Greetings Military-Connected Wildcats,
Welcome to the University of Arizona—your new academic home and the start of an incredible chapter. Veterans Education and Transition Services (VETS) exists for one purpose: to ensure military‑connected students thrive. Whether you’re arriving fresh from service, returning to finish a degree, or supporting a military‑connected family member, our mission is to help you transition confidently, persist through challenges, graduate with pride, and launch into meaningful careers.
I invite you to stop by our Military‑Connected Student Centers, where you’ll find a community that understands your journey. These spaces are student‑run, powered by leaders who have navigated the transition themselves and are eager to support you. You’ll find connection, mentorship, and a place where your experiences are valued. We proudly uphold the core values of the University of Arizona and the strength of the military‑connected community.
Our doors are open to all military‑connected students—veterans from every era, active‑duty service members, Guard and Reserve, dependents, and spouses. No matter your branch, MOS, or role within a military family, you belong here.
At VETS, our support is built around four pillars:
- Engage — Building genuine connection and belonging. We meet you where you are—academically, personally, and professionally—and help you plug into a community that understands your lived experiences. Through conversations, peer support, and shared spaces, VETS ensures you have people around you who listen, encourage, and walk alongside you as you navigate your transition into university life.
- Educate — VETS strengthens your academic foundation and helps you grow as a learner. We connect you with advising, tutoring, and campus resources designed to support your success. Many of our students also share their own expertise, offering study strategies, course insights, and mentorship. VETS is about equipping you with the knowledge, confidence, and academic tools you need to thrive in the classroom and beyond.
- Empower — VETS focuses on personal development and building your toolkit for life. Through workshops, leadership opportunities, and wellness‑centered programming, we help you develop skills that support your whole self—communication, resilience, self‑advocacy, and professional readiness. From navigating VA benefits to strengthening your public speaking, Empower ensures you grow into a confident, capable leader within your community.
- Employ — VETS is where your growth comes full circle. After building skills, strengthening your academic foundation, and connecting with your support systems, you’re ready to put your strengths into action. You apply what you’ve learned to advance your own goals while uplifting others—through mentorship, community engagement, leadership roles, and career‑readiness opportunities. You don’t just prepare for your future; you help shape the future of the military‑connected community.
We’re excited to welcome you to the University of Arizona, and we hope to see you soon!
Bear Down,
Blaze L. Smith
University of Arizona
Director, Military Science & Veteran Affairs