Wesleyan Veterans Lounge Creates Space for Community

The veteran community at Wesleyan now has a dedicated space to study, gather, and dine. Several community members—student-veterans, advisors, faculty, staff, and Public Safety officers, among others—did just that at the opening of the new Wesleyan Veterans Lounge in Hewitt Residence Hall on Sept. 12.

“Support of veterans, or of any student for that matter, doesn’t end at admission. Retention, progression, and graduation—in short, their success—requires holistic support across campus, in academic, co-curricular, residential, and wellness spaces,” said Noble Jones, associate dean of admission and director of enrollment analytics. “We heard for several years that our student-veterans felt the need for a dedicated place on campus and it’s an important step in Wesleyan’s support of their student experience.”

All student-veterans and veteran personnel on campus will have access to the multi-room space. There is a quiet study area with desks and computers, a lounge area with couches and a television, and a kitchenette. There’s also a scratch-off poster of a map in the lounge so veterans can scratch the countries where they have served, said Andrea Roberts, professor of the practice in chemistry and student-veteran faculty advisor.

“Our veterans can use the space for multiple purposes: socially, academically, recreationally,” Jones said.

Desaree Edwards ’25, president of the Wesleyan Veterans Organization, said she hopes it will serve as a place for student-veterans to build community and share their experiences. Edwards said she views the space as a potentially foundational area for student-veterans to gain comfort with one another in a place with others who have had similar life experiences. Carlos Ordonez ’25 said he was looking forward to having more of a community among the student-veterans now that this space is available.

“Having a place where we can get together and talk about our experiences, what’s going on in the world, and connect can make the difference between someone that decides to stay in higher education and someone who doesn’t,” Edwards said.

A space of this kind has been a point of discussion for student-veterans since they first arrived on campus in 2014, Roberts said. She also said that it could help with recruitment of future veterans to campus.

“Being able to bring perspective students to campus and show them this dedicated space sends the message that Wesleyan is committed to the program,” Roberts said. “It also lets them know that there is a space specifically for them where they can come and recharge and connect with others. I think the creation of this space demonstrates Wesleyan’s continued commitment to a diverse student community which includes our veteran scholars and non-traditional students.”

Jones called the space a clear indicator that the University supports and values the perspectives its student-veterans bring to campus. Now they have a space to share those perspectives with one another and the community.