My Morning with the VA Secretary
As a senior at The New School, I've utilized VA benefits for the past four years to fund my education. Being the daughter of a Navy veteran, I'm acutely aware of the hurdles military-connected students often encounter during their transition and in their efforts to optimize their benefits. Last month, a cohort of military-affiliated students from New York City, including myself, convened at New York University for a pivotal dialogue with Secretary Denis McDonough of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Our conversation, which was not just a dialogue but a platform to shape the future of VA education benefits for military-connected students across the nation, was of utmost importance.
© Myaskovsky: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau
As one of the inaugural mil/vet Student Ambassadors for The New School's recently established Center for Military-Affiliated Students, I am actively fostering a more inclusive mil/vet community on campus. I seized the opportunity to pose direct and pertinent questions to the Secretary on various issues affecting the community I serve, such as the challenges of securing affordable housing and the limitations of the Post-9/11 GI Bill for graduate students.
The roundtable began with the Secretary acknowledging participating students from New York University, Columbia University, City University of New York, Fordham University, and The New School. We discussed concerns about undergraduate and graduate studies covered by VA education benefits and limited support for PhD or Doctorate programs under the GI Bill. Secretary McDonough spoke to alternative pathways for funding, such as the Yellow Ribbon Programs and the Fry Scholarship—collaborative initiatives with a number of universities.
© Myaskovsky: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau
Our conversation then veered into rising housing unaffordability in New York City and beyond. With the New York City housing market having some of the highest rent in the country, securing housing poses a formidable challenge for mil/vet students. Many students expressed the difficulty of paying nearly $4,000 a month to live near their respective campuses and the issue of receiving late VA housing stipends that exacerbate their ability to lock in stable housing. Secretary McDonough, in a reassuring tone, pointed toward new initiatives by VA to deliver timely housing support, and pledged ongoing, dedicated efforts to improve student housing accessibility in major cities over the next 18 to 20 months.
A crucial question was asked about the limitations of the current Post-9/11 GI Bill - remedial courses and benefit depletion, which often leave military-affiliated students with limited resources to complete their education. Secretary McDonough not only extended empathy towards these challenges but also outlined the VA's commitment to preventing anyone from slipping through the cracks – emphasizing the role of scholarships in safeguarding educational pursuits.
© Myaskovsky: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau
Overall, the dialogue with Secretary McDonough validated the concerns and challenges faced by New York City's military-connected students. The opportunity to engage with him answered many burning questions and left us with a profound sense of being heard and recognized. As a small token of appreciation, Secretary McDonough gifted each attendee with his official coin as a thank-you for our contribution to shaping the future of VA education benefits for military-affiliated students nationwide.
