CCRI, Department of Veteran Affairs host Student Veterans Town Hall

Feb. 22, 2019

Dozens of CCRI student veterans attended a recent Student Veterans Town Hall hosted by the Community College of Rhode Island Veteran Services Office and the Rhode Island Department of Veteran Affairs.

With approximately 400 student veterans, CCRI is the largest student veteran higher education provider in Rhode Island. The college has an active Veteran Services Office whose mission is to assist veterans, service members and dependents in the pursuit of their educational goals by maintaining up-to-date information on collegewide programs and resources.

“Our veterans are heroes and leaders, and we're committed to providing the best educational experience and service to all our military affiliated students,” said Sara Enright, vice president of student affairs.

“These warriors of yesterday are now today’s scholars, and will soon become tomorrow’s leaders. That’s why listening to our student-veterans is critical to give them the tools they need to succeed,” added Kasim Yarn, director of the Rhode Island Office of Veterans Affairs.

During the Town Hall meeting, Yarn informed student veterans about the many resources available to them through various departments and organizations including Veteran Affairs, the VFW and RIServes, a coordinated network of public, private and nonprofit organizations serving veterans, service members and their families in Rhode Island.

Micaela Black of the VA’s VetSuccess on Campus program and Dennis Cosmo, CCRI veteran resource coordinator, shared information about scholarship opportunities and upcoming events specific to CCRI’s student veterans.

Directors Susan MacKenzie and E.J. McQuade from the Providence VA Medical Center were also on hand to answer questions.