CHARLOTTE, N.C. \u2014\u00a0Across North Carolina, the veteran presence on college campuses is growing.<\/p>\n
The University of North Carolina System reported over<\/a> 23,000 military-affiliated students enrolled this fall, up nearly 6% from the previous year.<\/p>\n A 2019 report<\/a> from the American Association of Community Colleges found nearly 5% of students at public community colleges are veterans.\u00a0<\/p>\n What You Need To Know<\/p>\n The number of student veterans is increasing on higher education campuses\u00a0 On this Veterans Day, a private North Carolina campus is spotlighting how it\u2019s supporting those who once wore the uniform.\u00a0<\/p>\n Darryl White is the assistant dean for diversity, inclusion and community engagement at Queens University of Charlotte<\/a>. He also serves as an adviser for student veterans.\u00a0<\/p>\n White, a veteran and Queens alumnus, relates to challenges many former service members face pursuing a higher education degree.<\/p>\n \u201cI was a nontraditional student,\u201d White said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t really have a whole lot of support systems here for us. After I had a chance to figure it out on my own and go through the process, I know how valuable it is for someone [to have that support].\u201d<\/p>\n White said Queens University has since built a strong network of resources designed to help veterans navigating an educational journey, connecting students with both campus and community resources tailored to meet their needs.<\/p>\n This includes the financial aid office helping veterans navigate VA education benefits and partnerships with Veterans Bridge Home, a nonprofit helping veterans and their families flourish after service.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to make sure our veterans feel comfortable coming here, that they understand the process,” he said.<\/p>\n Queens also has a veterans lounge where students can connect, study and decompress with other learners who served. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNontraditional students who don\u2019t live on campus have a place they can come to and actually have other veterans who hang out in the veterans lounge they can connect with on a regular basis,\u201d White said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m here to support them with anything they need. I will make sure they get pointed in the right direction,\u201d White said.<\/p>\n Veteran enrollment is part of a larger trend reshaping higher education.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The New Majority Learner Report 2025 found<\/a> over 40% of college students are over 22 and nearly 70% are working while enrolled.<\/p>\n According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans entering college are often considered nontraditional<\/a> students, many balancing families, work and readjustment to civilian life while studying.<\/p>\n Queens University said it serves over 40 student veterans annually.<\/p>\n Rick Wright is one of them.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has been an amazing journey thus far and it\u2019s only starting,\u201d Wright said.<\/p>\n Wright, 55, is a freshman studying creative writing.<\/p>\n Wright said he went into the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988, right out of high school and was honorably discharged in 2000.<\/p>\n Following the 9\/11 attacks, Wright said he made the decision to return, training troops for airborne operations.<\/p>\n \u201cJumpmaster,\u201d Wright said. \u201cI heard the siren call, heard the call to serve.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI found a unit through a friend of mine that needed help. We had to get waivers from the U.S. Marine Corps to get me back in. They gave me a one-year contract and then I got activated,\u201d Wright said.<\/p>\n Wright is now diving into a new mission at Queens, writing. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI wrote a book and now when I get done with this degree, I\u2019ll be a better writer and make the book actually something people would like to read,\u201d Wright said.<\/p>\n The Post-9\/11 GI Bill has supported veterans nationwide, providing education benefits for those who served in active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, covering expenses like tuition and books.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to the VA, those whose service ended before<\/a> Jan. 1, 2013, must use all their Post-9\/11 GI Bill benefits within 15 years of separation. But under the Forever GI Bill, the VA said those who served after that date no longer face an expiration deadline. \u00a0<\/p>\n Wright said his post-9\/11 benefits expired. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI have a good VA counselor [that] introduced me to another program through the VA that is a little more difficult to get approved for, but it allowed me to come to school full-time here at Queens,\u201d Wright said.<\/p>\n Wright credits those resources and the support from Queens for making his educational dream possible.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s huge because you don\u2019t know what you don\u2019t know, and having resources opens more opportunities for the student veterans. It\u2019s been key for my journey,\u201d Wright said.<\/p>\n This week, Queens is hosting<\/a> a Veteran’s Appreciation Lunch to honor its student veterans, recognizing their service and celebrating the new paths they\u2019re forging in higher education.<\/p>\n Queens is also a degree-granting Yellow Ribbon Program Institution, helping eligible veterans pay for tuition and fees not covered by the Post-9\/11 GI Bill.\u00a0<\/p>\n Follow us on Instagram at\u00a0spectrumnews1nc<\/a>\u00a0for news and other happenings across North Carolina.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
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A North Carolina university is spotlighting how it’s supporting veterans pursuing a degree
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One veteran shares how the university’s resources and services are helping him attain his academic aspirations\u00a0<\/p>\n