UGA Berkman Scholars Program Continues Success

The Berkman Scholars Program continues through 2025 after its pilot program’s flourishing success. The Berkman program enables student veterans to continue providing well-being support to their peers.

On Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 the Student Veterans Resource Center (SVRC) welcomed Dr. Karen Berkman of the Harold & Muriel Berkman Charitable Foundation, Inc. and two of the organization’s board members; Dr. Laurie A. Babin and Steve Horton.

During her visit to UGA, Dr. Berkman acknowledged the significant success of the pilot and committed to support the program through the end of 2026. This includes financial support for three Berkman Scholars and additional funding for student emergencies.

The pilot launched in 2024 with three remarkable student veteran scholars: Collier Scofield, a Marine Corps retiree and sports management major; Gabriela Castillo, Army veteran and fourth-year biology major and Dan Triplett, Navy veteran and social studies education major.

Berkman Scholars are skilled communicators with military leadership experience who are focused on veterans’ welfare and success. With full-spectrum knowledge of available resources, they check-in with over 370 student veterans each semester. In addition to offering well-being support and resources — they address any needs or challenges the veterans may have.

Dan shared, “Once students realized we were going through the same experiences and having similar challenges as they were, it really helped open up conversations about what they might need and how the SVRC could help. We were well-versed on resources at UGA, the local community and VA field office.  I truly feel being part of this program gave me more than I gave it – the chance to lead and mentor again that was missing since I got out of the military and building a community of veterans at UGA.”

Student veterans at UGA are older than their counterparts, average age of 34, and many have families and work commitments alongside taking classes as full-time students. They face a myriad of challenges throughout the academic year. The hands-on approach of the Berkman program has shed light on prevailing issues, making it possible for more preemptive solutions in the future.

With the rising cost of living and 30 percent of the student veterans not receiving GI Bill benefits, finances including food and housing are among their top concerns. Other common needs are the academic transition to a Tier One research institution and career guidance for the next phase of their journey.

Spring 2025 welcomed two new Berkman Scholars in the SVRC: Lauren Teal, Army Guardsman and Terry College MBA candidate; and Marylyn Key, Marine Corps retiree and fine arts major.

“I am excited to get to know more of our student veterans, especially those learning online and on UGA extended campuses”. Lauren continued, “They have all been so grateful to receive our calls and emails so far and have shared they feel more connected to UGA as a result. We have already had very specific instances where we have been able to help students with food resourcing or other emergency funding that probably wouldn’t have known to reach out to us as a first-line resource.”

Dr. Berkman started the program in honor of her late father, Dr. Harold Berkman, a decorated WWII Veteran and prominent academic in the field of marketing. Her desire is to continue serving student veterans with well-being support.

Those participating in the program must complete a number of extensive trainings that cover suicide prevention and how to identify those in need. One required training is Support Dawgs, a three-part UGA program that is designed to increase awareness of mental health and well-being needs along with the appropriate support and responses. Read more about our 2024-2025 Berkman Scholars and their accomplishments here.