March 11, 2022
With innovative resources like the Veterans Success Center (VSC), St. John’s University makes the positive transition to civilian life a priority for its student veterans, offering a host of programs designed to give these deserving men and women every opportunity to enjoy the vast benefits of the country they served.
To that end, St. John’s was recently awarded a Silver-level 2022–23 Military Friendly® School designation by VIQTORY®. The award is presented to institutions with the best practices in military and veteran education support, and Military Friendly® ratings have set the standard for companies and colleges demonstrating positive employment and education outcomes for veterans and their families.
Sharod L. Tomlinson, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Student Success and Engagement, oversees the Center. He noted that the VSC’s mission is to support student veterans at St. John’s in their pursuit of higher education.
“The Center assists student veterans with successful transitioning from military service to University life through networking opportunities, resources, community service, health networking, and advocacy,” he noted. “The VSC fosters an environment honoring military service and seeks to improve the quality of their University experience.”
During the 2020–21 academic year, nearly 250 veterans were enrolled at St. John’s. The University provided more than $2.5 million in aid to these students, while the US Department of Veterans Affairs offered St. John’s veteran students more than $5 million in assistance.
“The VSC is like having a big brother on campus ready, willing, and able to help us along the way, especially when it comes to issues involving veterans benefits,” said Administrative Studies major and US Army veteran Howard L. Henderson.
“It’s been an incredible resource for me. As a veteran attending St. John's University, every second here has been an enjoyable experience, and I credit much of that to the devoted support and assistance I’ve received from the VSC.”
“Reentering civilian life can be difficult for any member of the military, especially when you return as a college student,” stressed Patrick Clayton, a Criminal Justice major and retired member of the US Navy. “St. John’s opened its doors and its heart to me. I vividly remember discovering the VSC and meeting other veterans. We often shared stories and gave each other support if we struggled in class. Before long, I called the VSC ‘home.’”