President's Blog

Military Appreciation

As the daughter of an Army veteran from the Korean War era, I often think of our veterans and active duty military in July as we celebrate our country’s independence. I am so grateful to those who have and continue to sacrifice for our freedoms, and I am proud to lead Owens Community College, which has a deep commitment to our veterans, our military and their families.

Owens has ties to the military dating back to before our opening. The Rossford Army Ordnance Depot once occupied a site on our Toledo-area Campus. From 1942 until 1945, the Depot served as a distribution center for military vehicles during World War II. Following the War, the Depot remained a major site for military vehicles and expanded its mission to include tool storage and distribution. An Ohio Historical Society marker commemorates the location.

Our outreach to the people who serve or have served our great nation started when we opened in 1965, and we have continued to refine and advance our services for veterans and their families ever since. Today Owens serves more than 500 military-affiliated students each year.

Owens was recognized as a state leader in veterans’ services when in May the State of Ohio announced its inaugural class of Collegiate Purple Star Campuses, and included Owens Community College. Ohio is home to more than 848,000 veterans – the sixth largest population of veterans in the United States, and was the first state to recognize Purple Star Campuses.

Also in May, we were honored to partner with AMVETS Post 21 to host The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a mobile Education Center at our Findlay-area Campus. The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed forces in the Vietnam War and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

Our dedicated Office of Veterans Services is located in Veterans Hall and services are available at both of our campus locations to provide services to military-affiliated students. Navy veteran Sharron Pappas leads our Veterans office, where she and her staff help veterans transition to higher education, achieve personal goals and acclimate to civilian life. Out of respect for their service, we provide several exclusive benefits for student veterans, including waived fees, priority registration and more.

Our military-affiliated students also have an opportunity to get involved in the Owens Student Veterans Organization (SVO), which is registered with the national Student Veterans of America. Student veterans have the option to apply for scholarships through the SVO.

Our support extends beyond our campuses. Since 2013, Owens has proudly sponsored community events tied to veterans’ initiatives, such as the Toledo Walleye and the Toledo Mud Hens military appreciation events. In addition, we’ve created robust online communities through our Facebook and Instagram pages.

I hope you’ll join us in saluting our veterans, active military and their families. To learn more about our veteran services, visit our Veterans Services page on the Owens website.

Dione D. Somerville, Ed.D.
President