A COLLEGE DORMITORY MAKEOVER wouldn’t normally attract much attention, but Manor Hall at the University of the Pacific comes with a twist: it will house students who are active-duty military and veterans.
Students began moving in this week to the 101-year-old brick residential structure that was one of eight original buildings on the leafy Stockton campus. The building had been unoccupied since 2013.
Dedicating a residence hall to members of the U.S. military and those who have served underscores what university leaders see as a ripe opportunity to cater to a group that deserves recognition.
“They’re mature. They’re focused and disciplined. They add richly to the intellectual diversity and environment of our campuses,” said UOP President Christopher Callahan said at a dedication ceremony last week.
The government fosters education for veterans through the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which helps pay for tuition, fees and housing. Creating a dorm just for veterans also gives UOP another positive talking point at a time when the Trump administration has been pressuring colleges and universities over issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, foreign student admissions and alleged antisemitism arising from last year’s Gaza War protests.
The new hall at UOP has 11 suites and rooms that can accommodate up to 33 students. Many of the rooms have been named after prominent veterans. UOP says it becomes one of the few universities that has dedicated housing for veterans and active-duty military, tailoring rooms to their needs. Kitchens and bathrooms, for instance, are outfitted to accommodate those with disabilities. There are also living spaces where student veterans can gather and support each other.
UOP has 159 students who are veterans among its campuses in Stockton, San Francisco and Sacramento out of a total student body of about 7,000. By comparison, it says the University of California Riverside has nearly the same number of veteran students among its vastly larger student body of more than 26,000.
John Rogers, a retired Air Force colonel who served 26 years as a pilot, and wife June were the leading donors in the $7 million renovation of Manor Hall.
“I’m proud to support the veterans. It’s easy to support the people that have served our country and continue to serve our country, the people that have gone before,” he was quoted as saying.
San Joaquin County also kicked in $2 million.
This story originally appeared in Stocktonia.
