Photos courtesy of Farmingdale State College.
Following his visit to Farmingdale State College to meet with student veterans, State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. announced a Veterans Enrollment and Support Internship Program. Funding for the initiative will support paid internships for SUNY student veterans at twenty campuses with the strongest veterans’ programs.
Under this program, approximately 20 student veterans will complete an internship in the admissions or enrollment management office on their campus focused on increasing veterans’ enrollment and ensuring enrolled veterans are connected to additional support on campus.
Today’s announcement builds on actions the SUNY Board of Trustees took in September to encourage campuses to expand their focus on veterans for recruitment, outreach, pipeline programs, admissions, financial aid, scholarships, and support as part of SUNY’s commitment to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion.
SUNY educates about 3,000 veterans each year. Veterans, military personnel, and military-connected family members can apply to up to seven SUNY campuses for free, saving up to $350, throughout the year. Each SUNY campus has trained counselors who can assist veterans to get the most out of their GI Bill benefits.
Chancellor King (pink tie) with FSC President John Nader (green tie). Eric Farina is 5th from right, rear row.
“Veterans bring unparalleled leadership skills, a strong work ethic, and the ability to perform under pressure—qualities that greatly enhance the academic and community life on SUNY campuses, and provide inspiration for others transitioning out of the military to follow,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “By creating the Veterans Enrollment and Support Internship Program we can better ensure that other veterans and military-connected individuals know there is a place for them at SUNY, with financial support and resources to ease their transition to academic life.”
Farmingdale State College has the highest percentage of veterans for the size of its student body of any SUNY campus. The college has 229 veterans utilizing military benefits, including 10 dependents and 30 National Guard members and reservists.
Farmingdale State College President John Nader said, “As a campus community, we honor and salute our student veterans active-duty service members, guards and reservists, who are a part of our campus community, within New York State, and across the country. We are incredibly proud to have one of the highest populations of veteran students in the State and provide support for student veterans and reservists at every step in their college journey, from admissions and enrollment, through graduation and beyond with support programs, financial assistance, special services and benefits, alumni engagement and more. I am so grateful to Chancellor King and our elected officials for visiting us today and for recognizing and acknowledging the enormous value we place on our student veteran population.”
Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre, NYS Assembly Veterans Committee Chairperson, said, “Today’s announcement of the Veterans Enrollment and Support Internship Program is very important. The expansion of programs and services for our veterans, military personnel and military-connected students demonstrates SUNY’s commitment to and ongoing support for veteran and military students. These students who served or who are military connected have made significant contributions to maintaining the democracy and freedoms that we enjoy in this country. It is our obligation and privilege to assist them as they continue their education. We know these students will continue to make significant contributions to New York State and to our college campuses and we are proud to provide additional resources that will help engage more veterans and help them thrive during their college experience.”
Once enrolled, students with military connections have as a resource on campus a full-time veterans director, a part-time coordinator, or staff member to assist. At Farmingdale State College, Eric Farina is a full-time director of veterans’ services. He has a total of fourteen years of military service in all components of the US Army: Active, Reserve, National Guard and the Active Guard-Reserve program. Farina currently serves as an infantry section leader in Bravo company, 69th Infantry.
Farmingdale State College Director of Veteran Services Eric Farina said, “Farmingdale State College takes the term ‘Veteran Friendly Campus’ seriously. It’s not just a term to use to attract student vets. The faculty and staff actually live it. From admissions to registration to day-to-day services, we do our best to put the student first. To show respect for their service to our country in war and peace, we waive certain fees, allow early registration, and provide a dedicated veterans lounge to aid them in their adjustment to campus life. And we do what we can to cut through red tape.”
Farmingdale offers priority registration to military-connected students, and waives the following fees for student veterans: intent to enroll fee, vehicle parking fee, orientation fee, housing deposit, fitness center fee, priority room reservation, and the health and wellness center fee.
About The State University of New York
The State University of New York, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2022, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.
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