New resource center supports 2,500 military and veteran students
PENSACOLA, FLA. – More than 2,500 military and veteran students at the University of West Florida (UWF) will have access to specialized resources to assist in the transition from military to civilian life with the opening of the UWF Military and Veterans Resource Center (MVRC). The Center officially opens today.
Students who served in the military are six times more likely to attempt suicide than the average college student, according to research by the American Psychological Association and reported in USA Today.
“Men and women in the military face a unique set of challenges, and this resource center will be a one-stop shop to assist them in the transition from military to civilian life,” said Marc Churchwell, director of the MVRC and project coordinator of Hometown Heroes.
The MVRC offers several resources specifically for military and veteran students:
- Transition coaches to assist individual veteran students
- Computer center for coursework
- Reception area staffed by a student assistant
- Lounge area to relax and network with peers
- Office for visiting counselors to support veteran students
- Private study room for group study
“It is often difficult for a veteran to seek out help at a counseling center, and so the Resource Center will bring the counselors to those who need help,” Churchwell said. “It’s also been proven helpful for these students to mentor one another. A veteran who has been in school for some time can provide invaluable assistance and support to a new veteran recently enrolled.”
The MVRC is located in the Small Business Development Center Building (Bldg. 38) of the UWF main Pensacola campus at 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola, Fla. 32514. For more information, contact Marc Churchwell at mchurchwell@uwf.edu.
