Kansas State University is working to better serve military veterans and their families at a national level byexpanding the role and job duties of retired Army Lt. Col. Art DeGroat, director of military and veterans affairs.

DeGroat is now the executive director of military and veterans affairs for the vice president for student life. The new role includes expanding Kansas State University’s service in veterans affairs nationally . As such, DeGroat will develop and share evidence-based approaches to help the nation’s 2.6 million military veterans who are transitioning to civilian life and the workforce following their service.

“the military and military-connected students have been a cornerstone of Kansas State University for more than 150 years, ” KSU President Kirk Schulz said. “Many of our faculty and staff conduct research and have programs focused on improving the lives of our service members.”

Approximately 13 percent of the student body at Kansas State University is military connected students. Additionally, more than 12 percent of the faculty and staff are military veterans. In recent years the university has increased academic scholarships to military students by more than 300 percent — totaling $1.1 million in assistance — and faculty and staff have provided more than 10,000 hours of support to military students.