Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
Illinois Patriot Education Fund Awards $9,000 to Scholarship Partner Pat Tillman Foundation The Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF) announced in early February that it awarded $9,000 in scholarship support to the Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF). The award is one of several being made by IPEF this year as a result of its 2012 fundraising efforts. The two organizations began their partnership in 2011. Established in 2004 following Pat Tillman’s death while serving with the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan, the Foundation is a national leader in providing educational support and resources to veterans and their spouses. Inspired by Tillman’s attributes of leadership, passion for education and spirit of service, the Pat Tillman Foundation annually awards educational scholarships through the Tillman Military Scholars program. Created in 2009, the program is dedicated to supporting educational opportunities for veterans, servicemembers and their spouses by filling the financial gaps in the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. Recognizing the unique needs of these nontraditional students, the Tillman Military Scholars program covers direct study-related expenses such as tuition, fees, books, room and board, and other basic needs, including transportation and child care. The contribution from IPEF was raised during its 2012 fundraising efforts and is earmarked to support Tillman Military Scholars with connections to the state of Illinois. IPEF’s mission is to provide educational financial assistance to support Illinois military families. IPEF is a registered 501(c)(3) that supplements educational needs beyond benefits provided by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Those benefits include school supplies and materials, professional tutoring programs, funding to help offset charter school costs, and scholarships. “The Pat Tillman Foundation is honored to continue its strong partnership with the Illinois Patriot Education Fund to provide educational support to veterans and military spouses in the state of Illinois and we are humbled to be selected to receive funds raised through its efforts,” said Marie Tillman, president of the Pat Tillman Foundation. “It is through the generosity of donors like IPEF that we are able further the Tillman Military Scholars program and impact lives by providing the financial and educational resources needed to prevent undeserved debt, increase economic stability and establish a foundation for greater career opportunities.” “The Pat Tillman Foundation and its Tillman Military Scholars program are very worthy of our ongoing support and an important educational effort we all need to make on behalf of our Illinois military families,” said Mark Slaby, founder and executive director of Illinois Patriot Education Fund. “We look forward to continuing our partnership as we stand together as an educational resource for those who have given so much for all of us.” www.MAE-kmi.com
IVMF Launches Comprehensive Employer Toolkit to Support Veteran Employment The Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University launched its digital toolkit for employers in February. One of the first milestone deliverables from Get Skills to Work, “Veteran Employment Leading Practices: Tools for Engaging Talent” provides practical tools and online resources to empower the nation’s employers to hire veterans and will be continually updated. “America’s employers play a critical part in helping U.S. veterans as they return from service and seek private sector opportunities,” said Kris Urbauer, program manager, Veterans Initiatives at GE. “However, possessing a desire and willingness for such support does not always lead to action. Marrying a company’s aspiration to be ‘veteran friendly’ with the ability and the preparedness to recruit, hire, train and develop veterans is imperative to maximizing the effectiveness and the longevity of veteran-hiring initiatives.” GE is lead corporate sponsor of the toolkit and an IVMF flagship partner, supporting the institute’s work to improve the employment situation of veterans and their families. The toolkit brings together key insights and resources from employers, public and private sector organizations and key stakeholders to support veteranfocused career initiatives. Part of the larger Get Skills to Work coalition effort, spearheaded by GE, the toolkit includes information and resources regarding veteran hiring, onboarding and orientation, acclimation, retention, promotion and advancement, and leveraging veteran experience for business advantage. A secondary focus is on veterans and their preparedness for the civilian workforce. Building on IVMF’s JPMorgan Chase & Co.-sponsored work on veteran employment, the “Guide to Leading Policies, Practices & Resources: Supporting the Employment of Veterans and Military Families” released in June 2012, the
toolkit simplifies employer access to veteran hiring information and practices. “Toolkit information is packaged succinctly, and in a number of different formats, so that it can easily be adopted by businesses and organizations for a seamless process of hiring and retaining veterans,” said James Schmeling, IVMF managing director and co-founder. “‘Veteran Employment Leading Practices’ can be utilized by companies and organizations on a wide range of levels regarding the veteran workforce—from employers just learning about veterans to those who are tapping into veteran employee groups for a competitive advantage.” “Business and industry recognize the value of the veteran in the workforce,” says Mike Haynie, IVMF executive director and founder. “This toolkit presents a onestop shop to leverage veteran talent and for veterans to become better acclimated to the post-service, civilian workplace. We are thrilled to have GE as a leading corporate partner in this effort.” The toolkit is a collaborative effort of the IVMF and more than 30 private sector employers, including GE as well as Accenture, AstraZeneca, AT&T, BAE, Bank of America, CINTAS Corporation, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Ernst & Young, Google, Health Net, Humana, JPMC, Merck, PepsiCo, PLC Global Solutions, Prudential, TriWest, Walmart and WILL Interactive. Companies willing to share their practices regarding veteran employment may contribute to the toolkit through a simple submission form on the website, or may contact the IVMF directly to share their information. All companies who collaborate on the toolkit are prominently featured on the site, so that veterans can see those in the public and private sectors who value their contributions to the civilian workforce and to help veterans gain an understanding of the employer perspective regarding veteran hiring, retention and advancement.
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