Campus to Celebrate Inaugural Veterans Week Nov. 6 to 9

UC San Diego is launching its inaugural Veterans Week Nov. 6 to 9 to express gratitude towards men and women in the armed forces for their sacrifices and service to our country. The weeklong activities for the 1600 campus veterans and military-affiliated students will include the annual Veterans Recognition Ceremony Nov. 8, a city-wide job and resource fair Nov. 7, a clothing drive, volunteer service and more.

Veterans Day was first established in 1919 by Congress and will be observed by UC San Diego on Friday, Nov. 10. Through the week of events, as well as ongoing research initiatives, the university will share the resources and advances it has made to improve the lives of veterans.

“We are proud to extend our Veterans Day celebration to a series of events this year,” said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “Service is an integral part of UC San Diego’s mission and we thank the many veterans on our campus and in our community for their dedication to our country.”

The campus’s history is strongly tied to the military­­­. More than one million marines completed training at Camp Matthews, part of a large military base that existed from 1917 to 1964 on the site where UC San Diego now resides. The base was decommissioned and transferred to the university in 1964—the same year the campus’s first undergraduate students arrived.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, San Diego County is home to the country’s third largest veteran population. UC San Diego has more veterans than any other University of California campus.

Our university serves veterans on and off campus in myriad ways. For example, over the past year, 660 local veterans were referred to UC San Diego hospitals for treatments paid for by the Veterans Administration (VA). In addition to providing health care to veterans through its long-standing relationship with the VA San Diego Health Care System—in which many UC San Diego’s physicians hold joint appointments—campus scientists conducted more than 500 research projects focused on veteran health issues since 2014, totaling $38.6 million. These projects include finding metabolic markers to improve the identification of veterans with Gulf War Illness, examining the effects of hearing loss from blast injuries and assessing the efficacy of different kinds of treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Our campus is helping local veterans from an economic standpoint as well. Last May, the campus announced two pilot entrepreneur programs specifically designed to help local veterans start their own companies. Veterans who wanted to participate were not required to have any affiliation with UC San Diego and tuition was free.

Six veterans earned a Certificate in Entrepreneurship and 36 veterans and community entrepreneurs registered to participate in one or more sessions in the Veteran Entrepreneur Initiatives program operated by the Office of Innovation and Commercialization, a part of the Office of Research Affairs. Veteran Ventures, a national program of business and thought leaders collaborating to serve as a resource center for veterans seeking to start or build an entrepreneurial business, is offered by UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management to provide student veterans opportunities and support needed for success.

“The genesis for these programs was the belief that U.S. veterans have unique knowledge and experience, and our goal is to help them turn their ideas into reality that benefits society,” said Chancellor Khosla. “This is our responsibility as a public institution, and it’s a way to give back to our veterans who have so bravely protected our citizens and nation.”

Vice Chancellor for Research Sandra Brown, said “At UC San Diego, we wanted to do more—to go deeper, be of better service. We are not just a veteran-friendly campus. We are a veteran-empowering campus.”

Throughout Veterans Week, special displays, information and additional resources will be available at various hubs. A sampling of events for Veterans Week is below; for more information, click here.

• The Chancellor's Associates Scholars Program Clothing and Winter Drive, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Nov. 6-9, 5th floor, Student Services Center: The Chancellor's Associates Scholars Program (CASP) is hosting a clothing and winter drive to benefit homeless veterans at Veterans Village of San Diego. Please consider donating gently used clothing, blankets, jackets, and business clothing for veteran job interviews. A collection bin will be located in the CASP office (5th floor, Student Services Center).
• Hospital Volunteer Service, Nov. 7, 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., VA Hospital: All UC San Diego students are welcome to join volunteers from Revelle College as they greet and distribute donations to hospital patients and visitors. Students are encouraged to meet up with other volunteers at the Revelle College Fountain on Revelle Plaza at 9:30 a.m. and walk together to the VA Hospital (a short 10-15 minute walk). The group will return to Revelle at approximately 12:15 PM. Please visit the event webpage for more information and to sign up as a volunteer.
• Job and Resource Fair, Nov. 7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Valley View Casino Center: All veterans, National Guard and Reservists returning from active duty are invited to the “Honor a Hero, Hire a Vet” Job and Resource Fair. Organized by a graduate student veteran from Rady's School of Management, this event seeks to connect regional employers and local veterans, but all job seekers are welcome. The Valley View Casino Center is located north of downtown at 3500 Sports Arena Boulevard. For more information, call (619) 266-4277.
• International Forum: Military Service Around the World, Nov. 7, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., the Large Conference Room, International Students and Programs Office, in Student Center B: Participants are invited to learn from a panel of students who have served in their country’s military around the world. The panel will discuss how military service differs across countries, and how these student veterans have adjusted to UC San Diego campus community life. Free pizza will be provided; to RSVP, click here.
• 18th Annual Veterans Recognition Ceremony, Nov. 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., UC San Diego’s Supercomputer Center Auditorium: Campus and regional community members are invited to attend the 18th Annual UC San Diego Veterans Staff Association Veterans Recognition Ceremony to honor our veterans and members of the Armed Forces. The theme of this year’s ceremony is “Recognizing Veteran Entrepreneurship.” The UC San Diego Veteran of the Year, James Seddon, will be honored and thanked for his service and each veteran and military service member in attendance will be recognized. For more information or accommodations, please call (858) 534-7685.
• Financial Literacy Workshop, Nov. 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the Red Shoe Room, Price Center West: The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office and the San Diego Financial Literacy Center is hosting a Financial Literacy Workshop. Titled, “Understanding Your Money – Budgeting, Credit Cards and Saving,” this free workshop will help students learn how to manage their budget, debt and investments. The event includes a free lunch and giveaway items. All students are invited to attend; military affiliation is not required.
• Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day Cake Cutting, Nov. 9, 2:10 p.m., the Student Veterans Resource Center (SVRC) (2nd floor of the original student center): Marine Corp veterans and advocates are invited to stop by the SVRC for a free slice of cake to celebrate the Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day.