Veteran's Appreciation Day at Cincinnati State
November 5, 2009
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College honored students, faculty members, administrators and staff members who are military veterans – and those who are still in active service -- during a reception Nov. 4.
Interim President Dr. John Henderson – who served in the ROTC during college and in the U.S. Army afterward – opened “Veterans Appreciation Day’’ ceremonies with a welcoming address at 11:30 a.m. College officials greeted veterans and served refreshments afterward, and memorabilia gathered from those who have served in the military was on display.
The event was held at The Point, Room 108 in the Advanced Technology & Learning Center on the main campus.
“We just wanted to take an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to all the men and women who have done so much for our country,’’ said Yolanda Lawrence, coordinator of Veterans Affairs at Cincinnati State.
This year, as in years past, the College will be closed on Nov. 11, the day celebrated nationally as Veteran’s Day. That also happens to be a date between the Early Fall and Late Fall terms at Cincinnati State when classes are not in session. Hence, Lawrence said, administrators decided this year to schedule an early veterans appreciation event at Cincinnati State to honor members of the Armed Forces.
In August, G.I. Jobs, a national magazine that caters to members of the Armed Forces named Cincinnati State to its list of “Military Friendly Schools.’’ The magazine said the listing means that Cincinnati State is among the top 15 percent of all colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide when it comes to meeting the needs of veterans or those still in service.
The publication said it based the designation on such criteria as the presence of full-time counselors for veterans, policies that protect the academic standing of soldiers if they are called to active duty in the middle of a term, networking opportunities and other campus events geared specifically toward veterans, and the availability of online degree and distance learning programs.
In the 2008 Early Fall term, veterans accounted for approximately 4.7 percent of Cincinnati State’s students. In the 2009 Early Fall term, the number of veterans grew by 35 percent, to a total of 315 students, even though their percentage of the total student body declined because of the surge in overall enrollment at Cincinnati State.
Lawrence said veterans appear to be taking advantage of the “New G.I. Bill’’ that took effect Aug. 1, 2009. The federal legislation authorizes payment of in-state tuition and fees, along with a monthly housing allowance and a $1,000-a-year stipend for books and supplies.
A number of states have also acted to improve benefits for military service. Ohio, for example, was the first in the nation to offer in-state tuition to all veterans, regardless of how long they have lived in the state.
