Derek Steyer
The center is open for military and veteran students as well as alumni and is located inside the Gelbke Library.
Kent State Trumbull cut the ribbon on a new military and veteran's resource center Monday.
It will give military and veteran students a place to gather or do course work, but also get access to a vast array of resources.
"There's resume writing tips, information about being a student, if they should get called up, especially for our military learners," Lori Singer-Bare, a lecturer for Kent State Trumbull said. "Access to different veteran service officers in the local area, so there is just a variety of resources, just a space for them to go do course work, have a coffee, whatever they need to do. We have business cards in there for our campus counselor. If they need resources, we have information for the suicide hotline if they are having any issues, financial aid, anything about VA resources and also to get a hold of the center for adult and veteran services at the Kent campus as well."
The center is called, "At Ease" and is located in the library.
The university says this is part of a promise to take care of veterans and their education.
"The government provides a lot of great benefits for folks who are either active in the military or have been in the military, but we want to make sure the folks are getting the benefits that they have earned, that they deserved and that they got a space they can kind of feel is theirs is a space they can come and be comfortable and feel supported," Bill Ayres, Dean and Chief Adminstrative Officer for Kent State Trumbull said.
During the grand opening ceremony, the colors were presented by the Honor Guard and the Daughters of the American Revolution presented lapel pins to veterans in attendance, including Cortland's Jack Hineman who fought in the Vietnam war.
"We didn't have this kind of reception back when I got out of the service, so, it means a lot to me, better late than never," Hineman said.
Congressman Bill Johnson was also a special guest for the ribbon cutting and said he wouldn't be where he is today if it weren't for veterans programs while he was going to school. He says he is grateful for institutions like Kent State Trumbull.
The resource center will be open anytime the library is open and is available for alumni to use. They hope to make it a community resource down the road.
Source: WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren Ohio.
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