A new facility to assist veterans with their education is coming to Florida State College at Jacksonville, thanks to a federal grant.
The U.S. Department of Education is giving FSCJ $500,000 split over three years to develop a center of excellence for veteran student success. The grant is part of a competitive fund program for improving postsecondary education.
According to a release from the college, the center will be able to assist over 350 veterans each year.
Under the conditions of the grant, FSCJ will need to establish academic and financial counseling for veterans at the center, along with specialized services to assist veterans with their mental and physical health, and help them transition to civilian life.
The school also must commit to sustaining the veterans center after the grant period has ended and must monitor the rates of enrollment and graduation among veterans.
Jacksonville's Naval Air Station, the third-largest in the county, provides a significant population of serving and recently discharge members of the military looking to pursue or continue their education.
"We are working hard to strengthen our position as a military-friendly institution," John Avendano, FSCJ president, said in a release Thursday. "Thanks to this grant, we are able to take this next step to better support this segment of our student population and their specific needs.”
FSCJ's military and veteran services department currently operates through two small facilities. A spokeswoman for the college says the school's goal is to expand services then consolidate them in a larger building, the center for veteran student success, within the next two years.
