THEC Awards Veteran Reconnect Grants to Higher Education Institutions

Friday, November 22, 2019 | 11:30am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jessica Powers
jessica.powers@tn.gov
615-532-0428
Press Relase

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November 22, 2019 –The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) today announced grant awards for nine higher education projects through the state’s Veteran Reconnect program, developed to assist veterans and service members attain college degrees and workforce training.

A total of $1 million in Veteran Reconnect Grants will be distributed to universities, community colleges, and colleges of applied technology (TCATs) to support programs and services for student veterans. The grants were included in Governor Bill Lee’s proposed budget and approved by the General Assembly earlier this year.

“Tennessee continues to make veteran access to higher education a priority through this program as well as numerous other initiatives,” THEC Executive Director Mike Krause said. “These institutions are highly focused and helping our state become a national leader in this arena.”

The grant recipients are:

2019 Veteran Reconnect Grant Recipients:

Austin Peay State University
Dyersburg State Community College
Lipscomb University
Middle Tennessee State University
Southwest Tennessee Community College and Tennessee College of Applied Technology- Memphis (Collaborative Partnership)
Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology at Harriman, Jacksboro, Oneida/Huntsville, and Knoxville (Collaborative Partnership)
Tusculum University
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Martin

THEC utilized a competitive Request for Proposals which required applicants to submit plans supporting a student veteran’s higher education experience. Program options included strategies for the transition from the military into higher education, academic success in pursuing a degree, and preparation for entry into the civilian workforce.

Since funding began in 2015, THEC’s Veteran Reconnect Grants have supported a variety of projects such as hiring veteran resource officers, and establishing professional development programs and campus veteran service centers for student veterans.

About the Tennessee Higher Education Commission
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly. The Commission develops, implements, and evaluates postsecondary education policies and programs in Tennessee while coordinating the state’s systems of higher education, and is relentlessly focused on increasing the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential.

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