administrators coming to the Student Veterans Center to learn firsthand about the Florida State model. In addition, representatives from more than three dozen other colleges and universities have contacted or visited the SVC to gather information on veteran programs and services that can be adopted by their schools.

Photos accompanying the story above are from the 1947–48 FSU yearbook, “Tally Ho.” n

First co-ed course registration

While exact figures are difficult to confirm, it is safe to assume that a significant number of FSU male-student leaders and athletes in the late forties and early fifties were military veterans. More recently, former student body presidents Stefano Cavallaro and Jonathan Levin have gone on to military service, and letterman athletes who served include Billy Allen, Kirk Coker, Johnny Crowe, Bernard James, and Johnnie Stephens.

Should you know of additional campus leaders or letterman athletes who are military veterans, please email the Student Veterans Center at veteran@fsu.edu.

BERNARD JAMES

Men’s barracks on West Campus

Student formal

President Doak S. Campbell

A Conversation About Vietnam

In late October of 2014, a symposium titled, “A Conversation About Vietnam,” was held at the Turnbull Florida State Conference Center. The moderated, interactive event featured a panel of local Vietnam veterans, along with the widow of a Vietnam veteran, followed by an audience Q&A.

The symposium was organized by longtime Student Veteran Center supporters Jim and Sandy Dafoe and took place a couple weeks before the screening of the acclaimed documentary “Last Days in Vietnam,” which was the marquee film of the 2014 Veterans Film Festival at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall.

Moderated by Alumni Association President Scott Atwell, the program provided panel members the chance to recount their agonizing, poignant, and often gripping experiences as combat personnel, as well as their return from Vietnam.

Panel member Joe West, president of the Tallahassee chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America, expressed appreciation for the opportunity to let these veterans share their stories.

“When we came home from that war, a lot of us were treated badly, and nobody was particularly interested in hearing what we went through,” said West.

In addition to West (Army), panel members included Army veteran John Showalter, Marine Corps veterans Wynn Black and Jim Berke, Navy veteran Brance Parker, and Vietnam War author Marjorie Hansen, whose late husband also served.

Jim Dafoe said the impetus for him and Sandy to organize the symposium was his own experiences in Vietnam as a Navy officer, and the muted acknowledgement of his service when he returned.

“Even when it was over, people just didn’t want to talk about Vietnam, they just wanted to put it behind them. With the passage of time, though, this campus and this community seemed ready to have that conversation, to let these guys have their say,” said Dafoe. n

Student-veteran proposals address transition, retention

Published: May 30, 2012

During a panel discussion and two dialogue sessions, Florida State University student-veterans shared their experiences with college life — sometimes good, sometimes frustrating and lonely — during a first-of-its-kind, action-oriented event on the Florida State University campus May 30.

A broad gathering of administrators, faculty members, academic advisers and other staffers were on hand at the inaugural Seminole Veteran Benefits Expo to take careful note of what the studentveterans said, and then do something about it.

“To me, being the nation’s most veteran-friendly campus means that we have a responsibility to help student-veterans successfully acclimate to campus, stay enrolled and on track through graduation, and make sure that they get good jobs after they graduate,” said President Eric J. Barron.

A number of imaginative ideas and policy enhancements were suggested as action items that could be implemented as early as this fall at Florida State to help student-veterans more successfully transition to college life and boost their retention rates.

“Our goal here today is to do everything we can to help studentveterans achieve their goals,” said Col. Billy Francis, director of the Florida State Veterans Center.

The two dialogue sessions resulted in ideas that will be forwarded to the Veterans Center and the university administration for further review.

Participants in the first dialogue, “Tackling the Transition: Acclimation into College,” suggested the creation of a 1-credit-hour colloquium for first-time-in-college student-veterans; specialized orientation and transition programs; and a “mega-website” with numerous facets to better serve student-veterans.

Those taking part in the second dialogue, “Finishing the Drill: Retention,” suggested deploying as many resources as possible at the point of entry to keep student-veterans engaged throughout their college careers.

The panel discussion featured a presentation of research findings from a Florida State sociology class, held for the first time during the spring 2012 semester. The research, conducted by student-veterans for student-veterans, suggested such things as a need for the university to implement orientation and advising programs specifically for veterans.

“This event is about raising awareness of the veteran experience,” said Phil Lennon, a sociology major and president of Florida State’s Collegiate Veterans Association. “Based on what we discussed today, our administrators, faculty and student leaders can have a background to engage new student-veterans as they transition to campus.”

In addition to the discussions, a veterans-resource exhibition featured representatives from university offices and local, state and federal agencies that provide various services and assistance to veterans.

The event, cosponsored by the Florida State Veterans Center and the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, was presented with support from the offices of the President, Student Affairs, University Relations, Admissions and Undergraduate Studies, as well as the Florida State College of Medicine. n

Phil Lennon, past president of the FSU Collegiate Veterans Association

FSU Student Veterans Center celebrates 10 years

By Kelsey Klopfenstein | Published: November 12, 2021

Alittle more than ten years ago, Florida State bolstered its campus-wide commitment to student-veteran success, and in doing so advanced the university’s proud heritage of supporting active and former military personnel.

Established 10 years ago on Nov. 11, 2011, the Student Veterans Center helps ease the transition from military service to campus life, integrating student veterans into the general student population and local community.

Military veterans sometimes face distinct challenges when they return to the classroom: they’ve been away for several years, they’re moving from a regimented to an unregimented lifestyle, and they often feel out of place among their younger classmates.

To address these challenges, the Student Veterans Center was created to elevate the university’s resources and support for veteran and military students and enhance their connectedness to the campus community. Since then, the Student Veterans Center has served as a one-stop shop for student veterans, National Guard, Reserve, active-duty members, and their families.

“Ten years ago, the Florida State community was drawn together by a vision to support the transition of military/ veteran students into college, walk side by side with them through college and stay by their sides into their careers

or graduate school — to be a national beacon of veteran support and success,” said William “Billy” Francis, director of the Student Veterans Center. “Together, students, faculty, staff and alumni have achieved this goal.”

An FSU alumnus who served for 26 years in the U.S. Air Force, Francis has directed the center since its inception. He’s helped the center evolve and grow through the years and appreciates FSU’s commitment to those who have served.

“I am extremely grateful for all the support of the university from the president down, extremely grateful for the incredible support from the non-veteran student population — we could not do this without you — and I am extremely proud of all of our military/ veteran students/alumni past, present, and future,” Francis said.

The center leads more than 30 veteran-centered events each year, including the President’s Cord and Coin Ceremony where the FSU president invites graduating student veterans and ROTC cadets to the president’s house and awards them with a commemorative “challenge” coin and a red, white, and blue honor cord to wear during commencement.

Over the past 10 years, more than 100 distinct veteran-centered events and activities have taken place and approximately 20,000 military-connected students at Florida State have received support. Between 2011 and 2021, FSU’s veteran graduation rates increased from 69 percent to as high as 86 percent.

Whether it’s through the Athletic Department’s Military Appreciation Games, or the Scott Speicher Memorial at the FSU Tennis Center, or the annual Justin Sisson 5K Memorial Run,

Florida State’s collective commitments to veteran and military students helps the entire university community gain a richer understanding of the service and sacrifice of the nation’s military personnel, and how their service has enhanced and sustained the quality of life for all.

Goals for its next decade include the construction of a standalone Student Veterans Center, further enhancing Florida State’s support of military-affiliated students, expanding these students’ connections to veteran alumni, and growing the university’s enrollment of those who served.

“Florida State is nationally recognized as a leader in the military/ veteran student success arena and it’s time to celebrate this milestone, look back at where we have been and look ahead — together — towards where we want to be 10 years,” Francis said. n

Florida State is nationally recognized as a leader in the military/veteran student success arena and it’s time to celebrate this milestone, look back at where we have been and look ahead –together – towards where we want to be in 10 years.”

— William “Billy” Francis, Director of the Student Veterans Center

Scan this code with your cell-phone camera to watch the Tenth Anniversary commemorative video.

Scan this code with your cell-phone camera to watch a brief video of the Student Veterans Center’s Tenth Anniversary Celebration.

Studentveterans find a ‘home’ at Florida State

By Amy Farnum-Patronis Published: November 9, 2017

Florida State University continues to uphold and expand its commitment to honoring and supporting its studentveterans all year long.

Six years ago, Florida State launched several new initiatives with the vision of becoming a national beacon of veteran success — most notably through the creation of the FSU Student Veterans Center.

Since then, the Student Veterans Center has made an indelible mark on campus. As a one-stop shop for studentveterans, National Guard, Reserve, active-duty members and their families, the center eases these students’ transition from military service to campus life, provides a sense of community and raises awareness of veterans’ issues on campus and in the community.

Student Veterans Center Director Billy Francis speaks at the United Way Vets Walk on campus in November 2016. (FSU Photography Services)

Fostering connections with the center’s staff is the first step, and probably the most important. By reaching out to student-veterans before they even get to FSU, the center not only welcomes them to campus but communicates the resources available to them.

“We want them to feel like they’re coming to a comfortable place, more like a home instead of a large institution,” said Billy Francis, director of the Student Veterans Center. “That’s what’s different about Florida State. Our actions try and support the fact that we’re a family.”

The Student Veterans Center also hosts a special orientation for student-veterans where they meet the staff and learn how the center can help guide them in their journey, from navigating the red tape of the GI Bill to the typical challenges of college life.

“We don’t have a magic wand, but we can usually get them in touch with a decision maker in one step,” Francis said. “The goal is to point them toward and encourage them to use all of the many resources available here to achieve their goal.”

Student-veterans typically arrive at FSU with some unique challenges. They’re older and have had different life experiences than the most students, and they’ve usually been out of school for a while.

“Plus, they have achievement horizons that are different than other students,” Francis said. “In the military, you can generally

Student Veteran

Video Profile

measure your day-to-day accomplishments. So your actions can feel much more tangible, especially compared to college, where tangible feedback sometimes doesn’t come for days, weeks or even months.”

The Student Veterans Center’s efforts to help current and former military members develop a sharper sense of purpose are clearly working. Since the center’s inception in 2011, student-veterans are graduating at a higher rate than the general student body.

“If you look at successful people, a common trait is that they’re not afraid to ask for advice or guidance,” Francis said. “They’re not afraid to ask questions. They will look for people who have walked their same paths. We are encouraging them to do that. Those who engage in this great community at Florida State, most of them are succeeding. And the support from the non-student-veteran population here has been so instrumental,” Francis said.

While some universities delay student-veteran integration with the general student body or create a student-veteran subculture, Francis said that’s the antithesis of what Florida State is trying to do.

“We emphasize that traditional students are not just their classmates, they’re their teammates,” he said. “And our veterans are encouraged to apply what they learned through the military about the value of forging relationships.” n

Scan this code to watch Amanda Miller discuss the supportive community for student veterans at Florida State.

ROTC facilities, like HarpeJohnson, are constructed and maintained by their host institutions, not the federal government.

Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)

Army and Air Force ROTC units have been active at Florida State since 1949 and 1951, respectively, and have occupied the 20,000 sq. ft. Harpe-Johnson Building since 1953. In 2020, Harpe-Johnson underwent an extensive renovation and upgrade.

Navy ROTC was commissioned at Florida A&M University in 1972 as the fourth of six NROTC units to be established at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Since 1983, Florida State, Florida A&M, and Tallahassee Community College have maintained cross-town enrollment agreements among their ROTC units.

Through the decades, thousands of Florida State students have taken ROTC courses, which combine classwork with hands-on experience to cultivate leadership and management skills. These students are called cadets and come from all majors and backgrounds. Upon graduation, ROTC cadets enter their respective military branch — either the Army; Air Force or Space Force; or Navy or Marine Corps — as commissioned officers who serve on active duty or with the Reserves or National Guard.

Air Force ROTC at Florida State has distinguished itself through its Arnold Air and Silver Wings student organizations, while Army ROTC has won a number of national Ranger Challenge competitions against other college and university units. n

University recognizes veterans with ‘honor cords’ at graduation

Published: August 10, 2012

Starting with its Summer 2012 commencement, Florida State University has begun saluting its graduating studentveterans by bestowing them with red, white and blue honor cords to wear at graduation ceremonies.

Florida State is among the first universities in the nation to recognize graduating veterans with honor cords and will introduce the cords at Saturday’s summer commencement. The ceremony took place Aug. 11 at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center.

This summer, 32 veterans and graduates of the university’s Army and Air Force ROTC programs earned the cords, which are being offered by the Student Veterans Center.

“We wanted to offer this special recognition to show the university’s respect and gratitude for our student-veterans’ service to our country and for the future service of our ROTC graduates,” said Billy Francis, director of the Student Veterans Center. “The cord is important because it is worn by someone who wrote a check payable in an

amount up to and including their life to the people of the United States of America. It is a salute to this most honorable commitment.”

Phil Lennon, president of the FSU chapter of the Collegiate Veterans Association, is one of the veterans who wore the honor cord as part of his academic regalia when he graduated with a degree in sociology and a minor in philosophy.

“The cord is a symbol of double achievement,” said Lennon, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008. “I served my country and reintegrated in the civilian community. It is intrinsically gratifying that Florida State has given us a chance to be recognized for these achievements.”

The introduction of honor cords for veterans is part of Florida State’s efforts to become the most veteran-friendly public university in the nation. The initiatives are designed to provide support and services to assist veterans in their transition to college and successful pursuit of a degree. n

Veteran / Military Events and Activities

The average age of veterans at Florida State is 35 and in addition to their studies, they often have job and family responsibilities. Being older and with different life experiences than traditional college students, veterans tend to limit their engagement with the general campus community. Yet research has shown that higher levels of academic success are achieved among students who feel a greater sense of connectedness to their university. The Student Veterans Center at FSU has been proactive in cultivating these connections through events designed to bring veterans together and get them involved in campus life. These activities have been central to the steady increase in veteran-success rates since 2011.

A Conversation About Vietnam

Baseball Military Appreciation Games*

Breakfast with Billy*

Career Prep Workshops*

Dunlap Leadership Luncheons*

Entrepreneurship Bootcamps for Veterans and Families*

FAFSA Workshops*

Fall Kickoff Parties*

Fallen Heroes Ceremonies* Family Fun Day

First Friday Feasts*

Flying High Circus Military Appreciation Shows*

Football Military Appreciation Games*

FSU Day at TCC*

FSU Day at the Capitol*

FSU Great Give*

Heritage Museum Window Unveiling

Hiring Our Heroes

Homecoming Rallies*

Justin Sisson 5K Walk/Run for the Fallen*

Outdoor Pursuits*

Peace Paper Project*

Scott Speicher Memorial Dedication

Seminole Veterans Benefits Expo

Soccer Military Appreciation Games*

Softball Military Appreciation Games*

Tennis Hit-Arounds

Tennis Military Appreciation Matches*

Veterans Alliance Monthly Meetings*

Veteran Liaison Luncheon

Veterans Consortium

Veterans Film Festivals*

Veterans Higher Education Consortium Workshop

Veterans Military Balls*

Veterans Career Networking Nights*

Orientation for Veteran / Military Students*

Women’s Basketball Military Appreciation Games*

Women’s Veterans Alliance Activities*

*Recurring

Student-veterans inspire collaborative modern dance work

Published: May 9, 2014

Florida State University student-veterans and faculty have lent their expertise and stories to a modern dance work that examines how we heal ourselves, individually and collectively, during and after war.

Iconic choreographer Liz Lerman’s “Healing Wars” was developed during two residencies at Florida State’s Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC), and will premiere at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage.

“Healing Wars” touches upon American conflicts from the Civil War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and its cast includes six professional dancers, a former Marine and actor Bill Pullman of “Sleepless in Seattle,” “While You Were Sleeping” and “Independence Day” fame.

The work is highly collaborative and makes use of text, sound, lighting, stage design, costume and multimedia projections to tell its moving story.

To help inform “Healing Wars,” Lerman spoke with Col. Billy Francis, director of the FSU Student Veteran Center, about the needs of veterans as they return to civilian life as students; Kristine C. Harper, an associate professor in FSU’s History Department and a retired Naval Commander, about her experiences as a female commissioned officer; and FSU student-veteran Heather Barta, among several others.

Barta, who graduated this month with a master’s degree in social work, is a member of the FSU Collegiate Veterans Association and a sergeant in the North Dakota National Guard. She served in Iraq from 2007 to 2008 as part of a security forces company and then was deployed to Kosovo from 2009 to 2010 as part of a liaison monitoring team.

She volunteered to work with Lerman and the “Healing Wars” cast.

“I was able to share my story of how my family reacted to my deployment and share with the performers the different mannerisms and postures I held while deployed,” Barta said.

Barta specifically shared with the cast her experiences of being a woman in a combat zone and of telling her mother she was deploying to Iraq.

“My mom is my best friend, and that was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” Barta said. “I’ve never really shared the details of that moment and for them to bring it to life was therapeutic for me.”

“Healing Wars” is “life-like” due to the authentic stories told by those involved in its creation, Barta said.

“The performance hits home for me, and I wanted to be able to give the performers accurate information so that other veterans who see the performance — and civilians alike — have the same ‘hitting home’ response I did.” n

Papermaking Workshops

Several groups of FSU student veterans have participated in Peace Paper Project workshops, which allow these students to transform military uniforms from cloth to paper and add creative renderings onto their personal “canvases.”

The College of Motion Picture Arts spearheaded the production of a Peace Paper Project documentary, which can be viewed by scanning this QR code.

Student Veterans Center Current and Former Staff Members since 2011

Current Staff

Billy Francis, Director

Melissa Ludlam, Assistant Director

Kendra Daley

Brandon DeBruler

Kathleen Harvey Helm

Reinhart Lerch

Sheryl Wilhoit

Current Student Staff

Mitch Budihas

Richard Gonzalez

Melanie Orta

Will Veras

Reilly Weidner

Cody Woodyatt

Former Staff

Cheryl Goodson, Assistant Director

Becky Culp

Mary Lynn Drifke

Peter Dowling

Olivia Dunham

Ashley Jarvis

Grace Keating

Betty Lanese

Amanda Miller

Ashley Pritchard

Former Student Staff Michelle Abraira

Jack Aiton

Joshua Allanson

Aubrey Armes-Johns

Anthony Bayate

Jared Barrett

Austin Brown

Taylor Boyd Michael Bryan Deja Bush

Ty Bush Casey Byrd Robert Campbell Ricardo Cannon

Student Veteran Video Profile

Nathalie Christopher

Jason Constantino

Amy Culp

Quyet Dang Ryan Dees Andrew Dixon

Olivia Dodd Brad Dougherty

Christine Fairbanks

Michael Fairbanks Wilson Nicole Fernandez Chris Frend Joseph Godio Brooke Greene

Andrea Guerrero David Haggerty Tamara Hollingsworth Jack Howell Dan Ibarra Ben Jaco Bryant Jones

Dominik Jordan

Matthew Jorrin

Eriel Joyner

Quinn Kalen

Batiah King

Kevin Lee

Christopher Marley

Matthew Martinez

Brandon McGregor

Bobby Mills

Kyle Mullen

Libby Mullen

Nicole Nagy

Jocelyn Riedl

Ashley Robertson

Matthew Sidler

Joshua Singletary Ethan Surrusco

Tristan Welter Aldo Yepes Jessica Yon

Scan this code to watch Vidal Carranza share his Air Force experiences and how Florida State provides veterans the resources to succeed.

Vidal Carranza

The President’s Cord and Coin Ceremony

Prior to Commencement each semester, the Florida State University president graciously invites graduating veteran/military students and ROTC cadets to the President’s House for the Cord and Coin Ceremony. During this distinctive event, these students are awarded a red, white and blue honor cord to wear during Commencement and a commemorative “challenge” coin.

(L-R): President Richard McCullough, Army Captain Raquel Quinones-Ubam and Student Veterans Center director Billy Francis

President Eric Barron with graduating veterans at an early Cord and Coin Ceremony in Fall 2012

Interim President Garnett Stokes Graduates who attended the Spring 2019 President’s Cord and Coin Ceremony

(L-R): Student Veterans Center director Billy Francis, graduating veteran Ben Hallstrom, and President John Thrasher

Distinct Opportunities

for Florida State University Veteran/Military Students

Veteran Liaisons

More than four dozen Veteran Liaisons are available in academic and administrative units throughout the university to assist veteran/military students with their issues and concerns.

Career Center

Preparing student veterans for their post-graduation careers typically necessitates translating the unique skillsets and experiences gained through their military service into transferable knowledge and abilities. In addition to providing such assistance, the Career Center also offers employers the ability to narrow their search for prospective employees on the university’s job-matching site to those with Armed Services experience.

Emeritus Alumni Society

The most successful fundraising campaign in FSU Emeritus Alumni Society history culminated in endowed scholarships that recognize Student Veteran Academic Excellence. Each Fall and Spring semester, the Emeritus Alumni Society awards $1,000 to both the undergraduate and graduate student veteran who achieves the highest grade-point average that semester.

Panama City Campus

The James and Cameron Skinner Veterans Ready Room provides Panama City student veterans with space to study, conduct small-group meetings, or to simply socialize.

Student Veterans of America at FSU

In 2013, FSU Student Government created the first permanent voice for veterans at a public university in Florida with its establishment of the Veterans Student Union. In addition, veteran/military graduate students are represented within the Congress of Graduate Students through its Veterans Advocate seat. These and other student organizations with a military focus — including the Collegiate Veterans Association, Students for America’s Military, etc. — are collectively known as Student Veterans of America at FSU.

Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans

EBV Accelerate provides veteran business owners the tools and coaching needed to propel their business to the next level: sustainable growth. The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans’ Families (EBV-Families) program offers cutting-edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management for immediate family members and caregivers of veterans.

Student Veteran Video Profile

Scan this code to watch Chimere Ponder discuss balancing parenthood and military duties, as well as some of the resources available to FSU student veterans.

Chimere Ponder

Student

Veteran Video Profile

Scan this code to watch Robert Mills talk about his combat experiences and how Florida State helped him transition to being a student.

Robert Mills

Student veteran Andrew Sloan participated in a news conference to publicize the university’s efforts to grant in-state tuition rates to veterans at Florida colleges and universities, regardless of their state of residency.

Florida State student leaders, president voice support for in-state tuition for student veterans

Published: September 24, 2013

Florida State University Student Body President Rosie Contreras and student-veteran Andrew Sloan voiced their support at the Florida Capitol on Sept. 23 for legislative bills that would ensure in-state tuition to veterans attending Florida’s public universities, including Florida State.

Sloan incurred $10,500 in debt from loans he took out to pay his out-of-state tuition — a cost he thought was covered at public universities under the GI Bill. But the post-9/11 GI Bill covers only in-state rates.

“There’s nothing worse than coming home and learning that after a life of giving everything and asking for nothing, a simple promise wasn’t kept,” said Sloan, who served as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force for six years before enrolling at FSU in 2011. “As dark as that sounds, I still see a perfect opportunity for the state of Florida to reach out to veterans helping some of the greatest warriors our country has ever seen and the greatest students that could be seen.”

Holding true to his administration’s accomplishment of making Florida State the most veteran-friendly university in the nation, President Eric J. Barron joined student leaders in urging for legislative approval for Senate Bill 84 and House Bill 35.

“I believe very strongly that public education is all about accessibility and ensuring that our students graduate and get a good job,” Barron said. “I am personally committed to knocking down any barrier that stands in the way of supporting our veterans’ quest for a higher education. Out-of-state tuition is certainly one of those barriers of accessibility.”

If the bills pass, Florida will join 17 other states that have already guaranteed in-state tuition to student-veterans even if they have not established state residency.

Though the measure passed the House last year and failed in the Senate, Rep. Kathleen Peters is confident that it will proceed this year. The Senate Bill is expected to have its first committee meeting on the measure Tuesday, Sept. 24.

“These veterans put their career on hold for our safety and our freedom, so I don’t believe that we should put their tuition, or their ability to go to school, on hold,” Peters said. “I don’t believe this is a big enough fiscal impact on our universities that we should even consider that as a barrier. They served our country, and it’s time we serve them.” n

FSU hosts ninth annual entrepreneurship bootcamp for veterans with disabilities

By Ashley Jarvis Published: June 7, 2016

The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship in the Florida State University College of Business will host its ninth annual Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) June 7–14 in Tallahassee.

The EBV program gives U.S. military veterans with servicerelated disabilities the training they need to become successful entrepreneurs and small business owners.

The 2016 FSU EBV class includes 21 veterans from 11 states including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. Four veterans are from the Air Force, nine are from the Army, four are from the Marine Corps and four are from the Navy.

During the EBV program, which includes a yearlong mentoring component, veterans take a three-week online course, then travel to Tallahassee for on-site workshops with guest entrepreneurs on topics including business strategy, sales, marketing, leadership, operations and finance. The on-site training culminates with the participants preparing a venture pitch to promote their new business ideas to a group of panelists on their final day.

The EBV program is an important part of the Jim Moran Institute’s small business outreach activities.

“The EBV program gives veterans a high-quality executive education so they can develop and grow their own businesses,” said Randy Blass, executive director of the Jim Moran Institute. “We provide veterans with all of the tools and support that they need to meet the small business challenges ahead. We are proud to host this flagship veteran outreach program.”

Billy Francis, director of the FSU Student Veterans Center, said “Florida State’s sponsorship of EBV for several years now aptly demonstrates the university’s campus-wide commitment to veteran support and success.”

FSU is one of 10 sites participating in the EBV program, which was launched by Syracuse University in 2007. All FSU EBV services are provided to the veterans at no cost through the program’s generous donors. For more information about the FSU EBV program, visit jmi.fsu.edu/ebv. n

Veterans Military Ball

Student veterans and their supporters plan and conduct the annual Veterans Military Ball, which has become one of the signature social events on the FSU campus. In addition to the festivities, Guidon Awards are also presented to the Florida State employee, nonveteran student, and local-community member who have been particularly supportive of student veterans during the previous year. n

Student Veteran Video Profile

Scan this code to watch AJ Riall discuss how FSU helped him overcome his battlefield experiences.

AJ Riall

FSU leading development of advanced prosthetics for veterans

Published: January 16, 2013

Florida State University’s High-Performance Materials Institute (HPMI) is leading a major partnership to develop the next generation of prosthetic limbs for military-veteran amputee patients, thanks to a new contract with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The two-year, $4.4 million VA Innovation Initiative (VAi2) project is aimed at addressing the shortcomings of current prosthetic socket systems — the part where a patient’s limb connects to a prosthetic device — through the development, testing and delivery of “Socket Optimized for Comfort with Advanced Technology” (SOCAT) prototypes.

“Despite the advances made in prosthetics over the years, the socket continues to be a major source of discomfort for our amputees due to issues arising from poor fit, elevated temperatures and moisture accumulation,” said Changchun “Chad” Zeng, an assistant professor at the Florida A&M University-Florida State University College of Engineering and principal investigator on the project. “These adverse conditions effectively limit the basic activities of amputees and can greatly diminish their quality of life. This award gives us the opportunity to tackle those problems so our veteran amputees can live better, more fulfilling lives.”

The SOCAT project will deliver prototypes that will feature a unique combination of advanced composite materials and technology, some of which are cornerstone research and development initiatives of HPMI. These components, such as auxetic materials, which have the unique property of getting fatter when stretched, and carbon nanotube buckypaper, will be used to enable an intelligent prosthetic socket system that monitors the socket environment and self-adjusts “on the fly” to provide new, unmatched levels of comfort. In addition, vital information on the socket environment, such as pressure, temperature, and moisture, will be recorded by the system and wirelessly transmitted to orthotic and prosthetic practitioners to facilitate better patient care.

“Military personnel give so much to defend our country that it’s imperative we support them after their time of service,” said Billy Francis, director of FSU’s Student Veterans Center. “This VAi2 project will combine our materials and engineering expertise with Florida State’s drive to be the nation’s most veteran-friendly university to bring relief and comfort to veteran amputees.”

The SOCAT research team being led by HPMI consists of Advanced Materials Professional Services, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Prosthetic and Orthotic Associates, Quantum Motion Medical and St. Petersburg College. n

Changchun “Chad” Zeng displays a sample of buckypaper.

Three capital city schools come together to support veterans

Published: March 25, 2013

Student-veterans from Florida State University, Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College, along with faculty, staff and administrators, gathered at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center on March 22 for dialogue, strategy development, an exhibitor showcase and a panel discussion during the inaugural Capital City Veterans Consortium.

The consortium was likely the first veteran-support event in the nation to include three institutions of higher learning from within a single city. Representatives from national, state and local veteransupport organizations also participated.

“We hope this very productive and informative collaboration can serve as a model for colleges across the country that are willing to work together in support of veterans,” said Billy Francis, director of Florida State’s Student Veterans Center.

In addition to raising awareness of the challenges faced by studentveterans, participants also identified actions each institution could take to become more veteran-friendly. Suggestions included implementing various methods to increase student-veterans’ retention and graduation rates, disseminating recruitment messages that resonate with exiting military personnel, and sharing and reporting student-veteran success-rate data.

“Each institution’s commitment to collaborate on these initiatives was exemplified through the participation by the presidents of all three schools,” Francis said.

The consortium opened with a video message from Tallahassee Community College President Jim Murdaugh, who encouraged participants to aim for actionable outcomes. That charge was elaborated on in a welcoming address by retired U.S. Army Col. Mike Prendergast, the executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.

Strategies were then developed during dialogue sessions on several topics and summaries were presented during the consortium luncheon. Florida A&M Interim President Larry Robinson and Florida State President Eric J. Barron also addressed luncheon attendees on the importance of pulling out all stops to provide student-veterans with the outreach and support they need to be successful in school and beyond.

“Tallahassee is uniquely positioned to assist our student-veterans as they transition to college life, obtain their degrees and succeed in their careers,” Barron said.

Following the luncheon, Matthew Feger, director of development with the Student Veterans of America, moderated a panel discussion of student-veterans from the three institutions.

Later in the afternoon, an exhibitor showcase featured more than 30 veteran-support organizations and programs available in the local community, including at local colleges and universities.

The day was capped off by a formal military ball. n

Student Veteran Film Festival remembers Vietnam veterans

Published: November 11, 2014

Next April will mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, so it was fitting Florida State University’s fourth annual Student Veteran Film Festival featured Rory Kennedy’s “Last Days in Vietnam,” as the marquee film of this year’s Veterans Day event.

The film, which was presented at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, captures the compelling account of U.S. service members evacuating their South Vietnamese colleagues and friends during the closing days of the Vietnam War.

“It’s an honor to have made this film and be able to share a glimpse of history with audiences across this country,” Kennedy said. “It’s a contribution to understanding this historical moment, but also I hope audiences make a connection in what’s happening today and feel the relevance of this story as we’re trying to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan.”

At this year’s festival, Abby Kinch, president of the FSU Collegiate Veterans Association, thought it was important to recognize veterans from the Vietnam era, who were often met with disdain and contempt when they returned home from overseas. She wanted to salute Vietnam veterans for ensuring no future veteran would endure what they did.

“I wanted to acknowledge that Vietnam veterans and think showing ‘Last Days in Vietnam’ gives them a long deserved ‘thank you,’” said Kinch.

Before the screening of the film, President John Thrasher, a Vietnam veteran himself, presented Kennedy with the Student Veteran Torchlight Award for Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking.

IN

“We are so proud to welcome the film’s director Rory Kennedy to Florida State University today to honor her work and present her with the 2014 Torchlight Award,” Thrasher said. “The Student Veteran Film Festival not only brings acclaimed filmmakers to Florida State University, it highlights our commitment to becoming the most veteran friendly university in the nation.”

The Torchlight Award is given annually to a selected filmmaker who illuminates issues affecting veterans.

“I’m thrilled and touched and honored to receive the Torchlight Award,” Kennedy said. “My commitment is to this film and getting it out to as many communities as possible and extending the impact and reach of this story. I am so grateful to you and the school to acknowledge the work I have done and the importance of this film.”

Kennedy, daughter of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, is an Emmy Award-winning independent documentary filmmaker, as well as cofounder and president of Moxie Firecracker Films. Her films cover an array of issues ranging from poverty to politics to human rights and have been shown on HBO, A&E, MTV, Lifetime and PBS.

“She’s an accomplished filmmaker and has brought all of that talent and craft to a moment in history that illuminates our servicemen on the ground in a way that is unforgettable,” said Paul Cohen, executive director of the Torchlight Program in the FSU College of Motion Picture Arts.

The mission of the Student Veteran Film Festival is to raise awareness of student-veterans’ issues and bridge the gap between veterans and the community. n

Community Sponsors

Throughout the past 11 years, these area businesses and organizations have demonstrated their support of Florida State University student veterans by generously donating their time, talent or treasure.

Garnet and Gold

4 Rivers BBQ

Alumni Hall

AMC Theatres American Eagle

AR Workshop

Aramark

Bento Asian Kitchen Blaze Pizza Bojangles

Breakout Games

Capital City Pedicabs

Chick-Fil-A

Chicken Salad Chick Chipotle

Enterprise Car Rental

Florida State Parks

Forgotten Coast Woodworks

Found for Home

Four Points by Sheraton Frames + FSU Credit Union

Hobby Town Hotel Indigo

Jeri’s Midtown Café

Jimmy John’s

Lucky Goat Coffee Co. Madison Social Maple Street Biscuit Co.

Mission BBQ

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Olive Garden

Orangetheory

Other Side Vintage

Pedal Driven Kayak Fishing Charters

Picaboo Pink Pineapple

Pure Barre

Rebels Midtown Boutique

Rising OM Yoga

Sand Jam Music Festival

Savour Restaurant

Skate World

Smallcakes

Smoothie King

Southeastern Grocers

SunTrust Bank Sweat Therapy

Tallahassee Automobile Museum

Tallahassee Museum

Tallahassee Nurseries

Tallahassee Rock Gym

Tally Yakkers Outfitters

Ted’s Montana Grill

Texas Roadhouse Township

Uber / Uber Eats

Uncle Maddio’s Pizza

Urban Air

Waffle House

Wahoo Seafood Grill

Wakulla Springs & Lodge

Wells Fargo Bank

Wild Adventures Theme Park

Willie Jewell’s BBQ Zoes Kitchen

FSU hosts higher education administrators with focus on readying veterans to pursue college degrees

By Amy Farnum-Patronis | Published: February 12, 2019

Florida State University reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to veteran success Tuesday as it hosted the Veterans Higher Education Collaborative at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center.

Chief administrators from about 30 colleges and universities met to discuss how to better prepare military members in their transition from the military to higher education. VHEC is working with the Department of Defense’s transition team as it looks to focus on readying active military personnel to pursue a college degree after service.

FSU President John Thrasher, a veteran who started law school at Florida State four days after being discharged from the Army, spoke to the group about his own transition and the need for support.

“We know our veterans can do the work because they are leaders, but they need the connection more than anything,” Thrasher said. “If they know they are accepted, they are cared for, and they’re nurtured, it really makes a big difference in their success.”

That’s important because veterans enrich the student body with their experience, maturity and leadership skills.

VHEC is working to become an accredited organization that will use its voice to elevate the level of higher education success for military veterans, like the continuing efforts at Florida State.

“We want to be the most veteran friendly university in America and I know you all do, too,” Thrasher said. “If we all aspire to that, think of the value for our military veterans. I hope we can learn from each other.” n

FSU hosted the Veterans Higher Education Collaborative Feb. 12 at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center. (FSU Photography/Bill Lax)

Student Organizations

In addition to engaging veteran/military students in campus life, these student organizations – which are collectively referred to as the Student Veterans of America at Florida State University – have also heightened awareness among the university community of the Armed Services experience.

Collegiate Veterans Association

The CVA combines campus and community service with social events and activities, including the annual Veterans Military Ball. Its former Presidents are listed vertically in chronological order.

Eric Lundblom

Dan Rosenthal

Glen Hallowell

Bryan Day

Nick Breeze

Sasha Martin Jared Lyon Phil Lennon Ryan Taylor

Abby Kinch

Veterans Student Union

Daniel Foxworth

Vince Williams

Christian Enciso David Lamb

Tim Rice

Ryan Bauer

Julian Olivar

Providing veterans with a permanent voice in Student Government, the FSU Veterans Student Union was the first of its type at a public university in Florida. Its former Directors are listed vertically in chronological order.

Andrew Wright Sloan

Kevin Pierce

Erica Menendez

Women’s Veterans Alliance

Chris Schoborg

Sean Williams

Aaliyah Abarzua

Harrison Aiton

Sarah Johnson

For FSU women who are active or former military members, as well as veteran/military spouses, partners and supporters, the WVA provides opportunities to interact, forge friendships, share insights and resources, and offer support and encouragement.

Additional Veteran and Military-focused Registered Student Organizations

FSU Military Women United

FSU Sharp

Reaching All Wounded Warriors

Society of American Military Engineers (Panama City campus)

STEM Veterans USA at FSU

Students for America’s Military

FSU student-veterans participating in VFW National Legislative Conference

By Susan Hansen Published: March 1, 2017

Two Florida State University student-veterans are attending the VFW National Legislative Conference from Feb. 26 to March 3 in Washington, D.C., to advocate on behalf of all student-veterans, service members and their families.

Ryan Taylor, a Marine Corps veteran, and Ryan McKibben, a U.S. Army veteran both natives of Tallahassee — were chosen to represent Florida State at the conference as a part of the VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship program.

“I was incredibly honored to be selected as a legislative fellow for the Veterans of Foreign Wars,” Taylor said. “This year we lobbied in favor of H.R. 748 which is the GI Bill STEM extension act. This bill would allow for an additional nine months of GI Bill benefits for student veterans studying STEM disciplines. As a chemistry student at FSU and graduating this May, this issue is near and dear to my heart. I am so incredibly fortunate to have attended such a supportive university and local community.”

The Veterans of Foreign Wars has partnered with Student Veterans of America to host the third annual VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship program. Taylor and McKibben, along with eight other exemplary student-veterans from different universities across the country are participating.

“Our student-veterans across the country are leaders,” said Billy Francis, director of the Student Veteran Center at FSU. “We are very proud of Ryan and Ryan. This is a tremendous opportunity for them to contribute on the national level.”

Taylor and McKibben joined more than 500 other VFW members at the conference and are paired with VFW mentors who will accompany them around Capitol Hill for in-person meetings with members of Congress, educating legislators on the issues facing today’s student-veterans. They will also have additional opportunities to meet with policymakers from federal agencies responsible for implementing veterans policy, as well as reporters who cover military and veterans affairs.

“Through our fellowship program, the VFW and SVA seek to work with exemplary student-veterans to hone their unique skills as advocates on campus, in the community and on the national stage,” said VFW National Commander Brian Duffy. “The VFW sees this fellowship as yet another way of supporting our shared mission with SVA to transform today’s scholars into tomorrow’s leaders.”

The VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship is a semester-long academic experience that involves research, action, reporting and advocating on behalf of one of four veterans’ policy areas: success in higher education; transitioning from military to civilian life; succeeding in the civilian workforce; and crafting the future of veterans’ health care.

“SVA has partnered with the VFW for the past three years to host the annual VFW-SVA Legislative Fellow program,” said SVAs President and CEO Jared Lyon, who is also a member of VFW Post 3308 in Tallahassee, Fla. “The opportunity provides exceptional studentveterans the chance to make their voices heard on Capitol Hill and with other organizations in the veterans advocacy space. We are fortunate to have a strong partner, the VFW, to offer this program and are grateful for their support empowering tomorrow’s leaders.”

Each selected fellow submitted a policy proposal addressing one of these issues. In 2016, four fellows received academic credit for their experiences — a success that the VFW and SVA seek to build upon with the 2017 fellowship class. n

(Left to Right) Mark Alvarez, VFW Post 3308 Commander, Army; Ryan McKibben, FSU, International Affairs, Army; Governor Rick Scott; Ryan Taylor, FSU, Chemistry, Marines; Will Hubbard, Student Veterans of America, Marines

The opportunity provides exceptional student-veterans the chance to make their voices heard on Capitol Hill and with other organizations in the veterans advocacy space.”

— Jared Lyon SVAs President and CEO

Veterans Legal Clinic serves dual mission for FSU law students

By Dave Heller

Published: April 25, 2018

Anew academic program designed to give Florida State University law students valuable hands-on experience, while also helping veterans struggling with legal issues, is making a mark with its unique approach to service.

FSU’s College of Law has created a Veterans Legal Clinic to provide free legal services to veterans and allow students to earn six credit hours for participating. Students meet with veterans and their families to fix legal problems or offer referrals.

Demand for assistance has exploded during the first few months of operation, confirming the essential need for such services, and reaction from veterans and students has been positive. Law students set up every Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Tallahassee Health Care Center, 2181 E. Orange Ave., and at the American Legion Post, 229 Lake Ella Drive, from 3 to 6 p.m.

Second-year law student Chandler McCoy said tackling a wide range of legal issues for veterans, some of them homeless, is the kind of outside-the-classroom opportunity that has helped make her FSU experience special.

“We do a lot of driver’s license issues, divorces and custody matters, so you’re talking with real people with real issues who need help right now,” McCoy said.

She signed up for the course partly because her father served in the Navy for eight years as a deep-sea diver. McCoy said her father’s experience has given her a deep respect for veterans, and that attitude makes her contributions in the clinic even more rewarding.

“These veterans are seriously the most appreciative people I’ve ever seen in my life, and many times it’s just because someone listened,” she said. “That’s a big thing — just being heard means so much to them. For me, it’s fulfilling when they say, ‘Thank you so much for listening.’”

College of Law Professor Jennifer LaVia organized the course last fall and became the first director of the Veterans Legal Clinic in

January. The program’s first class enrolled seven students — two of whom are veterans themselves.

“It has been so inspirational to see our students go way above and beyond what’s expected,” said LaVia, a former defense and appellate lawyer who started teaching at FSU in 2002. “The students in my class are so excited to do something that helps real people. They actually go into court and file documents, but the work is also hard. Students are helping people who live the kind of lives that we never could even imagine. It can be taxing emotionally, but it’s also valuable experience.”

LaVia first started working with homeless veterans last year when she volunteered at the annual North Florida Homeless Veterans Stand Down, sponsored by the Florida Veterans Foundation. The event invites veterans to the North Florida Fairgrounds in Tallahassee where they can get a shower, food, medical services and legal help.

Leon County Judge Ron Flury sets up a courtroom at the fairgrounds and adjudicates veterans’ legal cases, especially those involving the suspension or revocation of a driver’s license. The loss of a driver’s license is often the precipitating problem that sends these veterans into a deeper hole of debt and despair, so the judge takes steps to return their driver’s licenses the same day.

That experience profoundly impacted LaVia. She saw how legal issues chronically plagued veterans, and there was a clear need for year-round legal assistance.

That unmet need prompted the Tallahassee Veterans Legal Collaborative, a group including the Florida Veterans Foundation, Family Endeavors, Legal Services of North Florida, the FSU Student Veterans Center and others, to write a legislative request asking state lawmakers to fund ongoing legal services for veterans.

The proposal passed in 2017. The measure dedicated $250,000 to launch a new Veterans Legal Clinic at FSU’s College of Law in January 2018. n

FSU law students Chandler McCoy and Joe Harrington listen to veterans and their families at the Veterans Legal Clinic held at the American Legion Post every Thursday afternoon in Tallahassee. (FSU Photography Services)

Partnership offers support services to caregivers of military veterans

By Lauren Antista | Published: October 7, 2015

Through a partnership between the Florida State University College of Social Work and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, Operation Family Caregiver (OFC) has opened a home base on the FSU campus to offer free, confidential services to caregivers of military veterans and service members in Tallahassee and throughout the Southeast.

The services will be provided by Caregiver Coach Wendy Turney under supervision of OFC Program Manager Margaret Ashmore.

“We are proud and excited about this important collaboration with the Rosalynn Carter Institute,” said Jim Clark, dean of the College of Social Work. “Military caregivers deserve support and expertise as they care for their loved ones, often under extremely stressful circumstances.”

The College of Social Work will host a luncheon for caregivers on Friday, Nov. 6, to celebrate the launch of OFC at FSU. The luncheon also will provide an opportunity for interested caregivers to learn more about the program.

OFC is a proven, evidence-based program that provides support to the families of newly returning service members and veterans. It is free, confidential and tailored to each individual family. It is the only program of its kind serving military families. Since 2001, the United States has sent more than 2.5 million men and women to Iraq and Afghanistan, and more than 50,000 have been wounded. Beyond visible injuries, nearly one-third of returning service members have a mental health condition or have experienced a traumatic brain injury.

Military caregivers can be a spouse or partner, immediate or extended family, a friend or a neighbor, or anyone providing aid or care to veterans and service members. Turney’s role as caregiver coach enables her to work with caregivers to help them develop coping strategies and problem solving skills through obstacles and times of transition.

“Services are tailored to individual caregivers,” Turney said. “Over a 16- to 24-week period, I meet with caregivers in their homes, in my office on FSU’s main campus in Tallahassee or through Skype. Additionally, I follow up with caregivers by phone calls. As a trained OFC coach, I provide support and strategies to our military caregivers in hope to improve caregivers’ quality of life as they care for and support their loved ones.”

OFC launched in 2012 with funding from Johnson & Johnson. After an initial pilot launch, it has expanded in each subsequent year and will be serving military families in 12 locations by the beginning of next year, including Florida. Turney offers these services to caregivers throughout the Southeastern region.

Since its launch, OFC has helped more than 150 caregivers from across the country. Caregivers who have completed the program report being less depressed and more satisfied with their lives, have fewer health complaints and are generally more prepared to take care of their families.

“We know the program works, and we are thrilled to make it available to more families,” said Leisa Easom, executive director of the Rosalynn Carter Institute. n

Veterans Alliance Window

A stained-glass window to honor the university’s veteran heritage was unveiled at the Heritage Museum on November 10, 2016, the fifth anniversary of FSU’s heightened commitment to veterans. The window was created by the FSU Master Craftsman Studio for the museum, which is located in the Werkmeister Reading Room of Dodd Hall.

Student Veteran Video Profile

Scan this code to watch Harley Rockhill discuss how Florida State University has helped him transition from combat to the classroom.

Harley Rockhill

Student Veteran Video Profile

Scan this code to watch Rachel Mims talk about how art therapy helped her recover from injuries, and helps fellow veterans.

Rachel Mims

Student-veterans recognized by veterans association, national magazine

Published: January 22, 2014

The Student Veterans of America recognized Florida State University’s as Chapter of the Month in January, one of several recent honors given to the university’s studentveterans and veteran services.

“We just have a fantastic group of veterans here at Florida State,” said CVA president Abby Kinch. “We’re very engaged in both the campus community and the local community.”

In addition, the Collegiate Veterans Association was awarded runner-up status in the Student Veterans of America’s national business-plan competition, held earlier this month in Scottsdale, Ariz., at the annual SVA conference.

Student Veterans of America, a coalition of campus chapters at more than 950 colleges across the globe, provides veterans with the resources, support and advocacy needed to succeed in college and following graduation.

The Student Veterans of America named FSU student Jared Lyon its 2011 Student Veteran of the Year. Lyon played a key role in Florida State University enhancing its commitment to veteran support and success.

FSU student veteran Batiah King graced the cover of the February 2014 national edition of G.I. Jobs magazine.

What’s more, the cover story of the January 2014 edition of G.I. Jobs, a national publication for military personnel transitioning to civilian life, reports on Florida State veterans and its veterans programs. The cover features a photo of Florida State studentveteran Batiah King from Lake Worth, Fla.

“I was really flattered that they chose to put me on the cover,” said King, an international affairs major in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. “And the headline there really sums things up for veterans at Florida State, because for us FSU is truly so much more than a football powerhouse.”

In November, the university was named, for the first time, to the national Top-10 list of veteran-friendly schools in the annual rankings by Military Times magazine, which also presented Florida State’s College of Business the “Best for Vets — Business Schools” award last March.

“These accolades are a testament to the tremendous work being done by Florida State students, faculty, staff and administrators on behalf of our student-veterans,” said Billy Francis, director of the Student Veterans Center. n

Student Veteran Video Profile

Scan this code to watch Abby Kinch talk about her time in the Air Force and how she became a leader at Florida State University.

Abby Kinch

Student Veteran Video Profile

Scan this code to watch Austin Capers share his experiences in the Army and how a special note from Bobby Bowden lifted his spirits while overseas and even further sealed his decision to attend Florida State University upon returning to the States.

Austin Capers

Florida State wins prestigious award for efforts to improve veteran retention, graduation rates

Published: November 5, 2014

Florida State University’s ongoing initiative to address the educational needs of veterans has been recognized by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).

Florida State received the MVP Project Degree Completion Opportunity Award, which honors an APLU member institution that has made exceptional progress during the past three years in increasing its retention and graduation of students such as minorities, low-income students and veterans.

“Florida State is committed to becoming the most veteran-friendly university in the nation,” said Interim President Garnett S. Stokes. “We are grateful these efforts have been recognized. It shows how continued support of student-veterans can encourage them to complete their degrees and move on to successful careers after military service.”

In conjunction with the award, Florida State received a sculpture and a $20,000 prize to further its degree completion initiatives during a special ceremony at the 127th APLU Annual Meeting Nov. 4, in Orlando, Fla.

“Our member institutions recognize that access — walking in the front door to college — is not the primary goal; it’s getting a complete education, learning to learn and walking back out with a degree in hand ready to contribute to the world,” said APLU President Peter McPherson.

Retention and graduation rates for veterans attending Florida State have steadily increased in recent years due in large part to the Florida State Veterans Campaign, which was launched in 2011.

Over the past five years, the number of veterans entering Florida State who were retained into their second year averaged 98 percent. As a result, the six-year graduation rate for veterans has increased from 69 percent to 86 percent.

“We are humbled and honored to receive this recognition, and thank the entire campus and local community for their support,” said Billy Francis, director of the FSU Student Veterans Center.

“The goal is to graduate and employ 100 percent of our studentveterans and we look forward to continuing to work together toward that outcome.”

The Florida State Veterans Campaign concept, originally brought to the university’s president by student-veterans in the fall of 2010, is rooted in the recognition that current and former military personnel possess the talent, skills and know-how to succeed as students and contribute to the enhancement of the campus community.

The concept resulted in an initiative that provides comprehensive support to Florida State students who are veterans, veterandependents, active duty personnel, Reserve and National Guard members and ROTC cadets.

Initiative strategies include easing the transition to campus life with veteran-specific orientation sessions and first-semester courses, and encouraging advocacy of issues relevant to student-veterans to state and federal lawmakers. Fostering student success through enhanced connections to the academic and social aspects of the university is the objective of the Veterans Campaign.

The MVP Awards are part of a comprehensive, joint effort by APLU and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to help achieve a national goal of 60 percent degree attainment among the U.S. working age population by 2025. Nearly 500 public universities have pledged to boost college completion as a part of the Project Degree Completion initiative.

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) is a research, policy and advocacy organization representing 237 public research universities, state university systems and affiliated organizations. Founded in 1887, APLU is North America’s oldest higher education association with member institutions in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, four U.S. territories, Canada and Mexico. Annually, APLU member campuses enroll 4.7 million undergraduates and 1.3 million graduate students, award 1.1 million degrees, employ 1.3 million faculty and staff members, and conduct $41 billion in university-based research. n

Photography Services)

FSU’s Billy Francis helps studentveterans soar to new heights

By Dave Heller

Published: November 8, 2018

Retired Air Force fighter jet pilot Billy Francis, who leads Florida State University’s Student Veterans Center with a can-do attitude and benevolent heart, has navigated a winding life journey, sometimes literally at Mach speed.

While his zigzag route has sent him and his family all over the world, Francis has brought a steadfast focus to his many missions and always delivered an invaluable gift: helping everyone along that path rise to new heights.

This Veterans Day, Francis is celebrating his seventh year as founding director of FSU’s Student Veterans Center, where his personal resolve to elevate others has translated into tangible results.

Francis has been a loyal, creative leader, working tenaciously to help veterans make the sometimes-difficult transition to college life. He makes sure they are welcomed into a supportive campus community where they can thrive.

“Our goal at the Student Veterans Center is to get to know studentveterans and initiate, cultivate and sustain relationships that create a sense of home, so they can develop a post-service sense of

purpose and vision for their future,” Francis said. “We want to be a national beacon of veteran support and success. We want to empower veterans.”

The best way to empower student-veterans is to provide the resources that help them graduate and find rewarding careers or postgraduate opportunities, Francis said.

Florida State is succeeding on that goal. Student-veterans are posting an impressive graduation rate of 83 percent, according to the Office of Institutional Research.

“That’s a tribute to student-veterans as well as the whole campus community showing its support,” Francis said. “FSU has set up more than 60 liaisons across campus who help with the retention of our student-veterans. We have so many resources as part of the FSU family. I can get immediate assistance with spiritual, mental, physical, relational and academic demands.”

Those campuswide connections are powerful and unique, Francis said, because they help ensure there’s not a “subculture of veterans” separated from the other 99 percent of the student body.

William “Billy” Francis has directed the Student Veterans Center since its inception in 2011. (FSU

That’s a crucial factor for student-veterans, who often arrive on campus a little older and with dramatically different experiences, skills and accomplishments.

In the military, some of them were responsible for millions of dollars of equipment, or they led colleagues and close friends in war zones where bad decisions could cost lives.

Francis points to the actions of one FSU student-veteran who risked everything to help save the life of another service member.

“That’s a big deal, and someone might easily think at the age of 23, ‘I’m never going to have the chance to do something close to that again,’ so you could get discouraged,” Francis said. “We help them realize the biggest accomplishment of their lives is not behind them, and at the same time, we educate nonveteran students about the valuable contributions of our veterans.”

Francis praises Florida State’s veteranfriendly culture, saying the campus has adopted an all-inclusive mindset to empower student-veterans wherever possible.

The list of examples is long. Under the university’s organizational structure, Francis reports directly to President John Thrasher. FSU’s student body presidents have routinely traveled to the National Student Veterans of America annual conference — the only school in the nation to do so. The Student Government Association has created a special unit to focus on veterans’ initiatives.

That supportive spirit is embraced and actualized by members of the Interfraternity Council and National Pan-Hellenic Council, Francis said. A friendly competition of sorts has even developed among FSU’s colleges as they create programs specifically designed to boost veterans and their families.

“Individual colleges at Florida State want to take the necessary steps to become the most veteran-friendly in the nation,” he said.

Francis, who served 26 years in the U.S. military, has a lifelong record of confronting challenges and overcoming them.

A few examples: Francis made FSU’s football team as a walk-on in his freshman year. That same year he was burned so badly in an accident, he had to withdraw from his classes but still managed to graduate in three years.

He turned himself into a top-notch fighter pilot and became an instructor pilot with a seemingly impossible mission: train people who knew nothing about flying and turn them into some of the best pilots in the world in a year.

“It was unbelievable, very rigorous, and this was at the height of the Cold War in 1986,” Francis said.

Later, he was named Mission Support Group Commander at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, a puzzling choice at the time because pilots rarely led mission support services, such as security, communications, food supplies, roads and buildings.

“They were very skeptical when I came in there,” Francis recalled. “Here was a guy who was a pilot, and they wondered, ‘Who is he? What’s going on here? This is weird.’ But it turned out to be a great experience. I told them my job was to get them what they needed, and I encouraged them to do a great job every day.”

That may be Francis’ greatest gift and skill. He engages, encourages and lifts others up, so they can fly higher and fulfill dreams that seemed out of reach.

Now, this results-focused achiever takes on one of his most audacious goals yet — leading the development of a new “Veterans

Legacy Complex” on campus. It is a vast vision, ambitious and demanding, that challenges his matchless mix of optimism, persistence and likeable humility.

He will need those qualities, and likely an extra measure of persuasiveness, to lead FSU’s effort to build the nation’s premier venue for veterans of the past, present and future. Even with his lifetime record of rising to every challenge, Francis knows this time someone must join hands with him and embrace the project.

“We need a lead donor,” he said. “We need somebody who gets excited about creating a one-of-a-kind facility in a veteran-friendly campus culture. The Veterans Legacy Complex would establish Florida State as the ‘Harvard’ of that sphere in higher education. That’s a big opportunity ahead.”

The complex is designed to house FSU’s Institute on World War II and the Human Experience, the Student Veterans Center and the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) facility — veterans of the past, present and future. Currently, those units are located in different places on campus.

Francis believes constructing the Veterans Legacy Complex would create a shining national example of Florida State’s unwavering commitment to veterans.

“Florida State would be an example to other universities, encouraging them to make a long-term investment in veterans, who have a service-motivated ethos, and help them move forward to become tomorrow’s leaders.” n

Our goal at the Student Veterans Center is to get to know student-veterans and initiate, cultivate and sustain relationships that create a sense of home, so they can develop a post-service sense of purpose and vision for their future.”

— William “Billy” Francis, Director of the Student Veterans Center

Military Appreciation Games

Florida State Athletics has been among the university’s most veteran-supportive departments. In addition to conducting annual Military Appreciation Games in a variety of sports, Athletics also displays the Veterans Alliance arrowhead symbol on banners, videoboards and even players’ helmets. Plus, special recognitions of veterans in general and student veterans in particular are regular features of their gameday support activities.

Student-veteran’s service dog honored during Commencement Week

By Susan Hansen Published: May 8, 2017

Florida State University recognized about 6,800 graduates — and one incredible service dog — during its spring commencement festivities this past weekend.

Bella and her owner Bryan Wimberly — a student-veteran who earned his Master’s of Social Work — were recognized at the College of Social Work’s Convocation & Pinning Ceremony Friday, May 5.

Billy Francis, director of the FSU Student Veterans Center, presented Bella with a specially made FSU Veterans leash and patch to place on her service animal vest to celebrate her unique role in Wimberly’s academic success.

“You guys are witnessing history here,” Francis said. “We’re here to recognize a very special shipmate here today, one that is in touch and in tune with the very pulse and the breathing of their shipmate. There is a love, a commitment and devotion that is worthy of honor.”

The loyal companion patiently waited with her shipmate and owner for the rest of the graduation ceremony. This dog is more than just man’s best friend, she’s a hero’s support system.

Wimberly is a U.S. Navy veteran with PTSD who served three combat tours in Iraq and is an advocate for service and therapy animals and those they serve. He believes that providing veterans with dogs like Bella could save lives.

“More than 20 veterans per day commit suicide,” Wimberly said. “I feel Bella has been a significant reason why I’m not one of those statistics, and I truly believe Bella has saved my life.”

Bella has attended classes with Wimberly for seven years, beginning at Tallahassee Community College through completing his master’s degree in social work.

Bella is trained to perform multiple tasks for Wimberly, including calling 911 if he passes out from his medication, or if he starts showing symptoms of anxiety, Bella will put her paws on him so that he pays attention to her.

“My favorite part about Bella is she’s so sensitive to everyone around her,” Wimberly said. “She wasn’t just my service dog, she was everyone in my classes service dog.”

Wimberly recalled how Bella would sit next to other student’s during exams when she sensed their anxiety and wanted to comfort them.

“There’s a special power that service animals have,” Wimberly said. “Soldiers that go fight in combat and come back, they don’t ask for PTSD, but dogs like Bella they save lives every day.”

Wimberly is currently working with Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Animal Therapy, where he will be developing new programs which take therapy dogs into schools to assist children.

A total of 84 veterans graduated from Florida State this spring, which includes former members of the U.S. military, as well as active duty, National Guard and Reserve members. These students earned their degrees on an FSU campus, including Panama City and the Republic of Panama, or through the university’s distance learning programs. n

U.S. Navy veteran and Florida State MSW graduate Bryan Wimberly and his service dog Bella. (Photo: WCTV)

Editor’s Note

Researching the 75-year impact and influence of military veterans on Florida State University has been a gratifying and challenging endeavor.

The transformative effect veterans had on Florida State’s conversion in 1947 were evident and reasonably well documented. Their influence extended into the university’s early years through the establishment of ROTC units, a business school, and other distinct constructions.

In subsequent years, however, the degree to which veteran and military students continued to have a bearing on the university became more difficult to identify. The positives these students brought to the FSU campus — leadership, discipline, maturity, etc. — must have certainly affected campus culture but verifiable evidence of these involvements is lacking.

Consequently, there is little to no record of studentveteran contributions for the period between the

formation of Florida State University in 1947 and when FSU heightened its commitment to veterans in 2011.

Knowing that readers of this magazine could fill in some of those gaps prompts me to ask that stories, awards and even anecdotes about FSU student veterans be emailed to me at rlerch@fsu.edu. This missing history will then be regularly shared through the Student Veterans Center’s biannual “Guidon” newsletter.

Thanks, and I look forward to receiving your email. Sincerely, Reinhart Lerch rlerch@fsu.edu

Student Veteran Video Profile

Scan this code to watch Ryan Taylor recount his combat experiences during the war on terror.

Ryan Taylor

Justin Sisson 5K Run Walk for the Fallen

During his freshman year at Florida State, Justin Sisson joined the Florida National Guard to supplement his military training in the Army ROTC program. The accolades he received led to two separate appointments to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, but he elected to stay at FSU. Between his sophomore and junior years, Justin deployed with his Guard unit for a year in Iraq, receiving the Bronze Star for his service.

After earning the George C. Marshall Award as the top ROTC cadet and graduating from FSU in 2012, Second Lieutenant (2LT) Sisson was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2013 where he was tragically killed in action by a suicide bomber on June 3, 2013. Justin was laid to rest at the National Cemetery in Leavenworth, Kansas where both of his grandfathers who served are also buried.

The annual Justin Sisson 5K Run/Walk for the Fallen was initiated in his honor and memory in 2014.

FSU unveils memorial in honor of U.S. Navy hero Scott Speicher

By Dave Heller Published: February 16, 2018

The spirit of Scott Speicher, an FSU alumnus celebrated as a true American hero, is alive and well on the campus of Florida State University.

FSU President John Thrasher joined members of Speicher’s family Friday to unveil a new memorial honoring the U.S. Navy pilot whose fighter jet was shot down on the first night of the Iraq War in 1991.

The memorial, located at the entrance of the tennis facility named after him in 1993, features a bronze pilot’s helmet and a bronze flight jacket and hat similar to what Speicher would have worn.

“It’s important that future generations understand who he was and what he did for his country,” Thrasher said. “Twenty-five years ago, we named this tennis center in his honor. Today, we continue to tell the story of Scott Speicher with the dedication of this beautiful memorial and plaza.”

The story of Scott Speicher became an agonizing journey of twists and turns that continued for nearly 20 years because it was unclear if he was dead or alive.

On Jan. 17, 1991, as the United States launched Operation Desert Storm, Lt. Cmdr. Speicher was piloting his F/A-18 Hornet toward Baghdad in the pitch black of night around 3 a.m. as his aircraft carrier battle group, led by the USS Saratoga, fired tomahawk missiles into Iraq. His mission was to destroy a battery of surfaceto-air missiles.

Speicher was within 45 seconds of his target when an enemy MiG-25 appeared and fired a missile that ripped off one of the wings on his jet. Witnesses saw a fireball in the sky and then about 20 seconds later, a huge explosion on the ground. It looked like Speicher was killed in the crash, and the U.S. military classified him as killed in action.

Years later, new evidence indicated Speicher had actually ejected from his jet around 13,000 feet. Satellite photos spotted the wreckage; the plane’s canopy was located 1,400 yards away, indicating an ejection; and Speicher’s status was changed to missing in action in 2001. It marked the first time in the history of the U.S. military that a soldier was reclassified from KIA to MIA. In 2002, he was promoted to the rank of captain.

Speicher’s remains were discovered in the Iraq desert west of Baghdad in 2009 — 18 years after his plane was shot down — and his case resulted in fundamental changes in the way the military handled cases of missing soldiers. Now, there must be proof of death before a search is called off; previously, that action would happen when there was no proof of life after 12 months.

Speicher’s friend and fellow Navy pilot Buddy Harris, one of the speakers at the memorial unveiling, said the new military protocol is saving lives.

“That will continue to save lives, as long as we have conflicts, and he’s brought back hundreds of veterans who’ve been repatriated,” said Harris, who worked for years to change the military protocol. “That’s his legacy along with his family, he’d be so proud of them. We all have the Speicher spirit, and we will continue that Speicher spirit forever.”

Jennifer Hyde, head women’s tennis coach, appreciates that Speicher spirit. She first felt it 25 years ago when FSU dedicated its new tennis facility and named it the Scott Speicher Tennis Center. Hyde, a studentathlete in 1993, attended the ribbon cutting for the tennis center, and she was one of the tennis players to hit the first ball on the new courts.

On Friday, Hyde pulled out that same tennis ball at the ceremony, held it up to the crowd gathered there and said she developed over the years a new understanding and gratitude for Speicher’s legacy.

“We are so honored and humbled that our facility, our home for student-athletes and student-veterans, is built upon the bravery and uncompromising spirit of Scott Speicher and his legacy,” Hyde said. “Our tennis programs will continue to do our very best to honor Scott, his service, his sacrifice, and most importantly, his family to the absolute best of our ability.”

The memorial project was a collaboration between FSU’s Grounds and Landscape Operations, Master Craftsman Studio, Mad Dog Construction and Student Veterans Center.

Billy Francis, director of FSU’s Student Veterans Center, said just as members of the military come from all backgrounds and unite in a common purpose to safeguard freedom, he believes the Speicher Memorial will spur the same kind of response.

“It is my hope that this memorial will inspire all of us to come together to care for each other to the point of sacrifice — one for the other — together,” Francis said.

The memorial unveiling was held as part of Military Appreciation Weekend hosted by FSU Women’s Tennis. The women’s team plays Air Force at noon Saturday, and in a show of support for Speicher’s memory and his family, members of the Air Force tennis team turned out to participate in Friday’s ceremony. n

Opposite page: Buddy Harris, a squadron-mate of Scott Speicher, spoke at the memorial dedication. Above: Former President John Thrasher assisted in the unveiling of the Scott Speicher Memorial, which is located in front of the Scott Speicher Tennis Center.

Supporters

Patriot Level

Listed alphabetically

Included in this alphabetical list are the generous supporters who made outright gifts, deferred and estate gifts, pledge commitments, stock transfers, real estate gifts or corporate matching gifts of $25,000 or more to the Student Veterans Center between November 11, 2011 and June 30, 2022.

Rick and Delia Boehm

Robert Brooks

Jim and Sandy Dafoe

Bucky and Carol Fox

Garnet & Gold, Inc.

University Benefactors

Office of the President

Alumni Association

Athletics Department Campus Recreation

Career Center

College of Business

College of Fine Arts

College of Motion Picture Arts

Delta Gamma - Gamma Mu Chapter

Delta Tau Delta - Delta Phi Chapter

Finance and Administration

FSU Line Dance

Mark and Nan Hillis

Jean Simpson

Guy and Delores Spearman

Todd and Annie Trimmer

Interfraternity Council

Kappa Delta - Kappa Alpha Chapter

Master Craftsman Studio Panhellenic Association

Sigma Phi Epsilon - Florida Epsilon Chapter

Sigma Pi - Eta Epsilon Chapter

Student Government Association

Sustaining the Florida State University Veterans Alliance

The definition of a “veteran-empowering” university at Florida State is one that attends to the retention, graduation and placement rates of its military and veteran students. The initiatives below provide ways in which you can further our mission of support.

Student Veterans Center General Fund

Provides funding for resources and veteran-centered activities across the entire spectrum of the university’s Veterans Alliance.

19.47 Program

Named for the year Florida State became coeducational – due to the large number of World War II veterans seeking college degrees – the 19.47 Program allows donors to maintain this proud heritage through a commitment of just $19.47 a month.

Student Veteran Emergency Fund

This reserve source of funds is managed by the Student Veterans Center to assist enrolled veterans whose personal financial situation has become dire. Funds are allocated judiciously and confidentially, and past recipients have conveyed that without this support, their college careers would almost certainly have ended.

Veterans Legacy Complex

A longstanding aspiration for Florida State has been the construction of a stand-alone Student Veterans Center. As a recognized national leader for veteran support and success, the Veterans Legacy Complex will further demonstrate the university’s resolute commitment to its veteran and military students.

To make a donation in support Florida State veterans, please visit veterans.fsu.edu/donate

The successes achieved by the Florida State University Veterans Alliance are chiefly attributable to the countless individuals “behind the arrowhead.” Their immeasurable support has positively influenced the campus experience of thousands of military-affiliated students.

THANK YOU

Student Veterans Center 282 Champions Way A4300 University Center veteran@fsu.edu • 850-644-9562 veterans.fsu.edu