NORTH CANTON, Ohio — There are a lot of places for students to go on the campus of Walsh University in North Canton. Now, there is a place that is strictly for students who are veterans.
Walsh University dedicated its new veterans lounge inside the Paul and Carol David Center to former military students on Friday.
Trevor Douglas Carey served in the Navy for five years. He was stationed in Pearl Harbor and served two deployments overseas. After he left the Navy, he decided to continue his education at Walsh University.
They truly make you feel like you are part of something," said Carey. "I think that's very important because many veterans lose that when they leave.”
Carey says the university has given veterans like himself a lot of opportunities. “For me getting out, they really don't tell you a whole lot when you leave," said Carey. "They kind of just give you a piece of paper and boot you out. Having someone like our veteran coordinator here, he's been my go-to guy for everything," Carey said.
Now, student veterans like Trevor have another resource.
“We have a lot of veterans that have come through Walsh University over the years, but we didn't have a place for the veterans," said Tim Collins, president of Walsh University.
Collins, an Air Force Academy graduate, says veterans typically play catch-up as they set their education aside to serve our country.
"We wanted to create a space where they could be with each other," said Collins. "The maturity level is different. They have some shared experiences. It's also a place where, when the veterans come on campus, they can immediately become part of something else that's bigger than themselves, which is what their service has been all about.”
Joshua Ruiz, a 2021 graduate of Walsh, now heads up the University's Veterans Affairs office. Ruiz says Ohio has a dense population of veterans, and they deserve a place where they can go and feel like they belong.
“Josh doesn't know what to do. Sergeant Ruiz always knows what to do. So we want to develop a space here where they have that sense of belonging, they find that purpose, and it drives them every day," Ruiz said.
