Construction is underway for a new building on campus named, The Jack W. Liebert Military and Veterans Resource Center, which is being funded through a donation that Deborah Liebert Karl, Ashland University alumna, made back in 2017 of one-million dollars in addition to just under one-million dollars from the state of Ohio.

The project is estimated to be finished on April 1, with a ribbon cutting ceremony May 7. The faculty will be moving in to the new building in mid-April.

Work began about eight months ago with the moving of old files from the Brethren Church National Offices. The veterans building will be added on to the original Brethren’s space.

Dr. Carlos Campo, president of AU, expressed his excitement for the new veterans building, speaking on the importance for the university and the students associated.

“We really feel like that is a national model that’s part of our long-term plan,” Campo said. “By having it at a location that is separate, but central, it will be very convenient, so military and their families can come and they basically can get everything they need done in one location.”

AU is planning on bringing in around 600 veteran students by 2024, according to Campo. The current amount of students is 257 veteran and military-connected students.

“We’re really looking to fuel that growth,” Campo said.

The primary components of the new building are focused on student aid, academic advising and counseling.

The purpose of the building is to ease the transition from active military service to campus life. With proper resources and a space to feel comfortable and to convene, the goal is to make a comfortable adjustment for those who have served in the military and are adjusting to civilian life.

Randy Spade, director of Veteran Services at AU, said, “It’s a comprehensive center, so all of the student services for our student veterans and military connected students will be in one place. From the veterans center, we’ll be able to offer better support services to those students from one place, both their recreational spaces and our office spaces.”

For spouses and dependents of United States veterans, they will have an opportunity to share in that military connected culture as well.

“The bottom floor of the center has study spaces, for both individual and group, it’s got a common area, a full kitchen and a gaming lounge,” Spade said. “Since a lot of our veteran students aren’t residential students we wanted to make sure they had their own space on campus, so they felt more involved in the campus community.”

Inspiration for the donation toward the veteran center spurred from Liebert Karl’s own father, Jack W. Liebert, who served in the navy during World War II, later enlisting in the Korean War.

Liebert Karl told news.ashland.edu, “My father fought for our country’s freedom. We should never forget the sacrifices that our military have made for our country. The Military Veterans Resource Center will demonstrate our pride and thankfulness for their service. I envision the center to be a dedicated facility that will help assimilate veteran students to Ashland University and the community.”

The state of Ohio also has donated to the building as well because of AU’s effort in working with the federal government to ensure all of the veteran students are coming in tuition-free.