This investment is already making a meaningful difference for the students and faculty who teach and learn in Sykes Learning Center and Dana Hall, home to programs from both the McColl School of Business and College of Arts and Sciences.

“McColl School’s classroom upgrade has transformed the learning environment, allowing students to effortlessly split into small teams to strategize, analyze business problems, and engage in collaborative projects,” shared Steven Cox, Ph.D., professor of marketing.

The renovated classrooms feature modern technology, flexible furnishings, and intentionally designed layouts that foster collaboration, engagement, and innovation. These enhancements empower faculty to utilize dynamic teaching methods while equipping students with the tools in environments that foster engaged learning.

“Because of Trust’s investment, our students can now learn in classrooms designed for the future of business education. The renovated Sykes spaces are flexible, modern, and welcoming — making it easier for students to collaborate, engage with faculty, and learn in ways that prepare them for the real world,” said Denise Rotondo, Ph.D., dean of the McColl School of Business.

When Melinda Harper, Ph.D., professor of psychology, reflects on the revitalized spaces with her colleagues, there is a shared appreciation for the “renewed sense of light and brightness.”

“I have no doubt this has made a positive impact on us and our students, and consequently, the overall learning experience,” Harper added.

The Trust’s ongoing investments in creating innovative learning spaces and scholarships strengthen ��������’ ability to recruit and retain outstanding faculty and students, ensuring that our academic spaces reflect the caliber of the education provided to students, no matter their financial background. By creating engaging spaces, the Foundation has helped create learning environments that inspire creativity, encourage active participation, and support student success.

We are deeply grateful to the Trust for its partnership and vision. Their support is an investment in the educational experience of every student who joins the �������� community.

The post $350,000 Grant Funds Classroom Renovations, Scholarships first appeared on Advancement.

A Gateway to the “College Town” Down the Street

The Salvins’ connection to �������� runs long and deep. An avid reader, Bob Salvin reminisces about his time spent as a youth at what is now the Myers Park Library. His family also spent a lot of time on campus, including performances by his wife, Susan, with Sweet Adelines. Susan’s daughter Kristin, a recognized expert on clinical wound care, is a 2005 graduate of the �������� nursing program. When Bob Salvin’s demanding travel schedule finally eased, the couple looked across the street from their home and saw something they had been meaning to explore.

“We said, we live across the street from a school,” Bob Salvin recalled. “Let’s go down there and find out what’s going on.”

What they found was the Learning Society, which quickly felt like home. “We see the Learning Society as a gateway to a vibrant university community that’s here for all of us,” said Bob Salvin.

Their involvement grew from there, extending to athletics, Arts at ��������, the Friends of the Library, and the annual Salvin Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition. The Salvins also invest in �������� students beyond the lecture hall, opening their home for events, mentoring students, teaching professional preparedness, and showing up in the kind of personal, hands-on ways that leave a lasting mark. But it was the Learning Society’s potential — and a growing gap between its ambitions and its budget — that inspired their latest investment.

Students at the Center

At the heart of the Salvin gift is a belief that the Salvins share: that �������� students must be at the center of the Learning Society experience. Not only seated in the audience, but on the stage, too.

The Learning Society’s student engagement model is unique to the �������� campus. Weeks before each event, students work closely with faculty to immerse themselves in a speaker’s work, connecting the lecture topic to what students are learning in the classroom. Then thought-provoking questions are created, and the students lead a dynamic discussion culminating with questions from the audience.

“We both feel strongly about education and how important it is,” Susan Salvin said. “This is a way that helps stimulate young adult minds, as well as our community at large, and to intersect with each other. And hopefully it will be even more in the future than it’s been in the past.”

“The Salvins are not simply philanthropists. They are in the room, they are invested in our students, and they believe deeply in what �������� means to Charlotte,” said �������� Acting President Jesse Cureton, MBA ’02. “This gift to the Learning Society comes at a pivotal moment for our university, and it is a testament to what happens when generous, visionary people decide they want to make a difference in their own backyard. We are profoundly grateful.”

“Bob and Susan Salvin have believed in �������� at every turn — from our student-athletes to our entrepreneurs, and now to the intellectual life of our campus and community,” said Lori Ann Summers, Ed.D., vice president of university advancement. “This gift is a statement about what �������� is becoming. When our students take the stage alongside the most compelling voices of our time, they are not just witnessing greatness; they are part of the conversation. That is what a �������� education looks like, and the Salvins are making it possible at every level.”

A Magnet Investment

The Salvins describe the gift not as a one-time contribution, but as a catalyst. “We see this as a magnet ongoing investment; and our intent is to be able to continue to fund it after we’re gone” Bob Salvin said.

The gift is powered by a remarkable entrepreneurial journey. Bob Salvin founded Salvin Dental Specialties, Inc. out of the trunk of his car and built it into a global biomedical company whose instruments and surgical products have enriched the lives of millions of patients worldwide. The company was sold to private equity in 2023.

“We never expected the company to get to the value that it was when we sold it,” Susan Salvin said. “But because we felt so blessed through our success, we wanted to give back to the community that we lived in, and that helped make it all possible.”

There is something Bob Salvin finds profound about what that success has made possible. “There’s a magic in going into a room and seeing people who don’t know us, and people that we don’t know enjoying something that would not be possible without a gift from Susan and me,” he said.

In Service for the Future

For the Salvins, this gift is also an investment in ��������’ future — particularly as the university moves forward following its recent merger announcement, which will make it a key part of one of the largest private universities in North Carolina.

They see this gift as part of the spark that elevates the university, helping a beloved institution step fully into the spotlight it has long deserved. With Charlotte welcoming new residents every day and ��������’ profile growing through its recent merger, the Salvins believe the moment calls for investment that matches the opportunity.

Bob Salvin has served on the �������� Board of Trustees since July 2019, in addition to being the founder and CEO of Salvin Dental Specialties, Inc., an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner, a 2024 �������� University Carolinas Entrepreneur Hall of Fame inductee, and recipient of the North Carolina Governor’s International Trade Award and the Gateway International Trade Award, among other honors. Susan Salvin is a retired pediatric nurse and former nursing director of Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Hospital, recognized as a Great 100 Nurse in North Carolina in 1995. They are longtime President’s Circle members of the Learning Society.

The �������� Learning Society welcomes community members through annual memberships and individual ticket purchases. For more information, visit the Learning Society website.

, AI and the Future of Everything with Nita Farahany and Nicholas Thompson, including how students and faculty interact with the topic.

Photos by Tricia Coyle

The post �������� Receives Transformative Gift to Elevate Learning Society Lecture Series first appeared on Advancement.

Tyson’s legacy will soon come to life through the Cynthia Haldenby Tyson Executive Leadership Center for the McColl School of Business, made possible by a $1 million investment from the Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation.

The newly established Center will position �������� as a convener for corporate and nonprofit leadership in the region. Designed to host executive education and training, the Center will strengthen partnerships with Charlotte’s leading companies while supporting workforce development and talent retention. By connecting corporate leaders with faculty expertise and emerging talent, the Center will attract sustained investment and play a critical role in advancing Charlotte’s business and leadership ecosystem.

“Rapid changes in technology and connectivity have created new challenges for developing, designing, and delivering world-class executive education and leadership development programs to our professional community,” shared Will Sparks, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Leadership and Executive Education (CLEE).

Sparks added, “This investment will help ensure that we have the best-in-class facilities to deliver on our promise of transformational learning and development experiences that help our clients realize their full potential and, in doing so, change the world one organization at a time.”

The new Cynthia Haldenby Tyson Executive Leadership Center will be located on the third floor of Sykes Learning Center and will transform into an environment built for dynamic, inclusive, and engaging teaching, influencing student and client outcomes, and faculty effectiveness. Investments in flexible classroom furnishings and upgraded instructional technology alongside modernized spaces will create a future-ready training space for today’s community leaders.

“For more than three decades, the executive education programming designed and delivered by the McColl School of Business has helped professionals discover the leader within,” shared Denise Rotondo, Ph.D., dean of the McColl School of Business. Creating a modern environment conducive to cohort-based adult learning and consistent with the high quality of our programs is essential to our future success.”

For the Robet Haywood Morrison Foundation, this investment is a natural fit. The Foundation honors the Charlotte businessman, environmentalist, and philanthropist Robert H. Morrison. Morrison, who died in 2005, was Tyson’s longtime partner. She went on to serve as president of the Foundation until her death in 2024. Active throughout the community, the Foundation continues to honor the legacy of both Morrison and Tyson.

The post Cynthia Haldenby Tyson’s Legacy Honored Through $1 Million Investment in Leadership Education first appeared on Advancement.

Over the past four years, their collective giving has helped make a �������� education possible for more than 25 students, providing more than $500,000 in scholarship support. Their commitment reflects not only their love for their alma mater and shared belief in the transformative power of education, but in the power of investing in women as well. Attending �������� when it was an all-women’s college provided a lasting experience that helped shape the scholarship.

“At ��������, we were given so many opportunities to grow as leaders,” reflects Sallie Trippe Broach ’71, “because of the small size of the college and the dedicated professors who challenged us and believed in us as women.”

Dee Gaffney Malone ’71 echoed that sentiment, celebrating that many of their classmates went on to take on leadership roles in their careers and communities — empowered by the foundational beliefs instilled in them as students. For Malone, seeing the impact of that generosity firsthand only deepened her commitment to giving. “I‘ve attended events at �������� where students described the value of their scholarships,” she recalls. “It was apparent that they would make a difference in the lives of others — thus perpetuating the gift.”

As they approached their 55th reunion, the Class committed to endowing a scholarship that would support students in perpetuity. In the past year alone, they contributed more than $165,000 to establish the �������� Class of 1971 Endowed Scholarship, ensuring that future generations will continue to benefit from their vision and generosity. That spirit is perhaps best captured in the �������� motto they carry with them: “Not to be served, but to serve,” which Malone describes as “the core of how many in the class have approached their years after ��������.”

In honor of the education, friendships, and experiences that shaped their lives, �������� is proud to celebrate the enduring impact of the Class of ’71. Their legacy is not only measured in dollars raised, but in lives changed — and in the bright futures made possible through their commitment to the university.

The post Opening Doors: The Class of 1971’s Lasting Legacy first appeared on Advancement.

Ginny had visited several universities as she weighed her options for college. “At larger schools, you were a number,” she recalls. “You weren’t an individual. You weren’t a person.” Having spent most of her childhood in Charlotte before moving to New Orleans, she knew of ��������, and even had a family member who attended Chicora College before it merged with �������� College in 1930.

So Ginny made the decision to attend ��������, and this decision is one that she is forever grateful for.

A Royal From the Start

From the mandatory study hall that helped her build good habits, to the sophomore mentor assigned to help her get acclimated and the professors who went out of their way to be accommodating, Ginny found exactly the kind of warm, personal environment she’d hoped for.

“The professors at �������� couldn’t have been nicer,” she says. “They wanted to teach you as much as you could absorb.”

She still smiles at some of her favorite memories: the fall mixer with Davidson College’s freshman class, where students were matched by interest form and sorted onto the bus in alphabetical order, Boar’s Head, and the glow of the Yule Log burning in the back circle each year at Christmas.

“�������� just did so many wonderful things to make students feel at home,” she says. “That this was as much their place as it was the university’s.”

Ginny graduated in 1974 with a degree in mathematics — a subject she’d grown to love largely because of her father, a civil engineer who believed deeply in the sciences and passed that passion on to her. She’d briefly considered a path in teaching, even tutoring students at local junior high schools during her time at ��������. But when it came to managing a full classroom, she knew her strengths lay elsewhere.

Instead, she excelled in her internship with the State of Georgia, where she helped create a formula that tracked employment rates for the state, examining individual counties and varying categories.

A Career Built on Problem Solving

After graduating, Ginny returned to Atlanta and began a career in federal service — first as a Veterans Administration benefits counselor, helping veterans and their families navigate and access resources available to them. When she relocated to Charlotte after marrying her husband, she found her way back to public service through a role as a tax auditor for the Internal Revenue Service. This was the perfect fit for her.

“It was much, much closer to my math background,” she says with a laugh. She spent 23 and a half years at the IRS Charlotte office, earning numerous performance awards over a long and distinguished career.

Her love for math went back even further than her time with the IRS, college classes, or involvement in state-run formulas. In high school, Ginny had a math teacher — also the football coach — who believed women simply weren’t cut out for the subject. It didn’t discourage her. It motivated her.

“That was another reason I went into math,” she says. “I wanted to show him that women were just as smart as men, and we could do it.” She never got the chance to tell him what she’d accomplished. But she accomplished it all the same.

Giving the Gift She Was Given

In recent years, Ginny’s life has brought challenges as profound as any she’s faced — the loss of her husband of nearly 42 years, followed just four months later by the loss of her vision. Rather than stepping back, she stepped forward. She now leads a low vision and no vision support group at The Sharon retirement community, and she’s preparing to present at the American Society on Aging in Atlanta on how technology can empower people with disabilities to live independently. She stays connected to �������� through the Learning Society, attends lectures, and cheers on the Royals with unmistakable pride.

“I couldn’t be more proud to tell people I went to ��������,” she says. “It’s definitely kept up with the times, and I think that’s fantastic.”

That pride is now coming to life in a tangible way. Ginny is endowing a mathematics scholarship at �������� — a gift she describes as a blessing to be able to share.

“I was fortunate that when I was at ��������, I didn’t have to worry about anything,” she says. “My parents wanted me to do one thing: focus on my education. Not every family can always do that for their children.”

She knows what it means to start a career unburdened by heavy loans. She knows the difference that freedom made for her. And she wants to provide this opportunity to students who might not otherwise be able to attend �������� — ideally, those who share her love of math. With the Ginny Lee Hansen ’74 Endowed Scholarship, she will make a long-lasting difference in the lives of the many students who will benefit from her generosity.

“If it can make getting an education a little easier for someone,” she says, “that means the world to me.”

One can’t help but notice the connection from Ginny’s relative, who attended Chicora College, to the �������� motto adopted from the school, “Not to be served, but to serve.” A thread throughout our alumni’s lives going back generations, with each one continuing to build a better future for the next.

The post Ginny Hansen ’74 Paves the Way for the Next Generation of Mathematicians first appeared on Advancement.

“Once a teacher, always a teacher,” she said.

That belief is now shaping a new investment in the next generation of educators at ��������. Through a $40,000 gift, Hopkins has established the Harriet James Hopkins Leadership in Education Grant, designed to support graduate students in the Cato School of Education and provide continued mentorship well beyond graduation.

The grant will support students pursuing master’s-level education programs, including the Master of Education (M.Ed.) and Master of Educational Leadership (MEL). Individual awards of $1,500 to $2,000 will help students focus on developing their skills, expanding their instructional strategies, and preparing for meaningful impact in schools and communities.

With a national decline in students majoring in traditional majors such as elementary education and secondary education, there is an increase in students entering teaching fields in alternative ways. These include majoring in another discipline or going into teaching as a second career. Graduate degrees in education, as well as other certification programs offered by the Cato School of Education, will meet these needs, and the Hopkins grant will further support accessibility to these opportunities.

Hopkins brings a lifetime of experience to this work. A former teacher, principal, and school system administrator, she also served on the board of the School of Education at the University of Virginia. Across every role, her focus remained the same.

“Even in my administrative roles, I never stopped teaching,” Hopkins said.

A defining feature of the new grant is its two-year mentorship component following degree completion. Grant recipients will meet three times per year with their respective �������� program chair, creating space for reflection, guidance, and continued professional development as they navigate the next chapter of their careers.

“I want young educators to feel confident in their abilities,” said Hopkins. “Having a coach — someone to listen, guide, and encourage them — can make all the difference.”

A portion of the gift will also support career programming and internship opportunities through the Vandiver Center for Career Development in partnership with the �������� Office of Advancement. This initiative will connect undergraduate and graduate students with educators, nonprofit leaders, coaches, and other professionals in helping fields.

For Hopkins, supporting �������� is deeply personal. As a proud alumna, she sees this moment as an opportunity to invest in the institution that helped shape her path. Through this new grant, Hopkins is empowering educators to step forward prepared, supported, and ready to lead.

To support this fund, please contact Lesley Swartz (swartzl@queens.edu) or and designate the Harriet James Hopkins Leadership in Education Fund when prompted.

The post A Lasting Investment in Educators: Harriet James Hopkins ’64 Establishes New Grant first appeared on Advancement.

Over the course of two weeks, alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff, and students united to support the students who call �������� University home today.

“The �������� community stepped up with incredible generosity and spirit,” said Dr. Lori Ann Summers, Vice President of University Advancement. “QUnited is more than a fundraising campaign. It is a celebration of community, connection, and investment in the future of ��������.”

The campaign highlighted the role the �������� Fund and Royals Club play in our campus success, fueling scholarships, providing flexibility, and empowering students and faculty.

Even as the university enters a new chapter in our merger with Elon University, this year’s results reflect strong participation across the �������� community, with 514 donors raising more than $510,000. Among those contributors were 87 first-time donors; their enthusiasm and investment brought renewed energy to the annual tradition.

Generosity came from all corners of the �������� family:

• 250 alumni gave back, raising nearly $150,000 in support of students.
• 104 friends of the university contributed more than $200,000 — the largest giving total by donor type.
• 32 faculty and staff members supported the cause with gifts totaling nearly $6,000.
• 30 students participated, demonstrating the next generation’s commitment to their community.
• The median gift size was $103, and the average was over $1,100, evidence of the power in our unity.

In a time of transition for ��������, this collective support provides current-use resources, with dollars going where they are needed most: student experiences today.

QUnited’s momentum was boosted by surprise matching challenges designed to encourage participation and increase impact. Both major matches, the $50,000 Undergraduate Alumni Trustee Challenge and the $25,000 Graduate Alumni Trustee Challenge, were successfully completed, doubling the power of alumni gifts.

More than 100 donors were celebrated on campus with signage featuring their names after being among the first to give $100 or more to the �������� Fund or Royals Club.

Danielle Coney ’16, Jasmyn Lindsay ’16 MBA ’20, and Samantha Martinez ’16 joined anonymous graduates from the 1980s and 2001 to challenge classmates across decades, encouraging increased alumni participation throughout the campaign.

These challenges created friendly competition and served as catalysts for giving, inviting alumni and graduate alumni to rally behind their peers and make every dollar go further.

Every contribution sends a message to students: you matter, and your community stands behind you.

“The collective support we saw during QUnited reminds our students they are not alone,” said Aimee Miller, Director of the �������� Fund. “It’s a testament to how much Royals care about each other and about the future.”

Thank you to everyone who gave, shared, and encouraged others to participate. Together, we truly met the moment and helped expand the possibilities for every student at ��������.

Miller added, “If you missed the fun, don’t worry! Our giving year ends on June 30. You still have time to for students this academic year.”

Cover photo: �������� alumni who work on campus celebrated QUnited together.

The post �������� �������� Comes Together to “Meet the Moment” for Students first appeared on Advancement.

For Omari, an international student, coming to the United States and entering a new culture, language environment, and educational system was an opportunity for growth. He and Jaylen both shared the impact of iBelong on their journey, an on-campus mentoring program designed to support first and second-year students from underrepresented and historically marginalized communities. In particular, that mentorship and networking, paired with the opportunity to be involved in the pilot and growth of the new Data Analytics program at ��������, have truly shaped Omari’s future.

“More than ever, almost every career revolves around data, and being able to teach students data literacy and the skills behind how to help businesses make those decisions is important,” shared Omari. “I’m so glad �������� is leaning more into expanding the digital edge for students.”

Ella pointed to the classroom experience as one of the defining parts of her time at ��������, especially the small class sizes and discussion-based seminars that challenged her and built confidence.

“Seminars where we share thoughts with each other, push back on each other, and we get to really grapple with tough information — for me it’s been transformative.”

She said, “I have this confidence now that I’ve gained through the experience of being in a space with other learners, including professors, that want to pull something out of me that I didn’t even know was there.”

“It’s been very gratifying to understand more about the world, the things I’m interested in.”

She noted that athletes at many schools often feel isolated, but at ��������, you can connect with the broader campus community in meaningful ways.

All panelists enthusiastically agreed when Ella stated that international experience opportunities are one of the best parts of ��������. She emphasized, “To have it be a part of the program, a part of the culture, that we seek to be globally informed — being in another country is helpful to do that.” Ella’s Spanish minor and her four-week trip abroad teaching English in Ecuador have translated into Charlotte, where she’s able to use her language skills in interactions with Spanish-speaking members of the community.

Another alumna in attendance asked the students to share their advice for high schoolers headed to college soon. The discussion that followed offered insightful advice for prospective college students and poignant wisdom for any age.

Jaylen’s advice reflected on the pressure many students put on themselves and the importance of giving yourself grace during periods of uncertainty and growth.

“I would tell myself not to worry so much. I’m pretty hard on myself when it comes to getting things done. With the high ethics that I have for myself, I can easily get bogged down in stress.”

He emphasized, “Give yourself the opportunity to be okay with anxiety or fear.”

Jenna, who graduated from an early college high school, came in at 17 with the intention of completing her bachelor’s in only two years. As she became more involved on campus and formed relationships with professors, her two-year vision started to shift. She shared, “I would tell my 17-year-old self to just sit and take time in this space. I think in your early 20s — and being in the college environment — there’s so much growth that can happen and so much just learning and exploring different opportunities.”

She noted that graduating early would have meant missing opportunities such as serving as president of 2 clubs, studying abroad in Peru, going to DC for Model Nato, or conducting an independent study with Professor McCrary.

Jenna concluded, “I would tell myself that not rushing is okay, and this is my life. The expectations that other people have mean nothing if I’m not enjoying this time of my life.”

For Omari, adaptability defined his journey. “I’ve taken almost every opportunity that comes my way. It’s important to say ‘yes,’ because saying yes made my experience what it is now.”

At the same time, he emphasized that growth also requires balance and self-awareness.

“There are times when you also have to say ‘no.’ Knowing the genuine balance between agreeing to a commitment and also knowing your capacity for what commitment you cannot take on.”

Omari believes his mantra of saying ‘yes’ is what connected him to the people who have been most transformative in his life.

Ella echoed Omari’s sentiment, encouraging students to get involved, while still recognizing that it can feel overwhelming. “My advice would be to join something, to be a part of something.”

She encouraged future first-year students to combat that overwhelming anxiety by taking small risks — listening to campus speakers, attending events, and pairing unexpected minors with their majors.

“Eventually you’ll be able to look back, and you’ll say I know all these people, I have all of these connections, I have so many opportunities, I have so many things under my belt — but there are so many things that I’m looking forward to.”

Before the discussion concluded, Omari offered one final piece of practical advice focused on career preparation.

“Right now, it’s so competitive to land an internship or to find a full-time role,” he shared. “If there’s anything I’d tell myself freshman year, it’s ‘start early!’ Starting early is a gift.” For those in business and finance, he recommends talking to alumni who can tell you what that recruitment experience is like, because, in his words, if you wait until junior year, you probably missed it.

The senior panelists offered the alumni in attendance a chance to reconnect with the �������� community, proving that this campus nestled in the heart of Charlotte holds memories that outlast the four years of enrollment. The professors’ names and student body may change over time, but the feelings, connections, and transformational education persist.

Did you know that �������� students are required to participate in an internship before graduating? Not only is it built into our curriculum, but our Vandiver Center for Career Development is there to help students make connections and launch their careers. Learn more about how internships are a signature feature of a �������� education.

The post Seniors share their unique student experiences with alumni at Royal Weekend first appeared on Advancement.

QU4Troops is advised by Assistant Dean for Student Life Darryl White ’92, MS ’21, a �������� alumnus and retired U.S. Army veteran, whose leadership and firsthand experience ensure that the needs of veterans are well understood and supported.

“As someone who was a student veteran at �������� many years ago, I understand the importance of helping veterans navigate and transition through college successfully,” said White. “Not only does my role as their advisor provide me with the opportunity to help them, it also affords me the opportunity to connect with them in ways that other faculty and staff may not be able to. I truly value the relationships that I build with our student veterans.”

QU4Troops provides peer mentoring, hosts social and educational events, and partners with local nonprofits to continue the spirit of service.

A major milestone in this support came in 2016 with the dedication of the Veterans Lounge, made possible through a grant from The Home Depot Foundation in coordination with (SVA). This space serves as a central hub for study, connection, and relaxation.

“Having a place where I can connect with other student veterans and discuss our rather unique experiences has been a blessing. The Veterans’ Lounge also provides a secure and quiet environment where I can keep up with both my school and work assignments. I really appreciated participating in the 9/11 ceremony and am looking forward to the Veterans Day celebration. QU4Troops is awesome!” – Rick Wright, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Creative Writing major

��������’ veteran community has also earned national recognition. In 2017, one of our student veterans was honored as the National Student Veteran of the Year at the Student Veterans of America National Conference — a testament to the leadership, service, and academic excellence fostered on campus.

Other key initiatives include:

• Veterans Orientation Session: Introduces incoming student veterans to campus resources before the academic year begins, including direct guidance on Veterans Benefits from Student Financial Services.
• 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony: An annual event bringing the campus community together to honor the lives impacted by the events of September 11, 2001.
• Veterans Appreciation Lunch: Held during Veterans Week each year to recognize and thank campus veterans for their service.
• Veterans Chili Cookoff Fundraiser: Hosted near Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, this event invites veterans and others to cook and sell chili, with proceeds supporting veterans’ programs at ��������.
• Green Zone Training: Offered annually to educate faculty, staff, and students on how to be effective allies to military-affiliated students.

�������� is also a proud member of the SALUTE National Honor Society, which recognizes the academic achievements of student veterans. Graduating veterans receive a service cord at commencement in honor of their service and accomplishments.

Through these initiatives — and the dedication of campus leaders like Darryl White — �������� continues to foster a welcoming, empowering, and nationally recognized environment for those who have served our country.

The post Honoring Service: Supporting Veterans at �������� first appeared on Advancement.