When Chancellor Kent Syverud took his position in 2014, he identified a commitment to the veteran and military community as one of four strategic priorities of his tenure, launching Syracuse University's effort to be the best place for veterans. Five years later, veteran and military-connected enrollment has increased over 500 percent, reaching record numbers topped only by the University’s post-WWII enrollment when Chancellor Tolley opened the University doors to returning service members—effectively tripling the school’s enrollment overnight and kickstarting a legacy of military dedication.
Today, Syracuse University’s service to veterans is felt on campus and nationwide through its Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) , the only institute of its kind to offer programs and research for veteran issues. Since its inception in 2011, the IVMF has impacted over 125,000 veterans, transitioning service members and their families through free programs and pathways to success that support all aspects of their post-service lives—from navigating community services and support to professional certifications for in-demand careers, employment and entrepreneurial training.
Through the hard work on campus by the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA), the University is recognized as the #1 private school in the country for veterans by Military Times and further distinguished as one of only 15 Pat Tillman Foundation Partners. Syracuse University veteran and military resources and programs include:
- Unlimited participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program allowing Post-9/11 GI Bill® students to receive additional funding to cover required tuition and fees
- Veteran-dedicated staff across campus
- Expanded capability of the Office of Veteran Success (OVS)
- Dedicated veteran admission advisors
- Dedicated veteran career services advising boasting 100 percent career placement for graduating student veterans
- Vet Success on Campus (VSOC) Program
- Early registration benefits
- Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (PAVE) Program
- Student Veteran Organization (SVO)
- The Wohl Family Veterans Legal Clinic
- Military-specific degrees in several of the University’s nine schools and colleges
As part of Syracuse University’s enduring commitment to veterans, the National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC) , a first-of-its-kind multi-use facility dedicated to advancing academic research, programming and community-connected innovation serving the social, economic and wellness concerns of the nation’s veterans and families, is scheduled open in spring 2020.