Education & Student Veterans Resource Network

This page includes upcoming events and workshops, community resources, scholarships, fellowships, information about VA-approved institutions and programs, and summit notes.

Education Resource Network Directory

Swords to Plowshares offers TOOLBOX.vet to equip advocates and providers. If you work in an SVO, administrative, or leadership capacity on campus, directly with veterans in a student services position, or are an advocate who is passionate about student veteran success in college, check out How to Support Student Veterans: A Guide for Campus Staff, Educators & Advocates. PsychArmor also offers on demand classes focused on Educators.

Scholarships

  • The Vet Center Scholarship Program will fund up to two years of graduate studies for individuals pursuing accredited graduate degrees in the following programs:

    • Social Workers (MSW)

    • Psychologists (Doctoral)

    • Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors (LPMHC)

    • Marriage & Family Therapists (MFT)

    The scholarship covers tuition and approved fees in addition to providing a stipend of $1,302 per month for each month a participant is enrolled in coursework and an annual stipend to help cover books and supplies. Scholarship recipients must serve full time for six years at a Vet Center.

  • The Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) provides financial assistance to students receiving education or training in a direct or indirect health-care services discipline based on VA’s needs for qualified health care professionals. Scholarships are being offered in the following areas:

    • Nursing (CNA, LPN, LVN, ADN, BSN, MSN)

    • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (NP)

    • Physician Assistant (PA) – For PA trainees with veteran status only

    • Physician Scholarship (MD/DO)

    • Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS)

    • Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS)

    • Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist (DRT)

    • Social Worker (MSW)

    • Psychologist (Doctoral Degree)

    • Pharmacy Technician 

    • Pharmacist (Pharm.D.)

    The HPSP covers tuition and approved fees in addition to a monthly stipend of $1,302 for each month a participant is enrolled in coursework and an annual stipend to cover books and supplies.

  • The Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program (SELRP) provides loan repayment to recent graduates of accredited medical and osteopathic schools who are currently enrolled or matched to a residency identified as a shortage by the VA. Eligible specialties are:

    • Psychiatry

    • Family Practice

    • Internal Medicine

    • Emergency Medicine

    • Gastroenterology

    • Urology

    • Geriatric Medicine

    Other specialties may be considered on an individual basis. The loan repayment is $40,000 a year for each year the recipient agrees to serve in a clinical practice at a VA facility with a maximum of $160,000 and a minimum of two years of obligated service.

  • The Visual Impairment and Orientation & Mobility Professionals Scholarship Program (VIOMPSP) provides up to $15,000 per academic year (and up to $45,000 total) for tuition and fees to students seeking a degree or certificate in orientation & mobility, low vision, assistive technology, and communication and daily living therapy. After completion, participants must serve full-time for 3 years in the VA in a qualified discipline in an assignment or location determined by VA.

  • Scholarship For Service (SFS) provides scholarships for up to 3 years of support for cybersecurity undergraduate and graduate (MS or PhD) education. The scholarships are funded through grants awarded by the National Science Foundation. In return for their scholarships, recipients must agree to work after graduation for the U.S. Government, in a position related to cybersecurity, for a period equal to the length of the scholarship. The scholarship covers:

    • Tuition and education related fees (excluding items such as meal plans, housing, parking, etc.)

    • Academic-year stipends of $27,000 per year for undergraduate students and $37,000 per year for graduate students

    • Professional allowance of $6,000 for SFS Job Fair and other travel, professional certifications, and other academic necessities

    • Virtual and in-person job fairs in Washington, D.C.

  • The SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program is a combined educational and workforce development opportunity for STEM students. SMART offers scholarships for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students pursuing a STEM degree. Scholarship recipients receive full tuition, annual stipends, internships, and guaranteed employment with the Department of Defense after graduation. Applications are open annually from August 1–December 1.

Fellowships

VA-approved Institutions & Programs

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s Office of Veterans Education is the VA’s State Approving Agency (SAA) for institutions and programs in Massachusetts. This state office monitors and approves educational institutions and programs within Massachusetts on behalf of VA.

The SAA plays a critical role to ensure veterans and their beneficiaries may use their VA benefits to participate in the program of their choice in pursuit of their individual education and career goals. Before VA beneficiaries can use VA education and training benefits for a program, the institution/employer has to be approved by the SAA (USC Title 38; Title 10, Chapter 1606).

As of 2021, there were almost 800 VA-approved programs and institutions in Massachusetts listed in VA’s WEAMS Institution Search and GI Bill Comparison Tool.

Around 11,243 students in Massachusetts were using the GI Bill in 2021. Harvard had the most GI Bill students, followed by Northeastern University, also received the most VA GI Bill funding. 

Check out the explorer for more data from 2021 on the VA-approved institutions and programs , as well as students in Massachusetts.

Education Resource Network Summits

  • On September 20, 2017, the Greater Boston Veterans Collaborative convened an Education Summit, hosted by William James College.

    After a welcome by WJC’s President, Dr. Nicholas Covino, and GBVC co-chairs Bob Notch and Jamie Grossman, GBVC co-founder Sean Horgan gave updates on the collaborative’s ongoing initiatives. The speaking program included:

    • Katelyn Desrosiers and Francis McMenanin with WJC on WJC’s Train Vets to Treat Vets

    • Dennis Magnasco with Congressman Seth Moulton’s Office on the Forever GI Bill

    • Winston Berkman with Harvard Law School’s Legal Services Center on the impact of predatory lending predatory student lending on student veterans

    • Janine Wert, Director of Veterans Services at UMass Lowell – Blueprint for Success: Making the Case for Comprehensive Services on Campus

    After the speakers, GBVC education co-chair Travis Bickford facilitated a roundtable discussion with the group. After community announcements, WJC hosted a VetTogether for networking with the GBVC community and WJC student veterans.

  • On September 29, 2016, the Greater Boston Veterans Collaborative convened Back to School: A Veterans in Higher Education Summit, hosted by UMass Boston with a VetTogether at Freeport Tavern.

    Lovelle Seymore, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Veterans Recruitment at UMass Boston welcomed the group and GBVC co-founder Giselle Sterling led Introductions. GBVC Education co-chair Laura Piscopo facilitated Education 101, a speaking program around issues in education impacting today’s student veterans.

    Speakers included a range of representatives of programs and organizations supporting student veterans. We heard from institutions providing dynamic opportunities for veterans on campus to be successful in transitioning home and building their skill set, including:

    GBVC co-founder Rebecca Forbes organized breakout groups, where we discussed and problem-solved around a variety of questions delving into the student veteran experience. Click here for a rundown.

  • On September 23, 2015, the Greater Boston Veterans Collaborative convened a Community Summit hosted by Northeastern University’s Center for the Advancement of Veterans & Service Members. After CAVS Director Andy McCarty and Giselle Sterling welcomed the group and facilitated introductions.

    Sean Horgan offered a preview of GBVC's Veteran Service Organization Survey, which is focused on better understanding resources available, focus areas, processes, outreach methods, and challenges of organizations; current levels of collaboration and network participation; and perceptions of service providers on what services veterans need overall and whether they could assist with various needs.

    There is no shortage of organizations willing to help veterans, but there is no authoritative first-stop or platform for VSOs to collaborate within the Greater Boston area. Taylor Justice, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer for Unite Us, presented on AmericaServes, a collaborative initiative between Unite Us and Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families.

    Unite Us provides a platform for more efficient referral of veterans across partner organizations. Rebecca Forbes organized the group for affinity breakout sessions with the goal of identifying common ground and considering opportunities to collaborate/coordinate efforts in order to achieve individual and mutual goals. Several questions were offered as prompts for discussions.

    • David Hencke, VA Boston Outreach, facilitated the Healthcare Breakout Group with participants from Home Base, VA Boston, Boston Vet Center, JF&CS Shoulder to Shoulder Program, Wounded Warrior Project, IVMF, Unite Us, and IAVA.

    • Chris Irving, Team RWB Boston, facilitated the Community Breakout Group with participants from Team RWB, The Mission Continues, Team Rubicon, Rally Point, IAVA, VetsDigest Boston, Mass Fallen Heroes, and Boston Fire Department.

    • Andy McCarty, CAVS, facilitated the Education & Employment Breakout Group with participants from Northeastern University, Suffolk University, Suffolk County Sheriff's Department, and Small Business Administration.

    • Rachel McNeill, Veterans Case Worker, Office of Congressman Joe Kennedy III, facilitated the Advocacy & Service Organization Breakout Group with participants from IAVA, Boston Veterans Advisory Council, City VSOs, VFW, DAV, Veterans Legal Services, and the Massachusetts DVS.

    After breakout discussions, Andy McCarty led a tour of the Northeastern Campus and veteran memorial and hosted a VetTogether at CAVS for networking with service providers and student veterans.

  • On May 7, 2015, the Greater Boston Veterans Collaborative convened a Community Summit, hosted by North Bennett Street School with an Open House and tour of NBSS. Giselle Sterling facilitated introductions and core team working groups reported back to the group.

    • Rebecca Forbes reported back on Shared Programs and Understanding focused on creating space for collaboration, partnerships, referrals, and networking. Short term goals are to curate a shared calendar; evaluate communication modalities to build capacity for continuous communications and coordination across organizations; map focus areas, identify affinities, and build a shared understanding of programs and strengths.

    • Sean Horgan reported back on Shared Measurement with the results of the Veteran Service Organization Survey. Service providers perceived the most pressing problems for veterans were with jobs (lack of quality employment services, unclear benefit counseling, and lack of access to others who understand military experience who can help translate it to others), housing and homelessness, access to resources (neither veterans or service members are always aware of what is available), academic environments could be more friendly with less stigma, access to civic engagement opportunities, legal problems, and basic needs (food, shelter, clothing). Service providers were least confident about helping veterans find affordable housing or transition out of homelessness and with unemployment/underemployment, health care access, family and caregiver support, hunger/food insecurity, and fitness/outdoor activities. Service providers were most confident assisting veterans with education and professional development, VA compensation applications, volunteer opportunities, and mentoring and growth. Service providers were in the middle on crisis intervention, safety concerns, domestic violence, and substance use resources.

    • Rachel McNeill reported back on Affinity Groups. The objective is to start mapping affinity groups around emergent themes and alignment around focus on resiliency and wellness, along with research and data.

    Sean laid out next steps and participants from Northeastern University, WWP, Veterans Legal Services, Home Base, and Harvard Kennedy School offering space for future meetings and summits. NBSS then had an Open House with Rob O’Dwyer leading a tour before a VetTogether with service providers and veterans at Anthem Kitchen.

Key Topics

We encourage representatives from organizations supporting personal, professional, and career development in the veteran community across the public, private, and non-profit sectors to work together to empower veterans and their families to reach their full potential. We focus on:

  • Outreach and opportunities to find and engage veterans to bring awareness of educational opportunities that are available, including benefits, scholarships, and fellowships for those who have exhausted or can’t use VA benefits.

  • Submitting events focused on education and student veterans to the shared calendar using the tag #education and other tags so they appear above and on relevant resource or regional pages, including #scholarship and #fellowship application deadlines shown below.

  • Creating space for organizations focused on education services and student veterans to connect with each other and strategize on working together to support student veterans and learn about issues and programs that are unique to them.

  • The importance of timing for colleges and universities to connect with veterans and alternatives to VA vocational programs.

  • Supporting affinity groups to organize and facilitate community summits on relevant topics and issues and to collect and share information and resources on this page and begin a directory of Student Veteran Organizations and VA-approved programs in Massachusetts.

““To penetrate and dissipate these clouds of darkness, the general mind must be strengthened by education.””
— Thomas Jefferson