Veterans Success Center: A New, Larger Space for a Growing Culture of Community

Manhattan’s Veterans Success Center has been a hit with the University’s student veteran population since its opening in fall 2022. It’s easy to see why. Divided into three sections, the center features a comfortable “living room” furnished with couches and a large-screen TV; a conference area for group projects and tutoring; and, in the quietest corner, six pods for individual homework and studying.

From the welcoming atmosphere to the layout and amenities (loaner laptops, a textbook lending library, snacks and a coffee machine), it’s clear that every aspect of the center was conceived with the unique needs of student veterans in mind.

The former center was a windowless room — at one time the campus barbershop — that seated only 13 people. But it quickly became clear that the space was too small for Manhattan’s growing population of military veterans, thanks to factors including its status as a Yellow Ribbon school, along with high rankings by U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges for Vets, the Military Times and G.I. Jobs.

Eventually, a large room on the ground floor of Thomas Hall was selected as the new location. It’s conveniently near campus resources such as the Center for Career Development, Jasper Central, the Writing Center and Locke’s Loft. A special dedication ceremony held in September 2022 was attended by Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Councilman Eric Dinowitz, as well as Viviana DeCohen, director of the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services, and James Hendon, the commissioner of the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services.

Many in the University community have stepped up to offer their services at the Veterans Success Center. For example, Madeleine Novich, assistant professor of sociology, has volunteered as a tutor. There’s also a special orientation for new student veterans each semester.

Kelvin Correa, a Marine Corps veteran who transferred to Manhattan to study electrical engineering, appreciates the new space. Although a visit to the center entails a long-ish walk from the south campus, Correa says that the opportunity to socialize with fellow veterans and use the study spaces are worth the trip. The college he previously attended, he notes, didn’t offer the sense of support and community for veterans that Manhattan provides.

“There, I only went to the vets center to certify my GI Bill,” he says. “I didn’t get to know anyone. Here, I see veterans every day.”

One element of the Veterans Success Center that inevitably draws the eye is a photo display affixed to the large windows.

Starting with a portrait and discharge papers of a Civil War veteran and proceeding through photos of Jaspers who served over the span of two world wars, in Korea and Vietnam, and through to the post-9/11 era, the photos are a reminder of the University’s long history of supporting those training for the armed forces, and of welcoming military veterans as they reenter civilian life.

The photo display illustrates that “serving veterans is not just a tagline” at Manhattan University, notes Christopher Norberto ’23, an 11-year Navy veteran and president of the Student Veterans Organization (SVO). “It’s cool to be a part of that lineage.”

“Manhattan has a holistic approach,” he says. “When we get out [of the military], there’s a sense that you’ve lost your purpose. You’re no longer part of this overarching mission or team, and it can be frustrating. Sometimes you just need a guiding hand, and Manhattan was that for me.”

The center also provides a venue for guest lectures and SVO programming. For instance, Norberto arranged for a local VFW post commander to discuss membership in the organization, and a representative from the New York State Division of Veterans Services presented a workshop on military benefits.

As Manhattan University’s student veterans will attest, the Veterans Success Center has become a space where a culture of community grows and thrives, nurturing a real sense of homecoming.

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