Brown expands financial support for graduate student veterans, enhances peer-mentorship program

"The ethos behind the undergraduate Open Curriculum is very much alive in Brown's graduate programs," said Manning, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who in addition to leading the office is currently pursuing a master's degree at Brown in urban education policy. "As a graduate student myself, I'm seeing every day that my peers and professors are open-minded and very welcoming to all types of students."

The expansion, Manning said, ensures that veterans who pursue graduate degrees at Brown can do so with the same level of support the University has long provided at the undergraduate level. The expansion primarily impact students at the master's degree level - Ph.D. students are eligible as well, but most doctoral students at Brown are already fully funded through University and/or external support, and therefore generally don't exceed their Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits.

"These benefits aren't free - they're earned, and Brown is very mindful of the service each veteran gave," Manning said. "If you're a veteran, regardless of whether you served 20 years or four, you can find a home at Brown."

Cisneros Foundation gift bolsters peer-mentorship program

For many Brown students who are veterans, that sense of home extends beyond the classroom and into the Office of Military-Affiliated Students, which moved into a new expanded home on campus in Fall 2024.

The office hosts a variety of programs, including the newly minted Cisneros Veterans Scholars Program. Renamed on Veterans Day in recognition of a generous gift from the Gilbert and Jacki Cisneros Foundation, the peer-mentoring initiative offers an enhanced support network for student veterans starting their education journeys at Brown.

U.S. Navy veteran and former U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Gilbert Cisneros is also a Brown alumnus who earned a master's degree in urban education policy in 2015.

"As a veteran myself, I know firsthand that the transition from military to civilian life can be both exciting and daunting," Cisneros said. "Education plays a crucial role in that journey. It opens doors to new possibilities, leadership pathways and purpose beyond service."

Previously known as Battle Buddies, the Cisneros Veterans Scholars Program pairs incoming student veterans with returning peer mentors who help ease that transition, offering guidance on everything from coursework and clubs to building a close-knit community in a new environment. It also introduces incoming military-affiliated students to the robust on-campus resources available to them - from mental health and support services to professional development - before each academic year kicks off.

"Similar to our Cisneros Institute Scholars program, Brown's Office of Military-Affiliated Students is intentional about providing not only the resources but also relationships to help them succeed," said foundation President Jacki Cisneros. "Those two components of a program are important to us, because not only do we want every student and veteran to have access to education, but we also want them to have access to opportunity."

The foundation's gift will provide financial support for program enhancements, including leadership development initiatives, expanded training for peer mentors, and events that deepen engagement among student veterans and the broader Brown community - enabling the office to be nimble and direct funding where it's needed most, Manning said.

"Their generosity gives us so many more opportunities to really match our offerings with the needs of our student veterans in any given year," Manning said.

For the Cisneros family, the gift is an affirmation of the value that veterans bring to Brown, regardless of where they were before arriving on College Hill or where they'll go after graduation.

"Veterans bring discipline, resilience and a deep sense of responsibility to everything they do," Gilbert Cisneros said. "Investing in their education isn't just about helping individuals succeed - it's about ensuring they can continue to lead, to serve and to make an impact long after their time in uniform."