By Angelina Castro ’16
Siena College celebrated the opening of its new Veteran and Cadet Lounge with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and blessing last week.
The lounge, which is located next to Lonnstrom Dining Hall, features a common area, two study rooms, office equipment, microwaves and comfortable furniture. It is designed to give military vets like Don Seebald ’16, who cut the ribbon during the grand opening ceremony, a place to relax, study and connect with their peers.
Seebald served in the United States Navy for 12 years. The political science major was stationed in Japan, the Persian Gulf and the only Navy base in Nevada. “[Siena College] is a beacon of life in a sometimes very dark world,” Seebald said.
Even though he is a non-traditional student, Seebald has made friends through his classes and participation in the Entrepreneur Club. He has also connected with ROTC students. “We discuss politics and military tactics and talk over games of chess,” Seebald said.
The new Veteran and Cadet Lounge will give Seebald and other vets, like management major Adam Wigley ’15, another space to meet their needs. “It’s an honor to have something dedicated to veterans,” said Wigley. “I think it’s awesome.”
“We hope that this shows that they’re welcome here and that we value them, not just as someone who has served our country but someone who is serving Siena as well,” said Rob Bahny, Siena’s director of services for students with disabilities and coordinator of veteran’s services.
With support from his predecessor and veteran Mike Kelly, Bahny worked with Vice President for Student Affairs Maryellen Gilroy, Ed. D. and Director of Public Safety and military veteran Michael Papadopoulos ’82 to see the project through.
“I come from an Army family and although I have not served in the military myself, it seemed like a natural fit to be able to help out our student veterans and Guard members here as well,” Bahny shares.
Professor of Military Science Maj. Patrick Lane joined the Siena community in May. He served for 15 years across the country and abroad in Korea. Lane hopes the new lounge will provide veterans with a space they can use to form close bonds and lasting friendships.
“It’s the opportunity for them to get together and have a common experience. [The can] talk about their studies, talk about their families, talk about the area if they’re not from around here,” said Lane. “Any type of relationship building will tie back into not only the veteran’s community, but the Siena community as a whole.”
Along with the lounge, Siena College has continued to expand as a veteran friendly campus by implementing Veteran’s dinners and gatherings, and even a Veteran’s Committee that discusses how the College can help support former service men and women.
That work has been recognized and Siena was named a 2015 Military Friendly® School by Victory Media, the leader in connecting the military and civilian worlds. The Military Friendly® Schools designation is awarded to the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace military students and to dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom and after graduation.
