Island University Receives Yellow Ribbon Recognition for Support of Veterans & Active Duty Military Students

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi has recently been named a Yellow Ribbon Program school by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The designation comes in recognition of the University’s support of veterans of military service.

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. It is designed to help students avoid having to pay out-of-pocket expenses for tuition and fees by allowing the university and the Department of Veterans Affairs to fund – partially or fully – the costs of a college education. Generally, it covers expenses not fully covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, including out-of-state tuition and graduate school tuition.

“We’re committed to showcase principles of excellence to those who served our great nation,” said Ricci Stevens, Assistant Director of Veterans Benefits at A&M-Corpus Christi, who retired from the U.S. Navy after 20 years of service. “This financial commitment shows our dedication to doing the right thing for our service members and their dependents as they pursue a degree at the Island University.”

To take advantage of Yellow Ribbon Program benefits, a veteran or active duty service member must be enrolled in an approved program while meeting the following requirements:

• Have served a collective period of active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, of at least 36 months (three years),
• Have been honorably discharged from active duty with a service-connected disability and have served 30 continuous days after Sept. 10, 2001, or
• Be a dependent eligible for Transfer Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® based on a veteran’s service eligibility based upon the criteria listed above.

At A&M-Corpus Christi, the program will benefit 10 undergraduate, 10 graduate, and 10 doctoral students every semester. Currently, more than 1,400 Islanders are utilizing some type of veteran’s assistance, between state and federal resources.

For more information about the benefits of the Yellow Ribbon Program, contact Veterans Services at 361.825.2331 or email veterans.affairs@tamucc.edu.