The Veterans Services Center at Texas A&M University-Texarkana was recently awarded the 2023 Texas Veterans Commission’s Education Excellence Recognition Award for the second consecutive year.
The award is presented to colleges and universities that provide exceptional support and resources for student veterans and veteran-connected students. The award is broken down into three levels- gold, silver, and bronze and is awarded based on the level of services provided. A dedicated space to meet and study, priority registration, academic advising, access to computers and other resources, and work study opportunities are some of the factors considered when presenting the awards. Texas A&M University-Texarkana received the Silver Award in 2022 but was awarded the Gold Award for 2023.
The Veterans Services Center at A&M-Texarkana is located on the first floor of the Building for Academic and Student Services, and provides a large, comfortable space for students to gather, hold events and use computer workstations for their classwork. There is also a private study area that provides a quiet place to study or work on group projects. The center also provides light snacks for military-associated students. The veterans Services Center at Texas A&M University-Texarkana is run by manager Robert Hernandez, a 30-year Veteran of the United States Air Force.
“We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful space to serve our veterans and military-associated students,” said Hernandez. “We want to help them throughout their entire experience at the university- from helping students navigate the admissions process to understanding the benefits they may qualify for, to helping connect them with tutors and other academic support when needed. We’re here to serve and assist them any way we can so they graduate and cross that stage,” he added.
Aside from study spaces, workstations, and helping to understand benefits, the Veterans Services Center also provides a place for the students to just relax. “This is a great place to just hang out and be around other people with a similar mindset,” said Wes Hervey, a freshman from Texarkana who served in the U.S. Navy for 7 years before starting his college career. “Veterans have similar experiences and often go through some of the same challenges and difficulties. It helps to have a place where you can be around people who have gone through the same things.”
“Texas A&M University-Texarkana takes a great deal of pride in serving our veterans in pursuit of their education,” said A&M-Texarkana President Dr. Ross Alexander. “I commend Mr. Hernandez and his team for the achievement of this prestigious honor.”
For additional information on the Veterans Services Center at Texas A&M University-Texarkana contact Robert Hernandez at 903.223.3167 or rhernandez@tamut.edu.
