Bellarmine’s Office of Military and Veteran Services student population has grown by 55 percent since the office opened three years ago. OMVS
students hail from numerous backgrounds: veterans, active duty, national guard and
reserves, ROTC, and dependents from all branches of the military. But many say it’s
the community and strong support network that makes Bellarmine’s military
community stand out. “Whatever our backgrounds, whatever our journey to get to
Bellarmine, once our students get here, they’re family,” said Lindsay Gargotto, OMVS
director. “We have a tight-knit community of support.” Hear from a few recent graduates
about why they chose to join the Bellarmine OMVS family and what their experience
has been.
Tabitha A. Kerr: ROTC, Bellarmine Graduate of Psychology
Q: Why Bellarmine? I picked Bellarmine because of the atmosphere that was created. Everyone was so welcoming
and loved the community.
Q: What's the experience been like? My experience at Bellarmine has been a journey. It allowed me the place to explore
myself and my own interests. From starting as a nursing student, to psychology and
to being in the UofL Army ROTC and pursuing a career as a chaplain.
Q: Why is Bellarmine a great place for military-affiliated students? Bellarmine is very supportive of their military students. For ROTC they help financially
and help students navigate through college.
Q: What was your experience with the OMVS? OMVS is filled with so many supportive and encouraging individuals. They are always
looking to celebrate us and help us through college. They are great with communication
and always find ways to incorporate us into the campus and show pride in our military.
Andrew Radak: Army National Guard Veteran and Bellarmine MBA Graduate
Q: Why Bellarmine? The atmosphere from the start has been open and welcoming. Bellarmine has an amazing
reputation for accountancy that was evident from day one and I have been able to talk
with faculty and staff up to and including the president to address concerns as
they came up.
Q: What's the experience been like? Intense, but overall rewarding. Their handling of the chaotic environment of 2020
was excellent.
Q: Why is Bellarmine a great place for military-affiliated students? Because the Office of Military and Veteran Students is very involved in the broad
university environment.
Q: What was your experience with the OMVS? Lindsay Gargotto, director of OMVS, and Elle Rich, coordinator of Military & Veteran
Student, have done amazing work trying to get students involved and ensure they have
access to all necessary resources. Without their help, I would not have lasted.
Summer L. Mathews: Veteran, Bellarmine Graduate of Radiation Therapy
Q: Why Bellarmine? I chose Bellarmine because they had the degree I was pursuing and it was local. I
was at the University of Louisville and my degree was undecided and I saw that they
had the degree I wanted to pursue at Bellarmine, so I made the switch.
Q: What's the experience been like? The experience was awesome at Bellarmine. Coming from UofL, I enjoyed the close-knit,
more intimate classes at Bellarmine. I wouldn’t change my experience and I am so happy
I came to Bellarmine.
Q: Why is Bellarmine a great place for military-affiliated students? Bellarmine is a great place for military students because the campus is small, easy
to get around on, and classes are also small and more intimate. You can get to know
your professors at Bellarmine and have a closer relationship with them, compared to
at a large university where it is much harder for your professor to even know who
you are.
Q: What was your experience with the OMVS? The office of military and veteran services was amazing in the time that I was here
at Bellarmine. They always answered all of my questions and helped me do the things
I needed to do to get my VA benefits. They were absolutely amazing, they make time
for each and every one of the military students. I can’t thank them enough for helping
me through all the way until graduation.
