Veteran Services

Graduation ceremony honors 51��Ƶ-Dearborn veterans

stuxbury — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 17:43:21 +0000

Graduation ceremony honors 51��Ƶ-Dearborn veterans stuxbury Sat, 04/26/2025 - 13:43

While serving 13 years in the Navy, Vincent Intrieri experienced incredible things. He saw the Indian Ocean sparkle a vibrant blue-green thanks to bioluminescence. He recalls that the boat-filled Port of Singapore looked like “Manhattan on the water.” He’s collected military challenge coins from high-ranking officials as recognition for his work as a Naval logistics specialist.

Adding to his list of memorable life moments: Intrieri graduated from 51��Ƶ-Dearborn this weekend. “The plan all along was to join the military and earn a college degree. It’s taken a little while for me to get here — but I wouldn’t change it. I’m exactly where I need to be at the right time,” says Intrieri, an international studies major who will continue his education at American University in their master’s of international relations program. “This is a moment I’ve been thinking about for years. It opens the door for me to work in geopolitics and diplomacy.”

51��Ƶ-Dearborn’s Veterans Services office made graduation weekend extra memorable for Intrieri and the 18 additional graduating service members and their families by hosting a ceremony the day before Saturday’s all-campus Commencement ceremonies.

At the Military-Affiliated Graduation, veterans and their families took photos in front of the Block M and were greeted by Chancellor Domenico Grasso, who is a former major in the U.S. Army, and faculty and staff from across the university. They also listened to the keynote speaker, U.S. Navy veteran Anthony Sclafani, a 2015 Master of Public Policy graduate. Sclafani, who works in Michigan at the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office for Ground Combat Systems, encouraged the audience to continue seeking out knowledge and to look for ways to serve the country through civic engagement.

Graduating veterans were also presented with red, white and blue cords to wear with their cap and gown, along with a 51��Ƶ-Dearborn Challenge Coin. Challenge coins are commemorative medallions with an organization's emblem or insignia that are given to members of the military to recognize achievements. “It’s a military tradition. Unit commanders give it to service members for doing something above and beyond that doesn’t warrant a medal, but still deserves recognition,” says 51��Ƶ-Dearborn Veterans Affairs Coordinator Tom Pitock, a veteran with a 20-plus year career in the Coast Guard.

Pitock, who came to 51��Ƶ-Dearborn in 2017, designed the 51��Ƶ-Dearborn Challenge Coin. He also started the tradition of the Military-Affiliated Graduation, which is held prior to both the fall and spring commencement ceremonies.

Knowing that veterans have their own unique set of challenges — from experiencing war to returning to school at an older age — Pitock wanted to create a space where they could hear words of inspiration from an armed services leader, network with each other and alums for job leads, and reflect on their collegiate journeys together.

Pitock used his G.I. Bill to earn his degree. He recalls how difficult it was to transition from the disciplined world of military life to a more flexible civilian-student one. “Even something as simple as learning how to take tests, learning how to be a student again, is difficult. It can be frustrating when that is difficult after you’ve already had so much life experience — especially when you combine it with not knowing who to ask because there is not a chain of command like in the military,” he says. “I had to take remedial classes to get into the swing of things when I returned to college. I’ve found that overcoming obstacles makes success even more of an accomplishment. I want to recognize these men and women, along with their families, for their service and their perseverance.”

Class of Spring 2025 graduates at the Military-Affiliated Graduation on April 25.

Frank Carter, a 2023 College of Engineering and Computer Science alum, says the Military-Affiliated Graduation was a highlight for him. He served in the Army as an intelligence specialist and now works as an electrical engineer for Brunswick Corporation. At 51��Ƶ-Dearborn, Carter was active in the Student Veterans Association and he used his engineering skills to create a challenge coin holder on the 3D printer at the university’s MSEL machine shop so that grads could wear the coins on cords around their neck. “I love challenge coins and I was proud to wear my coin from 51��Ƶ-Dearborn,” Carter says. “Typically you only see them in offices or on a desk. This way, we had a different way to display them.”

Carter says Pitock’s guidance was instrumental in helping him find his place in college. “Tom motivated me and kept me on track when things got hard. If you need guidance, all the student veterans know that Tom is the guy to turn to. He does so much for our community, including planning a special graduation for veterans twice a year, which is not an easy task,” he says.

Carter says having a special recognition for veterans gives a needed feeling of appreciation. “No words can express how grateful I am for this event. It’s a way you can celebrate with your blood family and your brothers and sisters in arms — you can watch the people you’ve gotten to know during your years together on campus cross the finish line up close and personal,” he says. “It is also a way to honor older veterans, like those from the Vietnam or Gulf War era, who often didn’t get a positive reception when they came home from war.”

Reflecting on his time at 51��Ƶ-Dearborn, Intrieri says he’s grateful for the opportunities he’s had, including working at the Veterans Services office and answering questions for incoming students, serving as a Veterans Treatment Court mentor in the City of Dearborn's 19th District Court and organizing a welcome tent for the U-M Athletics Veteran of the Game at football home games. He’s also a 51��Ƶ-Dearborn Difference Maker and a Dean's Medallion recipient, two university top honors.

And Pitock was present for it all, Intrieri says. “I came here for college and expected to get a good education — but 51��Ƶ-Dearborn pulled something out of me that I didn’t know I had. Tom had a lot to do with that and has opened so many doors for me. I knew I could do it, but I didn't know I could do it with being so involved and with all of the accolades and awards,” he says. “I’m glad to celebrate this step with the veteran community. We just accomplished an important milestone — but this is only the beginning.”

Story by Sarah Tuxbury

Holistic Excellence

Veteran Services

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Sat, 04/26/2025 - 17:42

After traveling the world and serving our country, 19 Dearborn Wolverine service members added another life experience — earning a diploma.

Veterans Affairs Coordinator Tom Pitock, grad Vincent Intrieri and Student Veterans Association member Nathan Petrat take photos after the ceremony. Photos by Scott Soderberg/Michigan Photography

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U.S. News & World Report ranks 51��Ƶ-Dearborn as top Michigan regional public university

stuxbury — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 11:39:32 +0000

U.S. News & World Report ranks 51��Ƶ-Dearborn as top Michigan regional public university stuxbury Mon, 09/12/2022 - 07:39

University of Michigan-Dearborn ranks as a top Michigan university in U.S. News & World Report’s annual guide to American colleges and universities. The new numbers were released today.

The university ranks first in the state and fifth overall among regional public universities in the Midwest. And it’s 30th — moving up the list from last year — among all regional universities, public and private, in the Midwest.

"51��Ƶ-Dearborn faculty and staff should be very proud of this ranking. It's proof that our work here changes lives and makes our region stronger and more competitive,” said Chancellor Domenico Grasso. "Our practice-based curriculum means that our graduates will hit the ground running in their careers, earn higher salaries and have less debt after college."

Another point of pride: 51��Ƶ-Dearborn takes a top spot on the “Best College for Veterans” list. In the 2023 rankings, the university — when ranked among regional campuses in the Midwest — earned the top placement in the state at No. 11 overall.

Criteria for the designation includes being GI Bill-certified and participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program. In addition, 51��Ƶ-Dearborn has an active Veteran Affairs staff that organizes veterans-based programming and provides structure for incoming students. “We are veterans, so we understand the needs of our service members and veterans,” said Veterans Affairs Coordinator Tom Pitock, who has more than 22 years of military service.

In college-specific listings, U.S. News again recognized 51��Ƶ-Dearborn’s undergraduate business and engineering programs.

The College of Business ranks as the third best undergraduate business program in the state. This is the 14th consecutive year it’s appeared on the list. The College of Engineering and Computer Science was ranked with the fifth best ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering program in Michigan. Their computer science undergraduate degree also was named a top program.

51��Ƶ-Dearborn is also the number one regional public university in Michigan on the list of “Top Performers on Social Mobility.” The campus ranked 15th overall among regional universities in the Midwest. The list includes colleges that are successful at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of Pell Grant eligible students.

U.S. News & World Report’s overall rankings are based on data on up to 15 indicators of academic quality including first-year retention rate, graduation rate and strength of faculty.

The complete 2023 rankings will appear in the magazine’s annual guidebook to “America’s Best Colleges.”

In other rankings news, the university was recognized on the Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges.

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Mon, 09/12/2022 - 11:39

51��Ƶ-Dearborn also number one Michigan public regional university on "Best College for Veterans" and "Top Performer in Social Mobility" lists.

51��Ƶ-Dearborn Wolverines are enjoying a warm Fall '22 day at the beginning of the semester.

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51��Ƶ-Dearborn ranks fifth among regional public universities in the Midwest

stuxbury — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 21:30:52 +0000

51��Ƶ-Dearborn ranks fifth among regional public universities in the Midwest stuxbury Mon, 09/13/2021 - 17:30

University of Michigan-Dearborn was again ranked as one of the top Michigan universities in U.S. News & World Report’s annual guide to American colleges and universities.

The university ranked fifth among regional public universities and 31st among all regional universities in the Midwest. This marks the 20th consecutive year the university was rated as one of the region’s best.

According to the magazine, overall rankings are based on data on up to 17 indicators of academic quality including first-year retention rate, graduation rate and strength of faculty.

In college-specific listings, U.S. News again recognized 51��Ƶ-Dearborn’s undergraduate business and engineering programs.

The College of Business was ranked as the fourth best undergraduate business program in the state. This was the 13th consecutive year the program has appeared on the list. The College of Engineering and Computer Science was ranked with the fifth best ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering program in Michigan. This is the sixth year CECS has been included in the doctoral program category. U.S. News previously ranked the program among the best offered at master’s-level institutions for 18 consecutive years. The college’s computer science program also appeared on the list recognizing top undergraduate programs.

51��Ƶ-Dearborn was the top-ranked regional public university in Michigan on the list of “Top Performers on Social Mobility” and ranked 14th among regional universities in the Midwest. The list includes colleges that are successful at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of Pell Grant eligible students. The university was also listed as a “Best College for Veterans.” The complete 2022 rankings were released online this week and will appear in the magazine’s annual guidebook to “America’s Best Colleges.”

In other rankings news, Washington Monthly recognized 51��Ƶ-Dearborn as a top master’s degree university based on the university’s contribution to the public good in terms of social mobility, research and promoting public service. 51��Ƶ-Dearborn also appeared on the “Best Bang for the Buck” Midwest rankings, which recognized the university for offering marketable degrees at an affordable cost and the Best College for Student Voting list. The university was also recognized on the Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges.

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Mon, 09/13/2021 - 21:29

This marks the 20th consecutive year the university was rated as one of the region’s best from U.S. News & World Report. Campus also received recognition from Washington Monthly and Forbes.

Photo of students in class during the Fall 2021 semester

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51��Ƶ-Dearborn certified as a veteran-friendly school

stuxbury — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 13:26:35 +0000

51��Ƶ-Dearborn certified as a veteran-friendly school stuxbury Thu, 06/04/2020 - 09:26

Michigan Veteran-Friendly School gold-level award

University of Michigan-Dearborn is named a Gold-Level Veteran-Friendly School by the Michigan Veteran-Friendly School program.

The program recognizes higher education institutions committed to supporting the needs of military-connected students. Run by Michigan’s Veterans Affairs Agency, it awards gold, silver or bronze level to colleges and universities that offer veteran-centric services and programs.

At the gold level, universities must meet the majority of criteria, which includes veteran-specific career services and a system to evaluate and award credit based on prior military training and experience.

Assistant Director Center for Social Justice & Inclusion Tom Pitock, who is the veterans coordinator, said 51��Ƶ-Dearborn didn’t meet most criteria for the award — the campus met all of it.

Pitock, who has 22 years of service and retired from the Coast Guard in 2008, said it’s important to serve the needs of veterans and provide a level of structure. Pitock said transitioning from military service to civilian life is already difficult, and it is important to bring a level of familiarity.

“Once a service member separates from the military, the accustomed structure and stability dissipate and that can make anything difficult to maneuver. The Veterans Affairs staff helps with structure, stability and eases some of the uncertainty associated with higher education,” Pitock said. “We are veterans. We provide military-connected students with navigation checklists, individual advice to which office to contact, and a location to establish camaraderie with other veterans on campus.”

In addition to veteran-specific services — which include individual orientation for newly admitted military-affiliated students, a dedicated career services counselor and priority registration — 51��Ƶ-Dearborn also has veteran-focused programming.

In the 2019-2020 academic year — which is the time frame the Michigan Veteran-Friendly School program evaluated — Pitock said programming included stress relief for veterans during finals, a celebration for veteran and military-affiliated graduates, and a panel discussion that honored the Montford Point Marines.

Pitock said the gold-level certification recognizes the overall commitment that 51��Ƶ-Dearborn has to veterans and military-affiliated persons.

“The award acknowledges the collaborative effort from numerous offices across campus,” Pitock said. “The rigor of higher education is challenging and by having so many people at 51��Ƶ-Dearborn supporting veteran success, we can make a difference with veteran student persistence and graduation rates.”

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Thu, 06/04/2020 - 13:24

The campus is recognized by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency for having the highest level of veteran-centric services and programming.

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51��Ƶ-Dearborn celebrates Veterans Week

stuxbury — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:08:28 +0000

51��Ƶ-Dearborn celebrates Veterans Week stuxbury Tue, 11/05/2019 - 07:08

Sophomore Frank Carter, an Army veteran, with horse Top Secret during Veterans Week

When Frank Carter landed on U.S. soil after a tour of duty in Afghanistan, a first course of action was to pet an animal. He says after what he had experienced tracking Taliban operations overseas, he was looking for a friend.

“There was a man with a service dog and I asked him if I could pet it,” says electrical engineering sophomore Carter, who was an Army intelligence specialist. “Animals don’t judge you. They don’t ask you questions you aren’t ready to answer. They are comforting and intuitive. I can’t say enough on how much veterans appreciate animals.”

On Monday, Carter spent time with Top Secret, an 18-year-old spotted Kentucky mountain horse from the organization Horses Heal Hearts.

Veterans Coordinator Tom Pitock brings the nonprofit to campus twice a year — for Finals Week and National Veterans Awareness Week, which is observed the week leading up to Veterans Day. “We want to help our service people find ways to reduce their stress. Spending time with animals has been proven to do that.”

Carter, Veteran Student Organization treasurer, assisted Pitock in organizing campus’ Veterans Week events.

Events include:
• A Care Package Packing Party from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, in Fairlane Center North, rooms 121 and 122. If you know anyone who is deployed and you would like that person to get a care package, to please email Pitock so a package can be sent out to her or him.

They are still seeking volunteers to help pack and people to donate items like toiletries, jerky, canned goods and non-aerosol personal hygiene items. “I really liked when I got a care package with socks,” says Carter, reflecting on his deployment. There is nothing I liked more than socks. “We’d go through so many socks and putting on a fresh clean pair always made you feel so good.”

See the full list of events.

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Tue, 11/05/2019 - 12:06

Stress-relieving animals, care package assembly and acknowledgment of the service by campus veterans are ways campus celebrates the national week.

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This tailgate event is connecting veterans, young and old

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 16:09:13 +0000

This tailgate event is connecting veterans, young and old Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/05/2018 - 11:09

Veteran of the Game tailgate group shot

For 40-some years, Dearborn resident and Army veteran Tom Christian has held down a stellar location for tailgating outside the Big House. It’s right where the Michigan football players and their rivals for the week step off their respective team busses and into the froth of pre-game fans; and it’s also a prime spot to take in the full volume of the Michigan Marching Band as it parades into the stadium.

For many years, though, Christian had been looking for an opportunity to leverage his great tailgating location for something besides talking football and enjoying his famous Bloody Marys. He tried hosting some charity events and using his platform to introduce newbies to the spectacle that is Michigan football. Then, just prior to the last home game of 2014, he stumbled on what has become his tailgate calling ever since.

“This guy, Chuck Bernard, who had become a semi-regular visitor to my tailgate, knew a lot of people in the athletic department,” Christian remembered. “And he heard that the veteran they were going to honor that week as the Veteran of the Game couldn’t make it. So Chuck suggested a guy from his Marine Corps League Detachment, and he asked if he could bring him and his son by the tailgate to sort of make a day of it.”

Then something special happened. With little more than a banner to announce the presence of their guest Marine, people started stopping by — veterans and civilians — to chat and thank him for his service. Christian felt like they were onto something. And when the 2015 season rolled around, they decided they’d throw a tailgate party for each Veteran of the Game. Christian, Bernard and a rotating cast of volunteers have been at it ever since.

Veteran of the Game tailgate with drum major

Their tailgate has gotten more elaborate each year — with an energy now that almost rivals the on-field standing ovation the Veteran of the Game gets between the third and fourth quarters. The marching band has made a habit of dropping by to serenade the week’s honorary veteran — complete with a hug from the drum major. And over the past few seasons, there have been plenty of noteworthy veterans and memorable moments. Guy Stern, one of the legendary Richie Boys — German Jews who escaped the Nazis and worked as American interrogators — was a featured veteran this fall. Other times, Christian said, it’s been a thrill just to watch two men, prior strangers but survivors of same World War II action, simply hold hands, all the communication happening in silence.

As the event grew, Christian and Bernard — who are both now in their 70s — also realized they could use a little help putting it on. So they approached student veteran organizations at a few nearby universities and got an enthusiastic response from 51��Ƶ-Dearborn. Since then, every Friday afternoon on home weekends, about a dozen or so 51��Ƶ-Dearborn student veterans show up to help them load up the coolers, grills and banners into a rented U-Haul; and then help offload everything and run the show on game day.

Alex Chambers, a mechanical engineering senior and former president of 51��Ƶ-Dearborn’s Student Veterans Association, is one of many who have been regulars at the veterans tailgate. The eight-year Army veteran, who was deployed for 18 months in Iraq, said it can be a struggle to bring young veterans together — in part, because they simply aren’t turning up at traditional venues like the American Legion or VFW.

“I think younger vets run the risk of being more isolated when they come home,” she explained. “I lost friends because they got so used to not having me around. For us, time stops; for everyone else it just continues. So to see some of the younger vets sharing stories with the older vets — and to have families come by to spend time with us and share their appreciation — all that helps get you back in a good place.”

Chambers said connecting with other veterans, young and old, has also helped her personally deal with some of the psychological trauma that follows you after a combat experience. Particularly when you deploy, she says, there’s a major shift in mindset — the one that comes from preparing yourself for the moment when you may have to take another person's life. “The thing is, even if you don’t ever have to do it, you carry a lot of guilt,” she said. “So to be able to talk about that with other people who’ve had similar experiences, it’s like it helps you realize you’re not a bad person.”

Creating a place for those kinds of experiences wasn’t necessarily the mission when Christian and Bernard somewhat accidentally started their new tailgate tradition. But it arguably is now. Christian sees connecting generations of veterans as crucial to helping those who have served in more recent wars wade through the challenges of life after combat. It’s about providing a tangible human example, he says; so they can talk with and stand next to someone who also survived an incredibly difficult — often difficult to explain — experience and see that they went on to have families and careers and fulfilling lives.

“It’s really hard to describe the bonding that happens between the student veterans and the older veterans. It’s electric and instantaneous. It’s good for the older guys, who find themselves suddenly sharing stories they’ve never told anyone before. It’s good for our students, who are dealing with their own life-after-combat issues. And it’s good for the rest of us who get to witness it.”

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Mon, 11/05/2018 - 16:07

51��Ƶ-Dearborn students have become a key part of a team that gives military veterans the star treatment at Michigan home football games.

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