VETS Center offers resources to military Warriors

For more than 15 years, the Veterans Center at Eastern Connecticut State University has been a vital resource to military personnel across campus.

“While I am not a veteran myself, I come from a proud military family," said Angela Bazin, director of wellness education outreach and veteran care. “Being the first full-time staff member to oversee the VETS Center and serve our veteran students and their families is something I am very proud of.” 

The center supports a considerable number of students each semester using military-connected education benefits, such as the GI Bill.  

“On average, there are about 100 students each semester using either their own education benefit or that of a parent or spouse,” said Bazin. “A little more than half of those students are commuter students.” 

According to Bazin, the center focuses on forming genuine connections with the military personnel on campus and focuses its attention on establishing a sense of community and belonging through various events. 

“We have an annual VETS Center open house in September and a Veterans Day ceremony every November,” said Bazin. “We also have a social each month, frequent game nights, off-campus programs, and therapy dogs on occasion.” 

The Center also actively partners with local veteran organizations. “I have worked hard to make connections with our local veterans center in Willimantic and the American Legion,” said Bazin. “We share a lot of information about community events and military‑friendly job fairs.” 

Recruiting on campus 

In addition to providing ample resources for active duty, Army National Guard Recruiter Yuriy Matviyenka is a resource for students interested in serving their country while pursuing an education. 

“I went to school while I was in the National Guard and graduated debt-free,” he said. “I’ve been in the military for 20 years, 15 of which were in the National Guard.” 

Matviyenka noted that being in the National Guard allows students to lead prosperous civilian and academic careers while in service. “A lot of students think if you join, you have to be on active duty, but it’s surprisingly easy to separate,” he said. 

“You serve one weekend a month, two weeks in the summer, and the rest of the time you do whatever you want.” 

Increased college costs have made National Guard benefits increasingly attractive to students. According to Matviyenka, enlistment rates have skyrocketed since 2024, as have tuition costs. 

“Students don’t know how to afford their tuition fees, so they come to us because we offer 100% free college tuition to any state school,” he said. “When it comes to military careers, I try to steer students toward skills like engineering or intelligence, so they have options later.” 

Since students are already forming life goals, they are optimal recruits. “College students usually have some kind of plan for where they want to go in life. That’s why I prefer recruiting on campuses,” he said.