“Like many veterans, I felt a little older and a little different than other students in class. We live a much different experience than everyone else, and it can be a bit difficult to get back into the swing of school. You have a different understanding of things,” David Alizadeh, a United States Army veteran, Â鶹ӳ» student and president of the Wolf Pack Vets club, said.
Transitioning to the life of a college student after serving in the military can be tricky to navigate. David Alizadeh, quoted above, and Josh Abbott, a member of the United States Air Force Reserve, University student and treasurer for the Wolf Pack Vets club, discussed the difficulties they each faced and how they are now involved on campus, working to help other student veterans with that same transition.
There are around 1,200 self-reported veterans at the University, the pair said. According to a 2023 climate study on campus, 91% of student veteran and military-connected respondents strongly agree or agree they would recommend the Â鶹ӳ» to someone with prior military experience.
“Veterans have to make a decision to be part of the community of student veterans on campus themselves,” Alizadeh said.
That decision can be difficult. According to Alizadeh and Abbott, while some veterans are more vocal about their service history, many veterans who return to civilian life after serving may try to distance themselves from their military backgrounds. Abbott, who left active duty in 2015 and transitioned into the reserves while working civilian jobs for a bit, said he wished he had known about the resources offered through Veteran Services on campus sooner.
“My humor was a lot different than other students in class, as were the ways I interacted,” Abbott said, in reference to his early days as a student after serving. “But for the most part, I didn’t know about military resources available to me. Had I known about the University’s military resources, it would have made a big impact.”
After moving around several states, Abbott decided to attend the Â鶹ӳ» because it is a Tier 1 University and the College of Business degree programs offered really appealed to him. He is majoring in marketing and management.
Alizadeh knew what to expect from student life and culture when he transferred to the University after attending a junior college out of state. He originally moved to Reno for work but decided to enroll at the University when he researched his degree program and found that the Â鶹ӳ» also has one of the best programs for his degree in geology and engineering. Since he had attended school elsewhere, he knew he wanted to seek out resources on campus and build a strong social network.
That is where Chai Cook and John Pratt come in. Cook is the director of veteran services on campus, and Pratt is the coordinator of veteran services. Both are incredibly dedicated to the students and communities they serve and want to share resources, assist in navigating student life, and create opportunities for student veterans to build camaraderie as members of The Wolf Pack Family.
University student veterans and alumni gathered at Crystal Peak Park for a community cleanup.“Both Chai and John have been amazing,” Alizadeh said. “John was the first person I met related to veteran resources in the community. John proactively talks about social events and services available for veterans and their families on campus, and that was very encouraging and helpful.”
The Veteran Services department runs the Â鶹ӳ» Military Support Alliance Veterans and Military Center located in the Pennington Student Achievement Center. The center offers information about veteran educational benefits, helps with navigating veteran tuition payment plans, has an emergency fund for student veterans and family members in need of financial assistance and more. In addition to helping with programs available on campus and providing a physical space to gather, study and learn together, the center also helps to organize events.
“The Veteran Center gives us a safe space. It gives us freedom to express ourselves and behave more in the manner we were used to during military life. It’s comfortable,” Abbott said. It doesn’t hurt that they also provide coffee, free printing and the occasional snack food!
Â鶹ӳ» student veterans at a social gathering at Pinon Pub.Both Alizadeh and Abbott acknowledge that the hardest part of building community is taking that first step to connect. They encourage student veterans to check out the social media resources, stop by the Veteran and Military Center or come up and say hello to them if they see them on campus to learn more.
“It can really be a game changer. For the people who do decide to be involved, it’s an amazing experience. We go to dinners, go to get drinks, do socials, participate together in community service, go to football games together ... It’s a great way to make some friends and meet new people,” Abbott said.
Veterans Day events
The center and the Wolf Pack Vets club will hold several events to honor and celebrate Veterans Day, which is always celebrated on Nov. 11.
Flag Planting Ceremony on Nov. 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lawn in front of the Joe Crowley Student Union
2,500 flags are planted on the lawn to visually represent the commitment to remembering veterans and active service members. Each flag planted symbolizes a life dedicated to serving the country, and it reminds the campus of the sacrifices that were made for freedom. It is intended to also remind the campus of the ongoing presence of veterans among us. It helps create dialogue and is a way for students and faculty to reflect on service. All are welcome to come out and help plant flags.
Flag Retirement Ceremony on Nov. 8, at 11:30 a.m., in front of the Joe Crowley Student Union
A short ceremony to retire flags that are not fit for duty anymore with honor. Learn more about the Flag Planting Ceremony and the Flag Retirement Ceremony on .
VetSmart training for faculty and students on Nov. 7, at noon, via Zoom or in person at the Rita Laden Senate Chambers in the Joe Crowley Student Union
VetSmart is the University’s Veteran Services department training to create awareness of potential challenges student veterans may face during the transition from the military to the academic environment. This training will discuss the intersectionality of various identities and abilities along with socioeconomic and racial challenges. Additionally, it will explore some of the military cultural differences that student veterans face on campus.
Folks can .
Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11. Parade staging is from 9-11 a.m., and the parade starts at 11:11 a.m. in downtown Reno
The Veteran Alumni Chapter hosts the University’s participation in the . They usually meet up near the courthouse in downtown Reno and walk the parade together. Email unr.veterans.alumni@gmail.com to learn more.
