ORU Opens New Military Learning Center

ORU students are celebrating a new military learning center. 

It was created to make veterans and other service members feel at home on campus.

School leaders said they have 175 students on campus who are veterans or active service members and their goal with the new center is to help those students adjust to college life. 

The university said the new center will give veterans, ROTC cadets, active service members, and their families a quiet environment to study, get tutoring, or take part in military-centered workshops or job interviews geared toward veterans.
       
ORU student and Army National Guard second lieutenant E.J. Johnson went to the university's president and pitched the idea because he said it's difficult for military members to fit in on a college campus.

"When I got here, it was so hard to connect with people. I noticed myself gravitating toward people who were and I noticed there was a lack of any kind of a program that facilitated that sort of connection and that is when I realized we could do better," Johnson said. 

University administrators quickly got on board and worked to bring that idea to life.
      
Johnson said he plans to finish up his degree this year but he wants to come back and help the military family at ORU for years to come.

"As we get together, we share ideas, grow and expand off each other, off our own experiences. We have a safe space to come and share things we cannot publicly or out in classrooms because some of our experiences are too far-fetched," Johnson said. 

ORU said they've made the list of military-friendly colleges each of the past four years.