The new Military/Veterans’ Center will be opening up at Mercy College in the Dobbs Ferry Campus on Nov. 7.

The center is two years in the making and responsible from a $25 thousand grant from TD Bank which made the creation of the Veterans’ Center possible.

In the Veterans’ Center, will be a brand new television, computers,  couches and chairs. It will be a place for Mercy College Veterans to lounge and relax. The center can also be used as a quiet place for the Veterans of Mercy College to get their work done.

Pictures of these veterans’ experiences will be inside of the center. Alumni of Mercy College Veterans will decorate the walls to give it a real Mercy feel.  Memorabilia of significance for the Veterans will make the environment more comfortable when the Veterans are either working or relaxing in the center.

Rajesh Kumar (Executive Director of Student Success) who works very closely with veterans said that, “Veterans will have a chance to be together and share experiences with one another.”

These veterans risked their lives every single day while in service. These veterans can not be thanked enough for their endless sacrifices and bravery each day they are serving our country. To have the ability to give back a little for these veterans with a place for them to just be comfortable and be themselves is amazing for the students.

Kumar said, “Mercy College has about 200 veterans on campus, which will benefit from the Veterans Center.”

All of these veterans will have access to the Veterans’ Center whenever they please. There will be no set hours for the center. As long as the campus is open, the center will be as well. This makes the center a convenient option at their disposal.

The Veterans’ Center not only helps our current veterans at Mercy College but other veterans to come. Recruitment will most likely increase when the center is up and running because it proves Mercy College is a veteran friendly school. That’s the type of reputation Mercy College wants to have for veterans interested in having a college experience.

Mercy College received the $25 thousand grant from TD Bank in order to make the Veterans Center happen. The first donation was used to build the Veterans Center at the Mercy College campus in the Bronx. Viviana De Cohen is responsible for her kind donation.

Kumar said, “We can not thank Viviana enough for her generous donations making this possible for our Mercy College

Veterans.”  Viviana is a veteran herself and former Mercy College alumni. She has done a lot for the Mercy College community and is greatly appreciated.

All of the electronics and other resources in the center are good for the veterans to have access to each day. The main purpose of the center is so the veterans can relate to each other. Veterans struggle with struggles such as PTSD each day and having other people they can relate to is comforting and a nice way to handle their emotions.

Mercy College has over 200 Veterans in Dobbs Ferry and now all have the ability to be in contact with each other. It is going to serve as a sociable environment amongst the Veterans in Dobbs Ferry.

There will be a form to sign in for the Veterans Center when they walk in and would like to use the resources available. That way no one has the ability to walk in and take advantage of the area designed for the Veterans to lounge and get whatever work they need to get done accomplished.

The Veterans Center will be located in the Main Hall building across from the apparel store. The ribbon cutting will take place on Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. Everyone is welcome at the event and the support of Mercy College students and faculty would be greatly appreciated.