John Carroll University is participating in a program beginning this semester aimed at helping military veterans afford a college education.
This program, known as the Yellow Ribbon program, was initiated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help offset the high costs of a private university education, which could not be completely covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides financial assistance to veterans serving after Sept. 11, 2001. The amount of assistance provided to veterans depends on the amount of time they have served and the highest aid is based on the tuition of the most expensive state school within the particular veteran’s state.
Veterans Affairs asked private universities to participate in the Yellow Ribbon program which stipulated that Veterans Affairs would cover half of the tuition costs that were left after the GI Bill funding, if private universities would match the Yellow Ribbon funding. Only veterans who have served at least 36 months total or have 30 or more consecutive days with disability related discharge are eligible for the program.
JCU approved participation in this program last summer, calling their matching funds the Patriot Award. The Patriot Award will be awarded to qualifying veterans, beginning this semester.
“It will be really nice when it comes together. They [veterans] can now afford a private school, whereas before it was more economical to go to a public school,” said Director of International and Transfer Admission Rebecca Dinnen, who helped create the Patriot Award.
This was true for Sophomore Matt Margosian, a veteran who transferred to JCU from Cuyahoga Community College last year. The Post-9/11 GI Bill was enough to cover Margosian’s tuition and books at Tri-C. Once he became a student at JCU, however, Margosian had to take out loans, despite the GI Bill and the JCU scholarships he received.
The Yellow Ribbon program and JCU’s Patriot Award will increase the aid that Margosian receives.
“This year everything is covered. I won’t have to take out any loans,” Margosian said.
According to Dinnen, it was important that JCU participate in the Yellow Ribbon program.
“JCU has always supported our ROTC program as well as veteran students,” said Dinnen.
In fact, JCU’s Army ROTC program aided Dinnen in formulating the University’s participation in the Yellow Ribbon program.
“We’ve helped explore the possibility [of the program] and helped put it together,” said Lieutenant Colonial Eric Patterson, a JCU professor of Military Science.
The Army ROTC program is a two, three or four year academic program that trains students to become officers in the army. Students involved in this program take a military science class each year, which teaches the army cadets military philosophy and styles of leadership.
Students also participate in a lab once a week in which cadets learn land navigation and map reading, among other practical applications. These labs essentially teach cadets military basics.
Students must also partake in physical training three times a week to meet certain physical fitness requirements.
The Army ROTC program provides scholarships to students entering Army ROTC. These scholarships are based on grades, test scores, and physical and age requirements. The program also provides additional incentives to participants including housing and meal plans. Students must also agree to serve in the army on active duty or in a reserve unit for a stipulated period of time.
According to Steve Branch, a senior in the ROTC program, he participates in the program because of the assistance it provides and the rewards he gains.
“It provides basically free school and you get to learn about your abilities and the abilities of others. You learn what your strengths and weaknesses are,” said Branch.
The ROTC program is based at JCU, but Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, Ursuline University, Notre Dame College and Baldwin-Wallace University participate in the program at JCU. Hiram College and Oberlin University also participate in the program, but there are no students currently participating from those schools.
The program has 72 students participating this year, more than doubling participation from last year. According to Lt. Col. Eric Patterson, a professor of Military Science, half of the cadets are freshmen and the other half are transfer cadets.
“It’s an ever increasing way to get involved,” said Patterson. “We’re an academic department, but we’re probably the most crosscut department. We teach academics, but we have more physical training than any one sports team on campus. We’re a little bit of everything and we interact with many other organizations and departments.”
