Andy Zellers: Improving veteran support
 Zellers
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Andy Zellers knows from personal experience that the adjustment from military to college life isn't easy. After the Tell City, Indiana native graduated from high school in 1994, he joined the U.S. Navy, serving as an air traffic control specialist. He served two tours of duty in the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Southern Watch, monitoring Iraqi airspace.
After four years, Zellers decided to leave the military and attend college at USI. He still remembers the culture shock. "I was on a boat with 5,000 guys," he said. "A college campus is a very different environment. In the military there's a rigid culture and a set schedule. In college, nobody tells you when to get up, do your homework, or go to class." Veterans who have served in a time of war deal with additional stressors, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety issues.
Veterans' issues are a small part of Zellers' responsibilities as assistant registrar for USI, but since the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill went into effect on August 1 – resulting in a 20 percent increase in total veteran enrollment at USI – that aspect of his work has taken more time. He is responsible for managing staff in the Office of the Registrar, including three Veteran Support Services employees, and also serves as advisor to the Student Veterans Association.
As an undergraduate working toward a bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in history, Zellers held a paid work-study position as a veterans' representative for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs,performing administrative work in support of the G.I. Bill during his junior and senior years at USI.
Though it's not his primary responsibility in his current position, he enjoys working with veterans. "I understand where they've been, and I want to make it easier for them than it was on me. There's more support for veterans on campus now than there was when I was a student. We work to identify veterans sooner so we can reach out to them."
The Post-9/11 GI Bill, benefiting veterans who have served since September 11, 2001, is the largest expansion of veterans’ benefits since World War II. Veterans who have served 36 months on active duty are eligible for free tuition, up to $950 monthly living expenses, and $500 per semester for books. (Read more about the Post-9/11 GI Bill here.)
Zellers and his staff were aware of the bill several months in advance of its enactment and worked to prepare the offices affected by it. "It's a good thing," he said. "It's allowing more vets to attend college. I wish I'd had it when I was in school."
The Student Veterans Association recently received a $2,000 grant from the Military Family Research Institute. The grant will be used to fund a Veterans Day remembrance and other campus programming. (Faculty and staff who are interested in getting involved with the organization should call Zellers at ext. 1191.)
Zellers is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration degree at USI. His wife Jessica is employed by the University of Evansville. The couple has a 15-month-old son, Rowan, and another child on the way.
Wendy Knipe Bredhold
News & Information Services
812/461-5259
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