Austin Peay designated Tennessee’s first VETS Bravo campus by THEC
By: Brian Dunn April 15, 2025
From the left are retired Maj. Gen. Walt Lord, APSU President Mike Licari, THEC Executive Director Steven Gentile and THEC Director of Veteran Initiatives Kathleen Staple. (Photos by Sean McCully, APSU)
CLARKSVILLE, TN – April 15, 2025 – Austin Peay State University (APSU) has been designated as Tennessee's first Veterans Education Transition Support (VETS) Bravo Campus by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). APSU's Newton Military Family Resource Center hosted a formal recognition ceremony on April 14, showcasing the university’s commitment to and support for military-affiliated students.
The VETS Bravo Campus designation is the highest recognition under the Tennessee VETS Act. It honors institutions that have maintained VETS Campus status for at least three consecutive years and demonstrate excellence by implementing specific programs, including established student support initiatives and tailored career placement services to assist veterans in transitioning into the workforce.
Austin Peay, which earned VETS Campus status in 2015, is Tennessee's leading higher education institution for military-affiliated students, who make up 30% of the student body. The university boasts the state's largest military student center, the 5,200-square-foot Newton Military Family Resource Center, a comprehensive support-services hub.
"Here at Austin Peay, we like to say that we're going to be the first, the best and the only - and this is another one of those instances where we are certainly the first," said APSU President Dr. Mike Licari. "It is great to be recognized as the first and, therefore, the only [campus] in the state to have this designation. I am proud of all of the work that is done by everybody on campus and grateful for THEC to put together this new VETS Bravo designation."
Employees of APSU’s Military and Veterans Affairs Division gather for a photo in the Newton Military Family Resource Center.
The university fulfills the VETS Bravo criteria through initiatives led by its Military and Veterans Affairs Division, which focuses on supporting military-affiliated student success from enrollment to graduation. A dedicated team provides support services encompassing counseling, career guidance, VA benefits assistance, and specialized career development offered through the new Military-Affiliated Professionals Program (MAPP). Established in April 2024, the MAPP program provides tailored career readiness, entrepreneurship support, and educational advancement services for military-affiliated students.
"From helping students get enrolled and mentoring them while they're here to helping them secure meaningful employment as they finish their time with us and move on to the next phase in their lives, our team ensures at all times that students know we are here for one purpose: to serve them," said retired Army Maj. Gen. Walt Lord, vice president for Military and Veterans Affairs at Austin Peay. "Much of what we've done and much of what we continue to do day to day to earn this designation happens here at the Newton Center."
During the ceremony, THEC presented Austin Peay with an official letter recognizing the Bravo distinction. Dr. Steven Gentile, THEC executive director, said he was not surprised to see APSU become the first campus recognized.
Lord addresses the audience before the naming announcement.
"A year ago, the General Assembly and the governor thought about how we can go even further to ensure that our campuses are providing student mentorship, regularly surveying and talking to their veterans and military families to ask what we can do more for them, and opening up direct lines of contact to local career and entrepreneurship opportunities,” he said. “The moment we put this application out, Austin Peay responded quickly, and so it's my honor to recognize Austin Peay for this Bravo-level designation.
“As the state’s first VETS Bravo Campus, Austin Peay’s leadership sets a powerful example and reflects the university’s unwavering commitment to those who have served our nation,” Gentile added.
Achieving VETS Bravo status highlights Austin Peay State University's commitment to fostering an environment where military-affiliated students thrive academically and are equipped for meaningful careers. The university's Military and Veterans Affairs Division is less than two years old, but it supports nearly 3,200 military-affiliated students.
About VETS Bravo
Starting in July 2024 — 10 years after the Tennessee Veterans Transition Support (VETS) Act was signed into law — campuses recognized as Tennessee’s VETS Campuses can earn the additional VETS Bravo designation. To achieve this honor, institutions must meet elevated criteria that ensure veterans receive a tailored, quality experience, including:
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Establishing a peer mentoring or support program for military-connected students for at least one academic year.
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Facilitating career services tailored to military-connected students
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Identifying a VETS Bravo Campus Liaison and ongoing professional development.
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Utilizing insights from the annual student veteran survey to improve services.
About Austin Peay State University
Austin Peay State University is a public university in Clarksville, Tennessee, committed to student success through innovation, inclusion, and collaboration. Founded in 1927, APSU offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs to its diverse student body. As Tennessee's leading provider of higher education to military-affiliated students, APSU supports service members, veterans, and their families through its Military and Veterans Affairs Division at the Newton Military Family Resource Center, the Ellington Student Services Building and the Austin Peay Center at Fort Campbell, the first university facility of its kind in the nation.
About the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC)
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly. The Commission develops, implements, evaluates postsecondary education policies and programs in Tennessee while coordinating the state’s systems of higher education, and is relentlessly focused on increasing the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential.
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