Concordia has joined the Canadian Military, Veteran and Family Connected Campus Consortium (CMVF3C). A signing ceremony was held on November 28 to represent CUE’s commitment to military-connected students and their families. Canadian Armed Forces representatives, base personnel, CUE staff, students, and alumni with military connections were present to celebrate.
“With the forces growing in size, you got to think of the individuals as well as the families,” says Major Christopher Ouellette, a member of the military who attended the signing. He further explains that in the past, “We’ve felt transient.”
For some veterans, attending university after serving can be daunting. The military members who attended the event say that regardless of whether you’re 20 or 50 years old, wondering what to do with your life, “It’s the same question, just with a different flavour and a different experience.”
Some goals of CUE’s commitment to supporting military-connected students include providing academic accommodations, offering peer mentorship, and implementing campus awareness initiatives. These services address challenges such as frequent relocations, shifting academic expectations, and the emotional impact of military life.
CUE is now part of a national network seeking to demonstrate its commitment to those who have served by providing them with guidance, mentorship, and understanding. Other participating universities include the University of Alberta, NAIT, and MacEwan University, among numerous others across the province.
“Through this partnership with the CMVF3C, CUE joins a national network of post secondary institutions dedicated to improving access and outcomes for Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans, and their families while celebrating the unique contributions they bring to campus life.”
“There’s so many people when they join the military, they’re only 18 or 19, and they just want to go in and they want to serve their country. They put their life and their education and [other] things on hold for their service,” says Captain Suzanne Ferrier, who is also the transition personnel selection officer. Ferrier explains that a military life isn’t viable for an entire life because it becomes too much mentally and physically. “When they start having a family, they don’t want to get deployed and sent off on exercises.”
For CUE, this signing ceremony represents a commitment to those who have served, providing guidance, mentorship, and understanding to help them succeed in university life.
