Honoring service and building community: OSU's Veterans Faculty and Staff Association leads with heart

Honoring service and building community: OSU's Veterans Faculty and Staff Association leads with heart

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Media Contact: Kristi Wheeler | Manager, CEAT Marketing and Communications | 405-744-5831 | [email protected]

Oklahoma State University's Veterans Faculty and Staff Association continues to strengthen its mission of supporting military-affiliated students, faculty and staff through advocacy, connection and community engagement.

OSU was recently recognized as a Champion Veteran Employer by Oklahoma Veterans United for the fifth consecutive year, an honor that underscores the university's dedication to those who have served. This year, only 19 employers across Oklahoma earned this honor and were recognized in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

Leading the organization is Jenn Lane, a Sponsored Programs Specialist II in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology, who is serving her second year as president. Lane's passion for veteran support is deeply personal, rooted in her upbringing in an active-duty Air Force family.

"Supporting veterans is a cause that has always been close to my heart," Lane said. "When I attended the Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots training and learned about the VFSA, I knew I wanted to be part of that support system here on campus."

After joining the VFSA, Lane quickly became a leader in expanding the organization's reach and impact. When the previous president stepped down, she saw an opportunity to continue growing awareness and engagement across the university.

Under Lane's leadership, the VFSA has launched several initiatives to better connect and support OSU's veteran community. These include monthly membership meetings, a quarterly newsletter highlighting resources and events and continued participation in Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots. This program educates OSU faculty, staff and students on the unique challenges faced by military-affiliated individuals.

OSU's commitment to veterans extends beyond the VFSA. The university employs numerous veterans as faculty and staff and is home to two military-affiliated degree programs through the Department of Military Science (Army ROTC) and Aerospace Studies (Air Force and Space Force ROTC). The Military Affiliated-Student Support, located in the Student Union, offers a space for veterans to connect, decompress and find support.

Lane is particularly excited about two major projects in the works: the release of the second VFSA quarterly newsletter, which will highlight events throughout Veterans Appreciation Month, and the return of the Military Affiliated Student Scholarship, a program designed to directly support student veterans.

A recent project close to Lane's heart involved restoring and rehoming a set of three trophies from a veteran suicide awareness event known as the Warrior Walk Against Veteran Suicide. The event was a 22-mile walk around Boomer Lake to raise awareness for veteran suicide, which was attended by supporters across the state of Oklahoma.

Participants could participate in teams or individually, and three trophies were awarded: fastest ROTC team (ruck marching); fastest student veteran organization team (ruck marching); and fastest team without ruck marching. Communities and veteran agencies came across the state to participate in the event or show their support.

In partnership with Dearingers, the VFSA combined the three trophies into a single commemorative display, now proudly showcased in the office of Associate Dean Ed Kirtley, a veteran himself, in CEAT's Advanced Technology Research Center.

"I'm incredibly proud of the OSU VFSA for their continued focus on veteran issues and their dedication to honoring our veteran students, faculty, and staff," Kirtley said. "Jenn's leadership has truly re-energized the association. I'm especially grateful for her efforts in bringing home the trophies from the Warrior Walk Against Veteran Suicide. While the trophies are a point of pride, they also serve as an important reminder that suicide remains a serious issue among veterans - and that our work to raise awareness and provide support must continue."

Reflecting on her time with the VFSA, Lane shared a powerful moment from last year's flag display event. Each year, OSU observes Veterans Day by holding an annual flag display on the Edmon Low Library Lawn. Each flag is accompanied by a dog tag, representing a soldier who has lost their life after Sept. 11, 2001.

"As I read each soldier's name while placing their tag on a flag, something deeply powerful struck me," she said. "Each loss represents more than a number - it's a life that touched an entire community. That experience reminded me how fortunate I am for the freedoms their sacrifice made possible."

Through efforts like these, the VFSA continues to honor service, foster understanding and build a strong sense of belonging among OSU's veteran and military-affiliated community.