In our community and on the Missouri State University campus, there are many heroes among us – those who’ve served and sacrificed in the defense of our nation.
To mark Veterans Day on Nov. 11, Missouri State will host the Veterans Day Breakfast and Taps Project on campus. It’s an opportunity for us to come together to express our gratitude and reflect on the freedoms we enjoy because of their service.
Thank you to the Missouri State Foundation, the department of military science and Central Bank/Central Trust for making this meaningful event possible.
Then on Nov. 15, join the Oldham Family Veteran Student Center and Staff Senate for the Salute to Heroes Homecoming game at 2 p.m., where our Bears football team will face off against the University of Texas at El Paso. Veterans, current military and emergency services personnel will receive one free ticket in appreciation of their service.
Offering support
Every day, several hundred Bears who are veterans or active duty in the U.S. military bring the values of duty, honor and service into our classrooms and campus life. At Missouri State, we’re proud to support these students.
Through the Veteran Student Center, we provide a central hub where military-connected students can study, connect and find the resources they need to succeed. The center’s mission is simple but powerful: to help military-connected students positively transition to college and prepare for productive civilian careers.
The center assists with:
- Priority registration access
- Veteran/military taskforce to review and improve policies related to military/veteran/dependent student
- Education benefits and financial support
- Transfer credit for military training and experience
- Support for activation, deployment and transition
- Advocacy by working with local, state and national organizations
I want to thank Raeleen Ziegler, our director of veteran services, and her team for their incredible work supporting our veterans and military-connected students.
Training future officers
As we support those who’ve served, we’re also focused on developing the leaders who’ll serve next through our department of military science and ROTC program.
Currently, there are about 100 students in the program, and more than half are on track to commission as Army officers when they graduate. The program is growing each year, and we expect to have around 150 cadets by fall 2026.
I’m grateful to the department’s staff led by Lt. Col. Kyle Reeves for their commitment to our cadets.
Waiving finance charges
Due to processing delays tied to the federal government shutdown, some of our military-connected students and their dependents have experienced delays in receiving their educational benefits. Missouri State deeply values these students and their service to our country. To help, the university won’t assess finance charges to any individuals affected by these federal payment delays.
Our staff is actively working to identify impacted students and ensure their accounts remain in good standing. We encourage any student experiencing a delay in benefits to reach out directly for assistance. Please contact Rob Moore, director of financial aid, or Lori Swindell, accounting manager/bursar, for help or morel information.
Thanks for checking in. It’s a great day to be a Bear!
Biff