Since close to the end of World War II, when the GI Bill was signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt, Syracuse University has stood as a shining example of how universities should support veterans in their life after service. But their good reputation wasn't enough for Syracuse. A press release from the U.S. Army stated that when Kent Syverud became the school's chancellor and president last year, one of his first acts was to emphasize his commitment to military veterans. To make that commitment clear, he named Dr. Mike Haynie, an Air Force veteran, vice-chancellor.
Haynie's role is to coordinate the many veterans programs on campus. From the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, to the Air Force and Army ROTC units, to the university's renowned visual journalism course, in which 34 active-duty enlisted personnel are enrolled every year to learn the finer points of communications and photojournalism, there is a wide range of organizations aimed either in part or exclusively toward veterans.
"They take very, very good care of us," Lt. Col. Jason Warner, a professor of military science, told the U.S. Army's news service. "Our ROTC scholarships, for example, include full room and board, and both the cadets and veterans enjoy early registration."
Veterans Day is a very special occasion on campus. On Nov. 11, a Syracuse graduate student and former Marine served as master of ceremonies for school traditions like a Fun Run, according to TWC News, and Air Force Brig. General Michael Fantini served as keynote speaker for the school's main ceremony, which honored veterans of all ages. Nearby, an exhibition celebrated World War I soldier Lorimer Rich, a 1914 Syracuse graduate best known as the designer and architect of Arlington Cemetery's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.