A veteran and recent graduate of Columbus State is headed into the civilian workforce, armed with a new degree and a new suit. The suit will be donated by Chancellor’s as part of CSU’s 3rd Annual Suits for Vets campaign. The program is coordinated by CSU’s office of military enrollment, a department at CSU that is focused on serving the needs of military-affiliated students.
“Chancellor’s has deep roots with military dating back to 1863,” said Roger Stinson of Chancellor’s. “We at Chancellor’s are proud of our veterans and appreciate their service. We are glad to help them when we are able,” said Roger Stinson of Chancellor’s.
Aaron Litchfield, a recent graduate of CSU’s bachelors of science in nursing program, is this year’s recipient. Aaron is a veteran and will soon be working in the ICU at St. Francis Hospital, where he will care for COVID-19 patients. He will begin his new job in July and plans to wear his new suit during the orientation.
“Being a nurse means being professional. You can act professional, but you also need to look professional,” said Litchfield. “Looking the part helps you act the part.”
CSU’s military enrollment department is dedicated to providing support for military-affiliated students, such as veterans and their families. Among the services offered by the department are job opportunities, assistance with VA benefits, a student center specifically for veterans, and an active student veterans association. CSU’s military enrollment has coordinated “Green Zone” training for all faculty and staff who are interested in becoming specially trained advocates for these students. Other considerations for military families include a special military orientation for students, eight-week course offerings at Fort Benning, and a military-affiliated student advisory committee aimed at finding scholarship opportunities. Columbus State University has been ranked 50th nationwide in the Military Times’ Best for Vets: Colleges 2020 four-year schools survey. It also recently earned a Gold designation in the category of Small Public schools after completing the Military Friendly® Schools survey for 2020-2021.
“Many of our student veterans have been full-time students, therefore they have not been employed since their discharge from the military,” said Susan Lovell, Director of Military Enrollment at CSU. “The Suits for Vet campaign provides direction on how to dress professionally, but it also lifts the financial burden. None of this would be possible without the generous support from local retailers in our community.”
Writer: Kristin Andris, Communications Specialist, Columbus State University
