JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — VyStar Credit Union has committed $2.7 million to expand facilities, scholarships and support services for military-connected students and their families at Florida State College at Jacksonville.
Credit union and college leaders announced the commitment Nov. 5 at FSCJ’s Kent Campus. The funding will support veterans, service members and military families through campus renovations and assistance with education and other needs
“Today’s exciting announcement brings us one step closer to being the most military-friendly institution in the country,” FSCJ President John Avendano said, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record.
The college plans to develop military service center space at its Kent, Downtown and North campuses, adding to an existing center at South Campus, Avendano said. Kent Campus will receive renovated offices and social gathering spaces, while smaller office renovations are planned at the North and Downtown campuses. The work is expected to be completed by 2028.
What Will be Provided
The centers will provide places for military-connected students to relax and connect with one another, leaders said at the event, the Daily Record reported.
The commitment also will fund scholarships and direct services, including career advising, financial literacy, tuition support, food and housing assistance, and mental health support, according to a news release cited by the newspaper.
“It’s really helping those who serve the country to transition out of military life into civilian and workforce life,” Avendano said.
FSCJ enrolls about 3,700 military-connected students, according to the release. Avendano, who became president in 2019, said that population has grown from about 1,000 to 1,100 students when he arrived.
“We’ve tripled that number in that time frame, and we expect to continue to expand that,” he said.
CU’s Support is Praised
The ceremony at Kent Campus, 3939 Roosevelt Blvd., included remarks from Avendano; FSCJ trustee Wayne Young, a retired Navy captain; VyStar President and CEO Brian Wolfburg; and VyStar Foundation President Patricia McElroy.
McElroy said her father served in World War II and that support he received after the war benefited her family, the Daily Record reported.
“I had a very stable and loving family, and that was not in a small part due to the support my father received when he came out of the war,” she said.
The $14.4-billion VyStar was founded in 1952 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville.
