ODEI Celebrates Military Spouse Appreciation Day with New Reason & Respect Format
(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — May 19, 2025) Reason & Respect: Unplugged is a pilot initiative introducing a new format to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’s Reason & Respect series. Designed for greater flexibility, this format offers a platform for asynchronous participation and allows us to continue the conversation throughout the month.
This month’s topic is Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Celebrated each May on the Friday before Mother’s Day, it is a time to recognize contributions and sacrifices made by military spouses. In honor of this occasion, we’ve asked Empire State University staff and students to share their experiences as military spouses.
We invite you to explore the Q&A below and engage in the conversation on our discussion board via the link provided.
About the Interviewees:
Sasha Garcia is a recent graduate of Empire State University whose spouse is in the Army.
Anne Sweet is the associate director of the Veteran and Military Resource Center at Empire State University. Her spouse is in the Air Force.
Bill Yaeger is the military outreach coordinator at Empire State University and an Air Force veteran. His spouse is also an Air Force veteran.
Teresa Henning is the military advisor at Empire State University. Her spouse is in the Army.
Cathy Coffinger is a technical support specialist in IT at Empire State University. Cathy is also a student at the university and the spouse of a Navy veteran.
Yvonne Pearson is a student at Empire State University whose spouse served in the Air Force.
Barbara Fitzpatrick is a student at Empire State University whose spouse served in the Army.
Melissa Hughes is a student at Empire State University whose spouse served in the Army.
In what ways do your personal experiences with relocation, deployment, or military culture shape how you approach inclusion in your work?
Sasha: Military culture emphasizes structure, hierarchy, and teamwork. This can shape how you approach inclusion by prioritizing clear communication, defined roles, and systematic efforts to ensure everyone is included and valued. Therefore, my personal experiences have truly made a great impact on my approach in all I do, including my daily life tasks, studies, and responsibilities as a full-time worker in corporate America.
Anne: Moving all over the country and overseas gave me an opportunity to experience many different cultures over the years. Having even a little bit of familiarity with different customs and approaches makes a big difference in connecting with students. Military life is a whole culture in and of itself. I’m glad that I can be someone that students don’t have to translate their acronyms and lingo for, who won’t be surprised by their changes in plans, and understands the difficult decisions that have to be made with each deployment or relocation.
Teresa: Since 2003 I have worked with, gone to school with, lived with, and became friends with people from all over the world and the U.S. Inclusion comes naturally to me because of this. I see people and what I can learn from them or teach them.
What types of support from the military, SUNY Empire, or community have been most helpful to you in your academic and/or professional journey?
Bill: Tuition Assistance (TA) from the military was key to me joining the USAF. I was able to complete all my degrees (associate, bachelor’s, and master’s) using TA while I [served]. My spouse is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. For professional development and various assignments, the USAF funded both her graduate programs.
Cathy: I like the student groups such as the book club, where we talk mainly about something other than school but support each other during class struggles.
How does Empire State University make education more accessible to military spouses and families?
Anne: SUNY Empire was designed to meet the needs of students who don’t have a traditional or predictable educational journey. Military family members may have started and stopped college multiple times and even changed their goals along the way; [the university’s] individualized degree options, credit for prior learning, a lot of room for transfer credit, and the flexibility of online courses make it possible for them to stay with us and finish their degree no matter where they have to move.
Bill: The online aspect. Regardless of assignment (even overseas), they can continue their studies, which is markedly different from attending a brick-and-mortar school. Of course, the My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Scholarship Program is also helpful to SUNY Empire spouses. We promote and advocate MyCAA for military spouses, but not all take advantage of it. Even though it’s only a $4,000 scholarship, it is helpful, especially for spouses of junior enlisted members.
How has your identity as a military spouse shaped your experiences in academic spaces, and how do those experiences intersect with other parts of your identity?
Barbara: My identity as a military spouse shaped my experience in academic spaces by giving me a unique status as part of a family of those who understand the subtleties of being in the service. It is a tacit acceptance and welcoming that is truly appreciated. The experiences, from attending workshops to being able to speak at them, resonate with the value of kinship I seek. This helps to validate my identity as a military spouse and my role as a civilian spouse. A military spouse is at a higher level of service, not just to my husband but to my country as well.
Melissa: I feel honored to be the spouse of a veteran and am most shaped by the conversations with other students who have military family or are military spouses or veterans themselves. So much can be learned by listening to others, and they have impacted me the most.
What barriers have you faced in accessing education, and how are those tied to your role as a military spouse? How has SUNY Empire made your education more accessible?
Cathy: Cost and time have always been the biggest barriers to education for me. SUNY (specifically the union) has made it much more affordable, and now that my children have left home, I have more time.
Yvonne: The only concerns are financial. The school is helpful in pointing me in the right direction to seek additional funding for my education.
Barbara: Barriers I have faced in accessing education were due to family obligations, time, and cost. I worked while [my spouse] Barry was in the service and beyond to help support our family. SUNY Empire has made my education more accessible by my ability to use Chapter 35 benefits of which I was previously unaware.
Anything else you’d like to share about being a military spouse?
Teresa: Being a military spouse makes it very hard to have a steady career and to progress in a career once you are stable. We [offer] a wealth of experience and knowledge that is more often than not overlooked or forgotten.
We encourage you to join the conversation on our discussion board as we celebrate our military spouses. This is a space to connect with the university community—share your thoughts, ask questions, and tell your stories. We look forward to hearing your responses and questions!