Grand Valley unveils GVSU Military Promise program during Veterans Day Luncheon

Grand Valley State University President Philomena V. Mantella announced the expansion of university programming to assist current and former military service members during GVSU's Veterans Day Luncheon.

The program guarantees admission to the university to all service members who have committed to serve, are serving or have honorably served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The GVSU Military Promise also provides a $500 per-semester grant toward tuition for service members on active duty, in the Reserves or in the National Guard.

"To anyone who has been involved in military service - whether they are making a commitment to go out, or they are serving and they are coming back to school, or they have completed their service - those students will have an admission slot at Grand Valley," Mantella said.

The GVSU Military Promise joins Veterans Advance, Michigan Veteran Entrepreneurship-Lab, Peter Secchia Military and Veterans Program and the LEADS for Vets accelerated bachelor's program, as assistance and resources GVSU offers to its veteran students.

Shane Scherer, director of the Peter Secchia Military and Veterans Resource Center, said military veterans make up a large portion of adult learners in collegiate education. Scherer said he believes the initiative fulfills the university's commitment to educational access to those adult learners.

"I think it is a tremendous way for us to expand our ability to bring those student veterans onto campus and get them into the system," he said.