Elkins – The Davis & Elkins College ward Bound (VUB) program will celebrate its 25th anniversary of successfully providing critical educational services to military veterans of West Virginia with a public reception from 3-4:30 p.m. on March 2 in Halliehurst.
“I am proud of the success this program has had since it began in 1990,” said Mark Rosencrance, director of ward Bound at Davis & Elkins. “We are fortunate to have such a dedicated staff and such a wonderful host institution here at D&E.”
Davis & Elkins is the only VUB program in West Virginia and assists in the transition from military service to the classroom. Since its inception on March 1, 1990, the program has served approximately 3,000 veterans from throughout the state. From its offices at D&E, VUB works with outreach locations at several sites in West Virginia to provide refresher and preparatory classes in English, math, science, foreign language and computer skills.
In addition to offering classes, program staff members assist veterans in securing financial aid, making use of their GI Bill benefits, and applying to and enrolling in postsecondary schools.
The VUB program, which is 100 percent funded by the U.S. Department of Education, is one of several federal TRiO programs dedicated to providing motivation, direction and support to students with challenged backgrounds.
Davis & Elkins College is committed to providing benefits to veterans to ensure they receive everything they need to obtain a college education. D&E has been awarded the Military Friendly Schools designation by Victory Media for five consecutive years. From a specialized veteran ID card, to free lunches in the dining hall for all student veterans, to the D&E chapter of Student Veterans of America and the beautifully restored veterans lounge in historic Halliehurst, military veterans represent an important and diverse demographic of the Davis & Elkins College student body. For additional information on services for veterans at D&E, visit www.dewv.edu/campus-life/student-veterans. For more information on VUB services, call Rosencrance at 304-637-1257 or email him at rosencrancem@dewv.edu.
Related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Davis & Elkins College is located in Elkins, 2 hours east of Charleston, 3 hours south of Pittsburgh and 4 hours west of Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit the College website at www.dewv.edu or call 304-637-1243.