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| Brig. Gen. Mike Callan, USAG (Ret.), Associate Vice President for Military and Government Programs |
By Holly Shanks
Webster College accepted an invitation to deliver education to the military in 1974. For the first time, military-affiliated students would receive a college education inside the gates of their own military installations.
It was the early 197os and a turbulent time. Soldiers were returning home from the Vietnam War to an uncertain welcome, antiwar protests continued and President Nixon resigned in the midst of the Watergate scandal.
“We saw the effects of how the American public had received our veterans coming home from the Vietnam War, it was a terrible time frankly,” said Brig. Gen. Mike Callan, USAF (Ret.), Associate Vice President for Military and Government Programs. “It contributed to a lot of both physical and mental issues for our military.”
In 1974, Webster University accepted an invitation from the Department of Defense (DOD) to open extended campuses at Ft. Sheridan and Scott Air Force Base, both located in Illinois. For the first time, military personnel would be able to receive a college education inside the gates of their own military installations.
Stephen Forsha, Scott Air Force Base Webster Campus Director, said he thinks opening extended military campuses fit with Webster’s traditional mission. He said Webster was founded to help students that did not have access to college education.
“There was a tremendous need of all the soldiers and military people coming back at the end of Vietnam like any conflict,” Forsha said. “Just like now in having G.I. Bill benefits.”
Callen said there has been a "changing of the tide" that began during the Desert Storm era acknowledging the sacrifice made by the men and women who serve in the military.
"It makes our job much easier to be able to do a lot and to go about our military missions knowing we have support from not only our families at home, but certainly the American people," Callen said.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Webster’s involvement offering education directly to the military. The program has grown and currently consist of 39 extended military campuses.
Callan said the military portfolio represents roughly 20 percent of the University’s revenue and is primarily a graduate education program. Military affiliated students for the extended campuses include, active duty, guard, reservist, military dependents, DOD contractors and Federal civilians.
“About 98 percent of what we deliver on our 39 campuses is graduate education and about one percent undergraduate education,” Callan said. “…Until Webster got to those 39 campuses, really education was not available to the men and women who serve our nation.”
Webster University has a tradition of supporting the military. During World War II, drives were held to purchase war bonds. The bonds were debt securities issued by the U.S. Government to help finance the war effort.
A 1943 issue of the Webster student newspaper, “The Web,” said Webster College raised more than $113,000 the previous spring to purchase a P-51 fighter aircraft, which was named “The Spirit of Webster College.” Another war bond drive raised $300,000 to purchase a “bomber” for the war effort, the type of bomber or when it was purchased is not listed.
Webster was a women's college during the World War II era. In 1962, the first male students were accepted to the Fine Arts Program. The Sisters of Loretto transferred ownership of Webster College to a lay board of directors five-years later.
In 1968, male student enrollment expanded to all departments. That same year, during the Vietnam War, Webster established the Veterans’ Accelerated Urban learning for Teaching program (VAULT.) According to the Webster Library Archives, the program was designed to “train Vietnam veterans to teach or assume other professional roles in inner-city schools, primarily at the elementary level.”
Callan said Webster’s war bond drives during World War II is an illustration of what the Webster community did to support the war effort. And 30-years later, once again, the Webster community supported the military by offering education on military installations in 1974.
Director of Military Operations James Meadows said he works with the “daily care” of the extended campuses and with Webster’s military outreach programs.
Meadows said the military outreach programs are a way of communicating with multiple military and civilian communities around the nation to provide and understand what is best for their communities and their educational needs.
“Webster has funded the cost of 39 extended campuses to provide our military students with the best education where they are at,” Meadows said.
Forsha said convenience and access are important for military students to receive higher education. Access to a university can be difficult while serving in the military. He said depending on where a military member is stationed they may not be close to a University. Many schools on military bases offer evening classes to avoid interference with the student’s military responsibilities or job.
“That is probably the most important key is giving (the military student) access to be able to go to school,” Forsha said.
Callan said he is optimistic about the next 40-years and Webster continuing to bring education to the military. He said there will be challenges ahead in terms of government structures and the military’s budget.
“Budget concerns over the next (several years) seem to suggest that we are going to have to tighten our belt in many ways as an American society and some of that impact will be seen by our military,” Callan said. “I’m optimistic in regard to Webster still being most certainly pro-military. I’m very proud to have been with Webster for over two years now and the ways in which really every employee of the University supports what our men and women do and the education we bring to them – it’s just a joy being here.”
It was the early 197os and a turbulent time. Soldiers were returning home from the Vietnam War to an uncertain welcome, antiwar protests continued and President Nixon resigned in the midst of the Watergate scandal.
“We saw the effects of how the American public had received our veterans coming home from the Vietnam War, it was a terrible time frankly,” said Brig. Gen. Mike Callan, USAF (Ret.), Associate Vice President for Military and Government Programs. “It contributed to a lot of both physical and mental issues for our military.”
In 1974, Webster University accepted an invitation from the Department of Defense (DOD) to open extended campuses at Ft. Sheridan and Scott Air Force Base, both located in Illinois. For the first time, military personnel would be able to receive a college education inside the gates of their own military installations.
Stephen Forsha, Scott Air Force Base Webster Campus Director, said he thinks opening extended military campuses fit with Webster’s traditional mission. He said Webster was founded to help students that did not have access to college education.
“There was a tremendous need of all the soldiers and military people coming back at the end of Vietnam like any conflict,” Forsha said. “Just like now in having G.I. Bill benefits.”
Callen said there has been a "changing of the tide" that began during the Desert Storm era acknowledging the sacrifice made by the men and women who serve in the military.
"It makes our job much easier to be able to do a lot and to go about our military missions knowing we have support from not only our families at home, but certainly the American people," Callen said.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Webster’s involvement offering education directly to the military. The program has grown and currently consist of 39 extended military campuses.
Callan said the military portfolio represents roughly 20 percent of the University’s revenue and is primarily a graduate education program. Military affiliated students for the extended campuses include, active duty, guard, reservist, military dependents, DOD contractors and Federal civilians.
“About 98 percent of what we deliver on our 39 campuses is graduate education and about one percent undergraduate education,” Callan said. “…Until Webster got to those 39 campuses, really education was not available to the men and women who serve our nation.”
Webster University has a tradition of supporting the military. During World War II, drives were held to purchase war bonds. The bonds were debt securities issued by the U.S. Government to help finance the war effort.
A 1943 issue of the Webster student newspaper, “The Web,” said Webster College raised more than $113,000 the previous spring to purchase a P-51 fighter aircraft, which was named “The Spirit of Webster College.” Another war bond drive raised $300,000 to purchase a “bomber” for the war effort, the type of bomber or when it was purchased is not listed.
Webster was a women's college during the World War II era. In 1962, the first male students were accepted to the Fine Arts Program. The Sisters of Loretto transferred ownership of Webster College to a lay board of directors five-years later.
In 1968, male student enrollment expanded to all departments. That same year, during the Vietnam War, Webster established the Veterans’ Accelerated Urban learning for Teaching program (VAULT.) According to the Webster Library Archives, the program was designed to “train Vietnam veterans to teach or assume other professional roles in inner-city schools, primarily at the elementary level.”
Callan said Webster’s war bond drives during World War II is an illustration of what the Webster community did to support the war effort. And 30-years later, once again, the Webster community supported the military by offering education on military installations in 1974.
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| Director of Military Operations James Meadows |
Meadows said the military outreach programs are a way of communicating with multiple military and civilian communities around the nation to provide and understand what is best for their communities and their educational needs.
“Webster has funded the cost of 39 extended campuses to provide our military students with the best education where they are at,” Meadows said.
Forsha said convenience and access are important for military students to receive higher education. Access to a university can be difficult while serving in the military. He said depending on where a military member is stationed they may not be close to a University. Many schools on military bases offer evening classes to avoid interference with the student’s military responsibilities or job.
“That is probably the most important key is giving (the military student) access to be able to go to school,” Forsha said.
Callan said he is optimistic about the next 40-years and Webster continuing to bring education to the military. He said there will be challenges ahead in terms of government structures and the military’s budget.
“Budget concerns over the next (several years) seem to suggest that we are going to have to tighten our belt in many ways as an American society and some of that impact will be seen by our military,” Callan said. “I’m optimistic in regard to Webster still being most certainly pro-military. I’m very proud to have been with Webster for over two years now and the ways in which really every employee of the University supports what our men and women do and the education we bring to them – it’s just a joy being here.”
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