Glenn College joins national mission to connect veterans to public service careers

Glenn College joins national mission to connect veterans to public service careers

Ohio State one of 12 universities selected for education initiative

Joan Slattery Wall Ohio State News contributor [email protected]

The John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University is one of 12 public service schools selected for a national initiative to connect veterans and military families with public service education pathways and propel them into stable and impactful careers in public leadership.

Service to Service, launched by the Volcker Alliance and We the Veterans and Military Families, will recruit military-connected students into master's degree programs as fellows in fall 2025, provide them with a meaningful cross-campus experience that encourages network building and professional development, and facilitate their placement in state and local government jobs upon graduation.

"The Glenn College strives to inspire citizenship throughout our community and develop the next generation of public and nonprofit leaders," said Trevor Brown, dean of the Glenn College. "We're honored to build on our commitment to veterans and the military-connected community to help them further their dedication to service and citizenship through their continued leadership."

"We the Veterans and Military Families is thrilled to be partnering with the Volcker Alliance in launching the new Service to Service Initiative - and we know the John Glenn College of Public Affairs proudly represents The Ohio State University and its namesake, Marine Corps legend John Glenn, in joining the inaugural cohort of schools,"said Ellen Gustafson, co-founder and executive director of We the Veterans and Military Families. "We hope future veteran graduates of the Glenn College will follow in his footsteps and continue their service to the country in their years after the military through participation in Service to Service."

By connecting veterans and military family members to opportunities to serve again through public service, the program aims to leverage the widespread public trust of the veteran community to shore up confidence in government and democratic institutions.Veterans and military families are a well-networked, easily mobilized and service-oriented group of Americans. The Volcker Alliance reports that the veteran community also holds incredibly high levels of public trust - approximately 70% of Americans have confidence in veterans to "do what's right" for America.

"Trust in government is at an all-time low, and state and local governments are struggling to recruit talent with the skills needed for effective service delivery," said Sara Mogulescu, president of the Volcker Alliance. "The veteran community is a diverse, highly trusted and service-oriented group of leaders that, with more intentional engagement, is uniquely positioned to fill leadership positions in state and local government."

Preston Phillips, management analyst at the Glenn College, will lead the Service to Service initiative at Ohio State. He received his Master of Arts in public policy and management from the Glenn College while serving in the U.S. Air Force, where he retired as a major after 12 years managing military operations around the world.

He's passionate about the college's ability to support veterans in Service to Service through its graduate programs. Many positions in the military, he pointed out, are similar to working in state and local government positions - for example, in housing, transportation, safety and security, health and wellness, budgeting, education, maintenance, IT and youth programs.

"Completing a master's degree from the Glenn College helped me understand the theory and related practical skills of many things witnessed around the world: trust being difficult to earn but easy to lose, collaboration versus competition, and community responsibility versus self-interest. This helped tremendously in my military career just as much as it helps me now," he said.

"Growing up with grandparents born and raised in four different countries on three different continents, I heard many stories of the struggles to meet basic human needs while enduring universal human rights violations," Phillips said. "This inspired me to volunteer for the U.S. military - so I could do my part to help. While I no longer wear the nation's uniform, I am fortunate to continue to serve in another capacity that positively impacts others and strengthens communities."

Kevin Cullen, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and assistant vice provost and director of Military and Veteran Services at Ohio State, said veterans are significantly more likely to pursue public service careers, particularly at the federal level, compared to non-veterans.

"Veterans make up about 10% of the U.S. population but constitute over 25% of federal, state and local government employees. While hiring preferences help, many veterans gravitate toward public service because their military experience aligns with government roles, they are drawn to the sense of public responsibility, and they want to continue serving in a meaningful way," Cullen said.

More than 2,100 military-connected students attend Ohio State, which employs approximately 1,600 faculty and staff veterans.

"The Ohio State University has long been a national leader in serving student veterans," Cullen said. "This dedication started with our land-grant mission and continues today by offering comprehensive resources that foster academic success, mental health, well-being and sense of belonging. Ohio State ensures that those who have served our country can successfully transition to and thrive in higher education."

The Volcker Alliance and We the Veterans and Military Families will provide funding to bring together all Service to Service students and staff annually for cross-campus connection and networking; professional development workshops, with a focus on state and local government; and high profile speakers from the military who chose careers in public service.

The 12 Service to Service schools are at Arizona State University; Cornell University; Pepperdine University; Syracuse University; The Ohio State University; The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; University of Arkansas; University of California, Berkeley; University of Central Florida; University of Kentucky; University of Michigan; and University of Missouri.

For more information about Service to Service at Ohio State, visit the Glenn College's website: https://glenn.osu.edu/graduate-programs/service-service.

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