San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

Veterans House grand opening

Glenn Connelly / Photo Editor

San Diego State President Stephen L. Weber cut the ribbon Thursday for Fraternity Row’s newest occupant, Veterans House, during its grand opening celebration.

“We have an opportunity for national leadership with regard to this next generation of veterans,” Weber said. “And in fact, we’re exercising a lot of that leadership around the country, so of course I would want to be here and be a part of that.”

Paul Denyer, chairman of USO San Diego, presented a $5,000 check to the Veterans House during his speech at the grand opening. The SDSU Student Veterans Organization has also received in-kind gifts such as a clock, T.V. and board games for the house.

SDSU alumnus and U.S. Navy veteran Arthur R. Barron donated $20,000 to partially cover the cost of the house’s three-year lease, according to Nathaniel Donnelly, assistant veterans coordinator and founder of SDSU’s SVO. The gift is contingent upon the SDSU Research Foundation raising the rest of the money.

“Our big push right now is to secure the funds to keep the house so that the gifts-in-kind can be situated here and be relevant,” Gwen Notestine, director of development for SDSU’s Arts and Culture Initiatives, said.

The Veterans House is believed to be the first on-campus housing for veterans in the nation, but it may not be long until other universities follow suit.

David Curry, vice president of the Student Veterans Union and outreach liaison for the Veterans Service Program at the University of California, Irvine, said he attended the grand opening to get information and ideas for veterans housing at UC Irvine.

Donnelly said some oppose the on-campus housing because they feel it’s a form of segregation. He said the opposite is true, however; the Veterans House promotes student interaction as opposed to student veterans commuting to school and leaving campus immediately after class.

“We’re all here for the same reason. I’ve talked to a couple of (fraternity members) and they’re pretty nice, so it shouldn’t be a problem,” business management junior and student veteran Juan Cortez said.

Like Cortez, many student veterans utilize the Montgomery G.I. Bill to cover the costs of obtaining a college degree. According to Donnelly, SDSU has almost 1,000 enrolled veterans, a number which he said he expects to surge in the coming year because of the new Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, which grants qualifying students $2,000 for living expenses, plus paid tuition and a $1,000 per year book stipend. The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill went into effect Aug. 1.

“For the veterans, it’s great timing,” Cortez said. “With tuition hikes and all that, it’s not going to be that much of an issue to us as to other students because we have these benefits. All these things couldn’t have come at a better time.”

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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Veterans House grand opening