EDMONTON — After developing an initiative to better support military members and Veterans on campus, the University of Alberta is sharing its key learnings to help other post-secondary institutions do the same.
The U of A launched the Military and Veteran Friendly Campus (MVFC) initiative in February 2021 with initial funding from the Government of Alberta. It aims to support the academic success of military members serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, Veteran students transitioning into the civilian world, and their families. The initiative also draws on the leadership and professionalism of military and Veteran students.
MVFC focuses on integrating mental health, academic, career support and student life support. The specialized support is intended to improve outcomes for this unique group.
Findings from the successful pilot of this initiative led to a shareable toolkit of best practices and policies so other post-secondary institutions, the Canadian Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Canada can create or enhance their own programs to support military members and Veterans. Some of those practices include offering military awareness training to faculty, staff and civilian students and offering flexible scheduling.
“Military members and Veteran students choosing to pursue their academic careers at the U of A enrich our campus community with their lived experience, leadership and diverse skill sets”, says Kevin Friese, Assistant Dean, Health & Wellness at the U of A. “The MVFC initiative has been invaluable in supporting their academic success and assisting them in navigating the complexities of post-secondary life.”
MVFC is co-led by the U of A’s Office of the Dean of Students and the Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC) in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, in active collaboration with Veteran Affairs Canada (VAC), and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
Another way the U of A supports military members and veterans access and succeed in education is through the Canadian Military, Veteran and Family Connected Campus Consortium (CMVF3C), a national initiative chaired by Suzette Brémault-Phillips in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. Her team at the U of A works closely with other post-secondary institutions, CAF, and VAC to build a network of partners supporting military members, Veterans, and their families. On October 30 in Ottawa, CMVF3C partners, including post-secondary presidents, signed guiding principles to support this work. President and vice-chancellor Bill Flanagan signed on behalf of the U of A.
For more information or to schedule an interview with Kevin Friese, please contact:
Sarah Vernon | University of Alberta communications associate | svernon@ualberta.ca