RIO GRANDE — Local veterans, reservists and guardsmen are invited to attend the inaugural Veterans Open House event on Friday, Nov. 16 at the University of Rio Grande/ Rio Grande Community College.

The open house, hosted by the Student Veterans Organization, is schedule from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Bob Evans Farms Hall auditorium. The event will provide detailed information on life experience credit, financial aid, academic programs available and the various engaging student life offered at Rio Grande with U.S. Department of Veterans Services representatives on site.

Attendee input is strongly encouraged.

“Our goal is for Rio Grande to be the No. 1 school in Ohio for veterans,” said Tony Burnette, president of the Rio Grande Student Senate and member of the Student Veterans Organization. “I’m extremely proud to say the veteran support on campus from faculty, staff and students is exceptional. And our student organization is one of the leading campus organizations for veterans in Ohio.”

Rio Grande has been recognized as a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs. Among the many services available to veterans on campus is the Rio Grande Veterans Center located inside Boyd Hall. The center is open to student and community veterans for a variety of daily activities that includes a speaker series.

Burnette hopes to see the Veterans Open House become an annual one-stop resource on par with the campus’ Veterans Center for veterans throughout southeastern Ohio. It’s a sentiment shared by the Rio Grande administration.

“We want to make this the premiere event for all veterans in our region interested in education,” University of Rio Grande Dean of Students Aaron Quinn said. “I think most will also find Rio Grande to be an ideal fit with the rural campus and institution’s commitment to small, dynamic class sizes with individual instruction from dedicated faculty members.”

For more information regarding the Veterans Open House please contact Quinn at aquinn@rio.edu or 740-245-7454. For more information on the Rio Grande Veterans Center or about the University of Rio Grande / Rio Grande Community College, visit Rio.edu or call 800-282-7201.