PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (Nov. 10, 2023) – On this Veterans Day, the Prairie View A&M University family expresses our deep gratitude to the brave men and women who have served in the armed forces.
Paying homage to those who’ve served is not new to Prairie View A&M. The Historical Black University has long been committed to supporting veterans and their families, especially on their academic journey. Each day, members of our Veterans Services program go above and beyond the call of duty, providing comprehensive programs designed to address the unique needs of veterans from all branches of service.
D.M. Bowie
This year, we spoke to the department’s dedicated Director, D.M. Bowie, who is also a veteran. Under his leadership, the Veteran Services office supports the University’s mission by focusing on reintegration, academic goals, and the certification of VA educational benefits. Since 2015, Mr. Bowie has worked tirelessly with his team to establish compliance with the Department of Veteran Affairs and has been instrumental in building an office that provides unwavering support to student veterans and military dependents.
You have only to speak to Mr. Bowie briefly to understand that this is more than a job to him. His work ethic underscores his genuine affinity for the resources he and his team help to provide. A man of service who has never strayed far from his military background, Mr. Bowie is mindful of the mission: making sure the veteran students and their families are taken care of.
“Our team does not need (nor do we want) accolades, awards, pats on the back.” He adds, “We are here to help our veterans and their families. It is all about them. We have veterans, like myself, on staff who know the challenges these men and women face when they come home. Our one and only goal is to make sure they can make that transition seamlessly.”
It is truly a labor of love borne from the ardent respect veterans deserve.
PVAMU staff enjoy breakfast in honor of Veterans Day.
Resources and Support:
Mr. Bowie says he and his team emphatically believe that supporting our vets extends well beyond providing an academic platform. At Prairie View A&M especially, programs are put in place that encompass various initiatives, including the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program, often referred to as the Chapter 31 program. This initiative provides essential services to eligible service members and veterans with service-connected disabilities. There is also the VA’s Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) program, as well as the Hazlewood Act, a State of Texas benefit that provides qualified Veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition exemption, including most fee charges, at public institutions of higher education in Texas.
The Veteran Services office’s dedication has attracted esteemed organizations such as the Department of State, Parson’s Corporation, Wounded Warrior, and the Veterans Benefits Administration, who actively engage with PVAMU’s student veteran population.
Salute to Excellence:
The common thread that is woven throughout a conversation with Mr. Bowie is the office works together. No one person is more important than the other. It is that kind of synergy that ensures they are able to help the people who benefit from the program maintain their dignity and honor. Providing educational and training opportunities for eligible dependents and survivors of certain veterans, ensuring that the support network extends beyond the service members to their families, adds a dimension of care and humanity that sets PVAMU apart from other institutions of higher learning. Thanks to the resources provided by Mr. Bowie’s team, as well as the profound sentiment of deference that is found throughout the campus, the University leans into its tagline, “Excellence Lives Here,” when it comes to showing those who sacrifice so much, the honor they deserve.
Positive results are a great example of what Veteran Services accomplish year after year, including an impressive average GPA of 3.21 for graduating student veterans since the fall of 2020. Also worth noting, for seven consecutive years, PVAMU has hosted an Educational Benefits Session during Freshman and Transfer orientation. This serves as a vital introduction for parents and veterans to understand how the office processes benefits.
It is this kind of unrelenting, consistent accountability, consistency, and attention to detail that reminds veterans that their sacrifice (and that of your family) were not in vain. Prairie View A&M remains a constant source of support.
Mission Accomplished:
Prairie View A&M University’s Veteran Services program stands as a model of comprehensive and unwavering support for veterans and their families. As we honor veterans on this special day, let us also applaud every individual and institution of higher education who makes it their mission to ensure veterans thrive in their academic pursuits and beyond.
By Liz Faublas-Wallace
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