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Schools

RMU Expands Military Veterans Enrollment, Programs

State grant affords veterans opportunity to take courses at Moon campus or online if they reside outside of the area.

Officials at said a $695,000 state grant has led to an increased number of military veterans enrolling in the university. 

Daniel Rota, director of RMU's veterans education and training services, said 200 military veterans this fall are enrolled at the Moon-based university, up from 184 in the spring. 

RMU officials said the steady increase in the number of veterans attending the university was the result of expanded academic programs aimed at veterans and their specific needs. 

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In 2009, the university received the state grant to help fund veterans programs and services on the campus. Since then, RMU has launched its Veterans Education and Training Services Center in the university's Jefferson Center and has hired counselors to work with veterans. 

The university has also used the grant to purchase iPads for each vet enrolled and a new video conferencing system to help accommodate veterans' education when they are stationed or serving at a distance away from the Moon campus. 

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"What we're doing with the veterans program is kind of proving a concept, if you will," said Senior Associate Provost Lawrence Tomei.

"Does this work? Can students who are unable to be physically present on the Robert Morris University campus participate in courses at a distance." 

For active Air Force member Dereck Rogers, the new program was introduced at RMU at just the right time. 

When Rogers was recently informed that he was being transferred to serve near State College in Centre County, it seemed unlikely he would be able to stick to his timetable for graduating from RMU's three-year education doctoral program. 

The university's veterans program provides funding for distance learning: Rogers is able to use a Macbook and video conferencing system as a virtual classroom, no matter where he is.  

“Certainly,for somebody that’s defending our country, somebody that has made a commitment like this, we don’t want to hurt him," said RMU professor George Semich. "We want to help him." 

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