Saluting Our Veteran Students
Phillip Rudy ’25, a 3L who served five years of active duty in the U.S. Naval Submarine Force and three years in the reserves, including while attending Brooklyn Law, is president of the newly launched Veteran Students Association.Photo credit: STSCS(SS) Matthew Odom, USN (Ret.), U.S. Navy photo.
Brooklyn Law Expands Commitment to Yellow Ribbon Program as Veteran Students Association Relaunches
As part of an expanded commitment to back veterans, Brooklyn Law School has substantially increased scholarship support for students who have served in the nation’s armed forces effective this fall semester. The initiative will ensure full-tuition support for veterans qualifying under the Yellow Ribbon Program, a post-9/11 GI Bill administered by the Veterans Administration (VA).
The Yellow Ribbon Program awards benefits to Chapter 33 veterans who are pursuing up to 36 months of secondary education and have unmet tuition and fees after all their school scholarships and veteran benefits are posted. A unique caveat to the VA program is that it requires matching funds from the school. Effective this fall, Brooklyn Law School provides the maximum support allowed under the program so that, along with matching, the full cost of tuition and fees each semester is covered.
“This full support reflects Brooklyn Law School’s deep appreciation for the service and sacrifice veterans have provided to this country and recognition of the unique value they bring to our classrooms and our community,” said President and Joseph Crea Dean David D. Meyer. “Veterans bring experience and perspective that enrich our classrooms and are an important part of the broader diversity that makes the Brooklyn Law School community such a wonderful place for studying law.”
Each scholarship award is individual, but since it began participating in the program in 2012, Brooklyn Law has distributed more than $300,000 in matching funds to veterans, according to Nancy Zahzam, the school’s director of financial aid.
One advocate of such support is Phillip Rudy ’25, a 3L who served five years of active duty in the U.S. Naval Submarine Force and three years in the reserves, including while attending Brooklyn Law, where he is president of the Veteran Students Association, which he and a group of students have officially relaunched. (Learn more about Rudy and the other veteran students here.) He is grateful the school took this step to give back to those who have served the United States through military service.
“My 1L summer, Dean Meyer reached out to me to talk about veteran’s issues, and I immediately realized that he just didn’t know how large the gap was between what the GI Bill provides and what it expects the school, via the Yellow Ribbon program, to pick up,” Rudy said. “It seemed like a great opportunity for advocacy, which is why I helped restart the Veteran Student Association in the first place.”
After Rudy described the possibilities that existed within the current Yellow Ribbon Program, the dean promised to investigate what more the school could do to help veterans.
“Within a few days after our meeting, the dean committed to providing full tuition to all eligible veterans at Brooklyn Law School,” Rudy said. “It’s one thing to simply thank a veteran for their service, but the dean and Brooklyn Law School really put that into action to make a difference for all veterans at BLS and their families.”
In Rudy’s experience, he said, former military students tend to arrive as older-than-average students because of the length of their military service, and often bear more personal responsibilities as a result. Without a full scholarship, would-be students often cannot afford to attend law school.
“Many veterans have families, and they have greater financial obligations,” Rudy said. “Even with full tuition match, a large number of students have to borrow for living expenses.”
The implementation of the Law School’s expanded Yellow Ribbon Program this fall means that Rudy and other eligible students were eligible for the additional scholarship funds immediately.
“We are so grateful for all who have served in the United States armed forces, and we hope that expanding our scholarship support reinforces our gratitude and strengthens our commitment to our veteran students,” Meyer said.
To learn more about Brooklyn Law School’s Veterans Scholarship visit our website here.
Meet VSA President Phillip Rudy ’25 and learn more about the Veterans Student Association and Brooklyn Law School in a special informational webinar for veteran students on Wednesday, November 20, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. Register here.