NEW ALBANY, IN (Aug. 23, 2010) – Indiana University Southeast has received a $90,250 grant from Operation Diploma to assist the University in its efforts to support military service members, veterans, and their families. The grant is a partnership between IU Southeast and Ivy Tech

In addition, the University was one of a handful of local schools to be designated “military friendly” by G.I. Jobs, a monthly publication geared to veterans transitioning back to civilian life.

The grant will help IU Southeast establish a Veterans Resource Center that will provide veterans with a one-stop shop for assistance on campus and in the community, begin a Veterans Wellness Series with IU Southeast’s counselor to help student veterans acclimate to the university, conduct faculty and staff training directed at working with student veterans, prepare a series of workshops involving network training and job search strategies for student veterans, and host several events throughout the year to help orient student veterans with post-secondary education and campus life. The first of these events was the Student Veterans Family Picnic held during Week of Welcome.

The Operations Diploma grant was made possible through Lilly Endowment Inc. Operation Diploma is an initiative of the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University.

“The welfare of our student veterans is an important issue for our University and this grant allows us to continue providing the unique resources required by our student veterans,” said Carolyn Babione, IU Southeast faculty member and veterans project co-director. “By partnering with Ivy Tech, we believe we can reach a large number of veterans in our local community and assist them to succeed in their college academics.”