New Private Lounge in UConn's Student Union a Haven for Veterans

This article was originally published on the UConn Today Web site on March 21, 2012.

By: Richard Veilleux

’s servicemen and women now have an Oasis in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the .

Located on the second floor of the Student Union, near the entrance that faces the business school, the Oasis is open during the same hours as the Student Union, so veterans are able to stop by anytime.

The Oasis, named by a group of women’s clubs in Connecticut that founded and help fund the clubhouses, opened at UConn in late January. An event to celebrate the center was held on March 21.

President Susan Herbst introduces State Rep. Gregg Haddad at the Student Veterans Oasis opening celebration held at the Student Union Theater on March 21. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

The Oasis features lounge space with a large flat screen TV, a space for meetings, and three

private study carrels with computers. Support programs are also held in the Oasis, including yoga for vets, meetings with professionals who conduct group counseling, and visits by members of American Corporate Partners, a nationwide mentoring program dedicated to helping veterans transition from the armed services to private enterprise. Trophy cases for military memorabilia from students, faculty, staff, and alums, and 12″ bronze seals from each branch of the military – an expression of honor and appreciation, also are featured.

“It’s really nice,” says Jon Ramos, a UConn graduate student who served on the USS Annapolis, a nuclear submarine. “It’s secluded, the door shuts so people can’t see in, and little tight-knit groups can hang out. It’s been pretty successful.”

The Oasis is designed to be just that – a haven for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who need time to unwind among people who have had similar experiences, says Gloria Hutchinson, a real-life Rosie the Riveter during World War II and the driving force behind the Oasis, which is now in place at 11 Connecticut colleges.

“The whole idea is to thank our veterans,” says Hutchinson, a former president of the Connecticut Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs. “We also want to help veterans make the transition into their new life.”

Hutchinson says when the effort began in 2008, veterans were asked what they most wanted, and they said “‘give us a safe place where we can talk and discuss our experiences,’” Hutchinson recalls. And that’s what the women’s groups – the business and professional club, as well as the American Association of University Women of Connecticut and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Connecticut – set out to provide.

After colleges refurbish an area for the veterans, the women’s clubs obtain a wish list from the veterans and, using the proceeds of fundraisers, answer the wishes with televisions, surround sound stereo systems, Keurig coffee makers and boxes of K-cups, furnishings, wall hangings, and plants.

There are slightly more than 200 veterans studying at Storrs; about 350 in total at the University, including the regional campuses. Until the new lounge opened, the veterans have used several houses along Route 195 to meet, but none met all the veteran’s needs, including proximity to the center of campus.

“The University was very willing to collaborate,” says Hutchinson. “I’m very happy that the administration and especially President Herbst were so supportive, and worked to move this forward.”

The Student Veterans Oasis is part of Veterans Resources, a service in the Division of Student Affairs. Veterans Resources works closely with the Veterans Benefits Office, part of the Office of Student Financial Aid Services.