Kentucky's Heartbeat VIDEO: A Champion for UK's Student Veterans

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 10, 2017) — University of Kentucky Veterans Resource Center (VRC) Director Tony Dotson looks at the issue of retention through a lens that may be different from others in academia.

Maybe it's all the years he spent over the course of his military career.

Perhaps it's just in his DNA.

No matter the reason, Dotson views retention as a battle. A battle he intends to win.

"We focus on retention and graduation, because that in my mind is the most important thing you could possibly do for a student veteran on campus," said Dotson, who has served at the helm of the VRC since it was created in 2009. 

The challenges facing student veterans are vast as they transition from military life to college life. But the VRC, now in a renovated space inside Erikson Hall, is designed to offer much-needed support for veterans on campus.

Watch the video above to discover why Dotson is so motivated to help fellow veterans achieve their dreams of earning a college degree.

This video feature is part of our UKNow series, “Kentucky’s Heartbeat — the pulse of our institution.” The goal is to highlight the people who are working every day to help each and every student succeed inside and outside of the classroom.

If you know of someone who you think should be featured because of his or her dedication to the student experience, please email us. Who knows? We might just choose your suggestion for our next feature on UKNow!

 

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This is a photo of Tony Dotson talking with student veterans at UK.
This is a photo of Tony Dotson teaching student veterans at UK.