Virginia Department of Veterans Services and Virginia’s Community Colleges hosting 2021 Military and Veterans Education Summit

The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) in partnership with Virginia’s Community Colleges will host the Virginia Military and Veterans Education Summit (VMES) on September 22 and 23, 2021.

The two-day Summit, which will be held as a virtual event this year, will bring together administrators, advisors and faculty members from Virginia’s community and four-year colleges and universities, school officials, government and business leaders and representatives from student veteran organizations. There is no cost to register online and participate in the Summit.

The Summit agenda will include a variety of presentations and panel discussions focusing on student veterans, career planning, educational benefits, opportunities, and community resources with a major focus on promoting advanced manufacturing and technical career pathways in the Commonwealth.

“Military-connected students comprise a growing segment of higher education at Virginia’s community colleges and four-year educational institutions,” said Martina Murray, Director of Education Programs at the Virginia Department of Veterans Services. “There is a great deal of diversity among these students in demographics and their service backgrounds. This is why it’s so important to develop comprehensive and targeted support services for these unique students.”

“Here in Virginia, we recognize the valuable contributions that our student veterans make to the economic vitality of our state. Our goal is to assure that, together with our partner educational institutions, we can direct them to successful positions in the civilian workforce and especially to jobs in the growing advanced manufacturing and technology sectors,” said Patrice Jones, VDVS Education Workforce Manager.

For more information on the Virtual Virginia Military and Veterans Education Summit, including how to register and participate, please visit vmes.windrosemedia.com or contact Ms. Bobbie Blakely, VMES Chair, at 804.310.0609 or bobbie.blakely@dvs.virginia.gov.

About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services

The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) is a state government agency with more than 40 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. VDVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans.  Today, VDVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits and provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education and other programs. The agency operates two state veterans nursing homes, provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries, and operates the Virginia War Memorial. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.

About Virginia Community Colleges

Since 1966, Virginia’s Community Colleges have given everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills so lives and communities are strengthened. By making higher education and workforce training available in every part of Virginia, we elevate all of Virginia. Together,

Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 271,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.