Our History
Approximately 600 student veterans currently receive benefits and support at Northeastern. To further fuel their career and educational aspirations, the university offers two Centers of Excellence funded by the Department of Homeland Security, more than 90 ongoing research projects financed by the Department of Defense, and a $20 million cooperation agreement with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to continue conducting critical defense research.
Our century-long commitment to supporting veterans and servicemembers has helped make those projects possible. Here is a look at some of the other notable milestones experienced at Northeastern.
1918
The United States government first implements a Student Army Training Corps program at Northeastern.
1951
Northeastern’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is created and quickly becomes the largest such program nationwide, with more than 2,800 cadets. Today, the Liberty Battalion ROTC, hosted by Northeastern, continues to train 120 cadets at multiple campuses throughout Boston.
2006
Northeastern dedicates the Veterans Memorial, located at the intersection of Forsyth Street and Centennial Common. Featuring a single black granite wall, it serves as a symbol for students who have sacrificed their lives in service of our country. The Veterans Memorial was built thanks to the efforts of alumnus Neal Finnegan, former chair of the Northeastern Board of Trustees, and designed by former adjunct faculty Mark Roehrie, Mo Zell, and Steve Fellmeth.
2009
The university invests $2 million into the federal government’s Yellow Ribbon Program to help post-9/11 veterans meet the cost of completing or continuing their education. Due to the size of the commitment, qualifying veterans receive grant aid that covers most, if not all, of their tuition and fees, depending on the degree program they enroll in.
2013
A POW/MIA Chair, bearing the words “You Are Not Forgotten,” is unveiled in Matthews Arena to pay tribute to military members who have gone missing in action or were prisoners of war. The seat remains empty as we await the return of our beloved servicemembers.
2015
Northeastern opens the Center for the Advancement of Veterans and Servicemembers to focus on student veteran employability. To date, 90 percent of our military alumni are employed or in graduate school within nine months of graduation.
2017
After a generous gift to support its mission, Center for the Advancement of Veterans and Servicemembers (CAVS) is renamed the Dolce Center for the Advancement of Veterans and Servicemembers (Dolce CAVS).
2019
The university expands its commitment to the Yellow Ribbon Program, now offering an unlimited amount of institutional matching funds to an unlimited number of students for qualified post-9/11 veterans.
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Connect with an Enrollment Counselor who can answer any of your questions. In the meantime, learn more about our commitment to the Yellow program here.