U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Deputy Secretary Paul R. Lawrence visited Florida State University’s campus Tuesday, June 24, for a roundtable discussion with FSU, Florida A&M University and Tallahassee State College student veterans and those who work to support them.
The discussion was held in FSU’s Harpe-Johnson ROTC Building and focused on VA education benefits, with the Deputy Secretary seeking input from attendees about what is working well in addition to identifying potential areas of improvement for all involved.
“One of the best benefits from being in the military is the G.I. Bill — free college education if you serve for three years honorably,” Lawrence said. “But of course, it has to be a great experience. What I was impressed with was how granular and detailed the students’ feedback was and how really operational it was — things that we could go and do right away to make the experience better.”
FSU’s Student Veterans Center (SVC), launched in 2011, serves as a “one-stop shop” of resources and support for veterans, active-duty, National Guard and Reserve members, as well as veteran/military dependents. The entire team at the SVC is dedicated to assisting student veterans to be successful at Florida State and beyond.
“Having the Deputy Secretary make Florida State the first university he visits to gain insight into how the VA can better serve student veterans is remarkable,” said FSU Student Veterans Center Director Billy Francis. “It speaks to the quality of our students as well as our university-wide commitment to supporting veterans.”
Following the roundtable, Lawrence spent time gathering feedback from the SVC staff, particularly its benefits team, which reviews each course taken by students who receive VA benefits to make sure they align with their degree requirements.
Providing accurate benefits information and certifications is central to the SVC’s operation, but Francis also noted that numerous veteran-centered events and sustained communication with these students set Florida State apart from peer institutions.
“It was gratifying to be able to express our concerns and suggestions directly to such a high-ranking VA administrator,” said FSU Collegiate Veterans Association President Nick Long. “Dr. Lawrence was genuinely interested in our concerns and in bringing about positive changes.”
To learn more about FSU’s Student Veterans Center, visit veterans.fsu.edu.