2022-23 Annual Report

Mission Statement

Purdue’s Dorothy Stratton Veteran and Military Success Center (VMSC) will provide wholistic programming and services for Purdue University students who are veterans (V), currently serving members of the military (M), and benefit-using family members (F)—known collectively as VMF.

Vision Statement

The VMSC aspires to improve access, retention, and graduation rates to our VMF students as well as increase confidence in the career search process and provide opportunities to connect with potential employers. The VMSC aspires to increase Purdue’s national recognition as a leader for supporting VMF students.

Program Elements

The Veteran and Military Success Center provides four broad levels of VMF support:

• Benefits and Advocacy: Certify and maintain compliance for the GI Bill® and catalog approvals; support access to Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) and specific State Funded Benefits (NGSG, CVO, and Purple Heart); and facilitate the process for the military absence policy, the military withdrawal, and the process of Residency establishment (Military in State Tuition Rates). Directly advocate for students and improve campus VMF awareness through Green Zone workshops and student panels.
• Student Orientation and Onboarding: An orientation and peer program to support the first year for VMF incoming students.
• The Purdue Student Veterans Organization (PSVO) : An active student organization created in 2005 and open to the entire VMF population. Advocates for campus change, community service, and shared camaraderie. The Director and Assistant Director serve as Advisors for the PSVO.
• Education to Occupation (E2O): Supporting the VM student’s transition from higher education to career by creating transition awareness, strengthening self-advocacy, and facilitating connections with employers. Supporting VMF students through target employer programming and fostering networking opportunities.
• Veteran and Military Success Center Space: Maintain the VMSC physical space that houses staff, federal work-study students, the PSVO, and space for VMF students. Ensure space is accessible and equipped with student academic needs.

Program Outcomes

Benefits and Advocacy:

• Verify Purdue has VA approved programs that GI Bill users can pursue by completing up-to-date yearly catalog submissions.
• Advise students about options by explaining their service-connected benefit(s) and the complexities of each benefit. (Federal, State, and Service Connected)
• Maintain training for Federal Tuition Assistance and access to individual branch portals.
• Staff will maintain benefits proficiency by attending continuing education and conferences.
• Increase campus awareness of unique attributes of VMF students by hosting Green Zone workshops, which are available to all Purdue Faculty and Staff.

Student Leaders:

• Provide the opportunity to attend the Student Veterans of American Leadership Institute (LI) and the National Student Veterans of America Conference (SVA).
• Provided several opportunities throughout the year for professional growth.

Military-Connected Students:

• Provided the opportunity to understand their benefit and the maintenance to the benefit.
• Process benefits in a timely manner, within 30 days of registration and enrollment changes
• Conduct frequent GI Bill audits to ensure enrollment and financial changes are reported as well as to correct any errors
• Provide opportunities of camaraderie within the office.
• Provide need-specific items, such as cac-card accessible computer and cac-card reader.

Assessment Plan

• Pre- and post-survey for Green Zone participants.
• Continue to monitor census data for changes in demographics or characteristics
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) compliance surveys
• Aspirational Assessment Data
  • The racial and ethnic percentages of those who serve in the military are more closely aligned with the U.S. population1, but the veteran students at Purdue more closely match Purdue’s demographics. We would like to explore this further as part of an effort to increase diversity within Purdue’s VMF population
  • Explore why the retention and graduation rates for veteran and military students are lower than the Purdue population

Notable Changes from 2022-23 Academic Year

Staffing & Space

• Bryan Arbic was named Assistant Director on Sept. 20, 2022
• Certifying Official, Courtenay Murakowski retired on Oct. 27, 2023
  • Backfill was requested for this position and approved
• Each staff member rotates remote work from home one day a week. The remote schedule expanded around holidays and over the summer for retention and staffing purposes
• Purchased new fridge and new printer for employees
• Added three accessible desks for student space with financial support from donor
• “Track your Military Connection” Map added to the office for student interaction
• Hired nine Work Study Students
• Used Gift Account Funding to support snacks and coffee for our students – this increased foot traffic immensely

Notable Mentions

• Director Morgan Gamble was appointed by the Governor of Indiana to serve on the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs Commission and received letter of congratulations from the Board of Trustees
• Director Morgan Gamble served as keynote speaker for the Weldon Conference for Higher Education in 2022 and was recognized at the Indiana Higher Education State of Address by Commissioner Lowery
• Courtenay Murakowski celebrated her retirement and last day of work on Oct. 27, 2023
• All Certifying officials attended the Association of Veterans Education Certifying Officials (AVECO) conference in July of 2023
• Teresa Harris served on National Association of Veterans Program Administrators (NAVPA) committee
• Bryan Arbic attended the Military Symposium and Student Veterans (SVA) National Conference
• The Veteran and Military Success Center hosted Director Joseph Garcia at Purdue University for GI Bill Road Show

Administrative/Benefits/ and Legislative Changes

• Residency – A new process is in place at the Veteran and Military Success Center to fully receive a residency application and then adjudicate the decision to the office of the Bursar and the studen: The Veteran and Military Success Center officially piloted a manual process of adjudicating all military-related residency applications within the Veteran and Military Success Center. The VMSC now has an in-house application and standard operating procedures for establishing an out-of-state student as an ‘in-state student’ for military tuition fees purposes. After successfully piloting Spring of 2023, the Office of the Registrar designated the VMSC as the official adjudicators and hosts of the military residency application for all 6 military-connected categories (listed below). This was a welcome win by both offices as we are minimizing time delegated toward this process on both ends, maximizing the student experience for having to go through fewer hurdles, and following policy, state, and federal law. This did require assistance from Indiana University highlighting and sharing their procedures with their ‘Military In State Tuition’ process
  1. Active-Duty Military Personnel and their Dependents
  2. Indiana National Guard and United States Military Reserves
  3. Resident Veterans Living in Indiana
  4. Non-Residency Veteran: Non-Resident Veteran living in Bordering States (IL/KY/OH/MI)
  5. Military Personnel Serving on USS Indiana (SSN-789)
  6. The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act and Choice Act Updates

Purdue Polytechnic Institute (PPI) Purdue Continues to support PPI GI Bill Certifications at all PPI locations per renewed MOU: As a result of centralized certifications, the VMSC continues to support via MOU all PPI Locations on behalf of Purdue University. During May of 2023, a new annual Memo was signed by Christina Haddock from PPI. This Memo supports funding for the VMSC from July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024. An updated version will need to be signed in May of 2024.

• Memo Update: An update was requested by Director Morgan Gamble to be added to the MOU, which was clarification of Reporting Fees Allocation
  • Collection of Reporting Fees: The Certifying Official performing the certifications will collect the reporting fees connected to that specific service. With the addition of the guidance previously sent
  • Reporting Fees to Institutions:
    • At the beginning of each calendar year, a list of students who were receiving assistance during the previous calendar year is printed by VA for each institution. Schools are provided a reporting fee based on the number of students who were certified to VA at least once during the year and who received VA educational benefits.
  • The MOU was to support the following campuses for PPI
    • Polytechnic Statewide Anderson
    • Polytechnic Statewide Columbus
    • Polytechnic Statewide Indianapolis
    • Polytechnic Statewide Kokomo
    • Polytechnic Statewide Lafayette
    • Polytechnic Statewide New Albany
    • Polytechnic Statewide Richmond
    • Polytechnic Statewide South Bend

Our Data

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