Thursday, August 11, 2016

UNCW will host a series of events to welcome military-affiliated students to campus and to help them in their transition from the military to both school and the workplace.

The Office of Military Affairs is offering a welcome back lunch for military-affiliated students on Aug. 17 in UNCW’s Military Resource Lounge. Lunch will be served at noon, but students may stop by throughout the day to learn more about the services offered and speak to Veterans Affairs work-study students.

The UNCW Career Center is sponsoring “Hire Heroes Transition Workshop and Career Opportunity Day” Aug. 22-23 in the Burney Center. The event includes workshops on interview techniques and how to leverage personal networks to achieve employment goals. The free event starts each day at 9 a.m., however participants are required to register at SeaWork and must attend both days. The opportunity is open to UNCW military members, veterans and their spouses.

UNCW has a strong commitment to military-affiliated students and has made great strides in supporting Seahawk veterans, active military and their families. In August 2015, the university opened the resource lounge in the Warwick Center, which provides resources and camaraderie to veterans at UNCW. Active duty, veterans and dependents of service members make up about 10 percent of the UNCW’s student population.

“The lounge provides invaluable resources to all of our students and helps facilitate strong relationships out in the community with entities focused on interacting with our military-affiliated students,” said Bill Kawczynski, director of the Office of Military Affairs. “It is a true home away from home for our non-traditional students and we can’t wait to meet and greet everyone in the coming weeks.”

UNCW received a $10,000 grant from Student Veterans of America and The Home Depot Foundation in June 2016 to improve the resource lounge’s space and the amenities. The university was one of just 50 institutions throughout the U.S. to receive a grant. Improvements to the lounge are in the planning phase.

“This is an exciting time for UNCW and our military-affiliated students,” Kawczynski noted. “With the creation of the Office of Military Affairs, it expands our impact and reach to all who are serving and have served. Our ability to provide an unprecedented level of support for our military-affiliated students is what drives this new office and the entire UNCW community.”

 --Emily McLamb and Venita Jenkins