Austin Peay awarded THEC grant to expand support for military-affiliated students
By: Public Relations and Marketing August 17, 2026
Austin Peay State University (APSU) has been awarded a Veteran Initiatives Grant from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) to expand mental health, well-being and academic support resources for military-affiliated students.
APSU is one of six established VETS Campuses across the state selected to receive the funding as part of a $1 million statewide initiative proposed by Gov. Bill Lee and approved by the Tennessee General Assembly. The grant program assists institutions in delivering tailored support to veterans, active-duty service members, National Guard and Reserve personnel and their families.
“At APSU, we strive to address every obstacle that our military-affiliated students might encounter on the path to academic success, inside and outside the classroom,” said Walt Lord, Major General, U.S. Army (Ret.), APSU vice president for military and veterans affairs. “Many of our student-veterans attend classes while working to support their families. This grant and our partnership with HopeNation will provide invaluable support, especially to those students who might be struggling with the pressures of succeeding academically while balancing employment and family responsibilities.”
Austin Peay serves the largest military-affiliated student population of any public university in Tennessee and holds the state’s elevated VETS Bravo Campus designation – one of only two institutions statewide recognized with this distinction for exceptional support services.
“We’re excited to support campuses as they put solutions into action to address obstacles faced by military-connected students,” said Dr. Steven Gentile, THEC executive director. “These grants will strengthen the resources available to veterans, service members and military-connected students, helping more students achieve their education and career goals.”
In total, eight Tennessee institutions received grant funding through two distinct categories:
- Veteran Initiatives Grant (Expanding services at established VETS Campuses): Austin Peay State University, Belmont University, Carson-Newman University, Lipscomb University, University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Walters State Community College.
- Veteran Initiatives Designation Grant (building infrastructure toward designation): Tusculum University and the University of Tennessee Southern.
For more information about Austin Peay’s military and veteran support initiatives, visit the Newton Military Family Resource Center at apsu.edu/mva. To learn more about THEC’s statewide VETS Campus initiative, visit tn.gov/thec.
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