The University of Tennessee at Martin offers a variety of financial aid and academic assistance options for military service members transitioning into a college atmosphere.

The UT Martin Office of Veteran Services provides each enrolled service member with counseling regarding their federal veteran’s affairs benefits, guidance regarding financial aid opportunities, academic counseling and connection to other available campus resources. The Skyhawk Veteran’s Association also connects service members with other student veterans who can share their collegiate experience and understand their transition.

“UTM is very veteran friendly, and I have not met anyone yet that would not do what they could to help if you are ever in need,” said Michael Johnson, a sophomore currently living in Greenfield. Johnson served as a sergeant in the 188<sup>th</sup> Steel Eagles Battalion at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, before returning to West Tennessee.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission awarded UT Martin a 2018 Veteran Reconnect Grant to improve prior learning assessments for service members. This assessment process examines a veteran’s military training and grants equivalent college credit for skills obtained during service, potentially allowing student veterans to complete their degrees faster. As a result, all student veterans have the opportunity to submit military training credits for standardized review toward their current degree program.

UT Martin also connects student veterans with the Office of Career Planning and Development, which provides career counseling, resume workshops, mock interviews and assistance with job and internship placements.

The university is included on the 2019-2020 list of Military Friendly schools, as designated by VIQTORY. This list evaluates institutions based on retention, graduation and job placement rates, as well as available federal assistance programs for veterans, among other criteria.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission designated UT Martin a Tennessee Veterans Education Transition Support Campus in 2017 in recognition of the university’s dedication to allocating resources to assist veterans with the transition from military service to college enrollment.

In addition, UT Martin also offers assistance through the statewide Tennessee STRONG Act, made official by the Tennessee General Assembly in May 2017. The act provides tuition reimbursement to service members who meet certain qualifications and are already using federal tuition assistance to obtain their degrees. This additional assistance is used to fill any gaps the service member may experience in the cost of his or her education and supports former Gov. Bill Haslam’s Drive to 55 initiative.

For more information on financial aid opportunities, prior learning assessments or special programs for military service members or their dependents, visit utm.edu/veteranaffairs or contact Johnny Dyer, veteran services coordinator, at <a href="mailto:jdyer@utm.edu">jdyer@utm.edu</a> or 731-881-1689.

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