MU’s Veterans Center received recognition when the United States Department of Defense presented Carol Fleisher and Daniel Sewell with the Honorary Public Service Award on Monday, according to a news release.
This award, the second-highest honorary public service award from the U.S. Department of Defense, was granted to them for their continued hard work and dedication to the veterans of MU and in the community, Fleisher said.
The MU Veterans Center was recognized by a three-star admiral, who took the information to Washington D.C. so Fleisher and Swell could receive this award. According to the Department of Defense, it is awarded to civilians who have performed significant services to the Department of Defense Joint Staff and who have rendered service or assistance at considerable personal sacrifices, motivated by patriotism, good citizenship and a sense of public responsibility.
“This is good on two levels,” Fleisher said. “For one, it shows the hard work that we have done at the Veterans Center. And two, it puts MU on the map and emphasizes a wonderful thing. We were one of the first campus veterans centers in the nation, and it really shows what MU has to offer.”
The MU Veterans Center opened in 2008 after MU Chancellor Brady Deaton established the Task Force for a Veteran-Friendly Campus, which evaluated issues that affect veterans and other military personnel departing and returning to campus as students, faculty or staff.
MU created the Veterans Center as a result of this program. Since then, it has been certifying students for their Veterans Affairs educational benefits, helping with deployment planning and the subsequent return to work or school. They also help with access to health and counseling services and assist veterans with employment.
The effort and helping hand of the Veterans Center has been made clear through the work and leadership of Fleshier and Sewell.
“Carol and Daniel’s efforts in developing the nation’s premier on-campus Veterans Center have set an unequivocal standard for all campuses to emulate,” A.E. Rondeau, vice admiral of the U.S. Navy, said in the news release. “As educators, we know the challenges facing wartime veterans as they adjust to life in and out of the classroom, and these unique challenges offer no easy solutions. That is why the work being done by Carol and Dan is so remarkable.”
The Veterans Center, which works closely with the Mizzou Student Veterans Association, is supported by a campus-community advisory group with representation from veterans and others who have been part of a military family. The majority of these military-campus relationships are due to Deaton and his early visions in 2008 for a comfortable environment for those serving in the armed forces.
Deaton was also excited for Fleisher and Sewell.
“We’re very proud of Carol and Daniel and all the work that they have done,” Deaton said in the news release. “They are very deserving of this national recognition. The transition that many of our students, faculty and staff face as members of the military can be a stressful and anxious time. The work of Carol and Daniel and their staff has made our campus more welcoming to veterans, helping them adjust to the academic environment as effortlessly as possible.”
