Donors Bridge the Gap in Financial and Well Being Support for UGA’s Student Veterans

The University of Georgia Student Veterans Resource Center (SVRC) assembled a host of student veteran scholarship recipients, donors and supporters on November 13th to celebrate Veterans Week and the culmination of another momentous year. Awarding more than $165,000 in scholarships to 142 student veterans this fall, the SVRC Scholarship Ceremony highlighted the impressive growth in veteran enrollment and the heightened impact these scholarships have on UGA’s veterans and service members.

Held in the Tate Student Center Grand Hall, the scholarship ceremony welcomed over 200 attendees as organizers highlighted veterans’ military experience, academic endeavors and overwhelming appreciation of the support received. This calendar year, the SVRC received over 400 scholarship applications and awarded more than $330,000 in funds, reflecting both an increase in student need and donor generosity.

New fall 2025 student Angel Vargas learned about the veterans scholarship program during his summer orientation with the SVRC. Angel shared, “I was amazed by the sheer number of donors and surprised by their generosity and commitment to veterans. As a new student at UGA, the SVRC personally made sure I knew to apply for the funds available to me as a veteran.”

UGA military supporters have truly contributed not only to students financially, but also to their well-being. After being informed he was a scholarship recipient earlier this semester, Angel expressed his relief stating, “I can focus on my demanding academic work instead of worrying about funds for items like rent, groceries and books.”

With an average age of 34, UGA student veterans face a number of challenges beyond those of traditional college students. Veterans often balance family, long commutes, and service-related responsibilities. Food and living expenses remain a top concern with over 30 percent of students not receiving GI Bill benefits and the eight percent receiving only partial benefits.

Student veteran Nicholas King uses scholarship funds received for basic needs including professional clothing for interviews, tires for the vehicle he relies on for transportation and most importantly, housing. Military students like Nicholas who receive the GI Bill often find themselves falling short on funds at the start and end of every semester and need to save accordingly. When school begins and ends in the middle of a month, their GI Bill benefits are reduced proportionately however, their cost-of-living expenses remain the same.

A more extreme example is evident during the summer months when a veteran using benefits may not be able to take classes because of work, internships or course availability. The GI Bill does not pay if a student is not enrolled in classes, but the rent, groceries, insurance and other expenses continue. Without the support of donors, Nicholas shared, “I would be even more anxious about costs – looking for a second job to bridge the gap in funding and trying to mitigate the stress of both on my academic work”.

Veteran applications for food scholarships rose in 2025 with many needs left unmet because of the increased demand on UGA meal plan funding. Because of donor support, the SVRC was able to fund $14,000 in food scholarships to veterans who were not selected under the UGA funding plan.

Lauren Teal, full-time MBA candidate, delivered the ceremony closing remarks and echoed the sentiments of her peers and colleagues. “While I could say thank you for your donation and move on, what I truly hope for you is that you leave today with a deeper understanding of the lives you’ve touched.”

Teal, a National Guardsman and Berkman Scholar, continued, “Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know so many of the veterans in this room and they mean the world to me, whether they know it or not. Seeing the care and generosity you show them means the world — not just to them, but to all of us who work alongside them. So truly, thank you for continuing to show up and give back and for making this a reality for our Vets”.

Led by Director Jon Segars and Assistant Director Mandy Levi, the UGA Student Veterans Resource Center has been assisting student veterans for thirteen years and currently serves more than 400 veterans on both the Athens campus and extended campuses. Segars said, “We are seeing the predicted future unfold in front of us as we are growing in our ability to serve students. More veterans at UGA means more connections and more needs. Fortunately, we are prepared to assist with a strong student staff helping their fellow student veterans and relentless support of our donors, university leaders, and our community.”