Grant Helping TU Veteran Students Improve Veterans Center

Veterans attending the University of Tulsa will soon have a place to hang out, study and get any help they might need.

Crews are putting the finishing touches on the TU Student Veterans Center. The student veterans say it’s so much more than just a building; it's a place that will make them feel safe and included.

After serving four years in the Marine Corps, Kate Tillotson decided to go to college; she bounced from school to school, never really fitting in.

"I never felt like I was part of the community on campus because, you know, it's hard being a student veteran,” Tillotson said. "I'm older, I'm 28. So I don't really fit in with my peers."

That was until she came to TU where she joined the Student Veterans Association and found her people - friends like fellow Marine Megan Lowry.

"It's huge,” Lowry said. :We have, we have our own language."

This fall, the TU Student Veterans Association got the news they'd won a grant from Home Depot to upgrade their Veterans Resource Center - $9,000 for brand-new appliances and materials like paint and flooring.

They've been working non-stop for the past two months with free help from Team Depot.

"A lot of projects we do are for older veterans, and this is one of the first ones we've done with younger veterans in mind, so it's kind of special," said Team Depot captain, Brian Hardesty.

The resource center will serve as a place to meet up - whether to do homework or just watch some football.

More importantly, it's where student veterans will get counseling, therapy and career preparation.

Lowry said, "You get into a place where you feel like you want to quit or it's too much to handle. But you know when you come back here, and you're surrounded by your fellow veterans, you've got people who understand you and are there for you."

The TU Student Veterans Resource Center will have its grand opening next month.