Born and raised in mid-Michigan, Dr. Nick Armstrong has dedicated his life to serving the nation and advancing the lives of those who serve others.
Continue ReadingNews
Hometown Hero – Chelsea Palmer
Petty Officer Chelsea Palmer was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. Her father formerly served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and she has two older sisters and one younger brother. Chelsea graduated from Riverwood High School in May 2011 and spent her freshman year of college attending Georgia Southern University. She would transfer to Georgia Military College while working as a kindergarten paraprofessional at a charter school in Atlanta. Searching for a way to make a greater impact on the world, Chelsea made the decision to enlist in the U.S. Navy and arrived at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois in September 2019. Chelsea met and married her husband, Erik, after joining the Navy, and they have been married for three happy years, along with two cats.
Continue ReadingHometown Hero – Laurie Coffey
Lieutenant Commander (Retired) Laurie Coffey hails from Corning, New York is the oldest of four girls. Commander Coffey’s early years were spent tinkering in her father’s “boat shop” and on nearly every playing field imaginable. Accumulating 18 varsity and 3 JV letters, she started competing on high school teams in 7th grade. She led Corning East to a 20-1 record in basketball her freshman year and a first-ever sectional title her sophomore year. Her lifetime of “firsts” included landing a spot on the roster of the boys’ high school lacrosse team in 1993. At boarding school for the final 2 years of school, she attended Phillips Academy Andover (Massachusetts), and her list of accomplishments continued to grow. She still holds the single-season scoring record in basketball, led the first boat in crew to a New England championship, and was inducted into the Phillips Academy Athletics Hall of Fame.
Continue ReadingHometown Hero – Levi “L.J.” Guerra
United States Marine Corps Sgt. Levi J. “L.J.” Guerra was born on February 25, 1997, in Moses Lake, Washington. She graduated from Warden High School in the Class of 2015 and from Big Bend Community College, Washington, Class of 2016.
Continue ReadingNew Partnership with Visions Federal Credit Union Announced During Military-Connected Orientation Event
Military-connected students arriving for their first semester at Syracuse University typically have a myriad of needs and challenges that are vastly different from the traditional students they attend classes with. Understanding these unique issues, the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) hosts a new student orientation and resource exclusively for military-connected students each semester.
Continue ReadingHometown Hero – Luis “Lu” Weierbach
United States Army CPT Luis “Lu” Weierbach hails from Hoosick Falls, New York. After winning a New York State high school wrestling title, Lu was recruited to wrestle at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2014.
Continue ReadingMeet 2023 Tillman Scholar Luis ‘Lu’ Weierbach L’24
The ambition to make the world a better place is a common characteristic among Tillman Scholars. Some aim to have far-reaching global impact while others want to address problems in their local communities. For U.S. Army Captain Luis “Lu” Weierbach L’24, that ambition comes from experiencing poverty at a young age.
Continue ReadingWarrior Scholar Project ’23 Comes to A Close
The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs at Syracuse University leverages access to world-class faculty for introductory lessons in entrepreneurship for a small group of participants with the Warrior Scholar Project (WSP).
Continue ReadingCollege of Professional Studies Announces Degree Completion Partnership With the United States Army Warrant Officer Career College
Syracuse University continues to demonstrate its national leadership role as the best university for veterans and military-connected students with a first-of-its-kind degree completion partnership with the United States Army Warrant Officer Career College (USAWOCC).
Continue ReadingTillman Scholar: Luis Weierbach’s Inspiring Journey of Service and Advocacy
“I believe that we are as strong as our weakest moment and the grit we summon to wrestle through it.”
Luis “Lu” Weierbach was born in Mays Landing, New Jersey. He grew up poor in the Bronx and Washington Heights before finding a home and community in rural Hoosick Falls, New York. A New York State champion in wrestling in high school, he was recruited to West Point.
Lu commissioned as an active duty infantry officer in 2018. He became airborne qualified before being stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. While at Schofield Barracks, Lu led a light infantry platoon in Thailand and Korea. He also served as a company executive officer and battalion logistics officer.
Lu is now pursuing a law degree at Syracuse University College of Law. He is motivated to continue service as an advocate in the courtroom for soldiers and later to underserved youth. Lu also aims to be an ambassador of the sport of wrestling through non-profit such as Beat the Streets and prevent youth from entering the justice system in the first place by providing them with a healthy outlet. He lives on a homestead in central New York with his wife and two cats.