FITCHBURG — In his first year leading veteran and military service at Fitchburg State University, Director of Military and Veteran Services Nolan Buck set out to make the office more accessible and effective for student veterans navigating complicated systems.
When asked what that looked like, Buck said, “Collaboration on campus…and then also building a community…having students that feel safe and welcomed in a space that’s specifically for them.”
That vision translated into structural changes that helped the university earn gold military-friendly status, a step up from its previous silver designation.
“In the past, we didn’t have a director, didn’t have a department, so those things were updated,” Buck said
Gold military-friendly status is a national designation awarded through the Military Friendly Schools program, which evaluates colleges and universities based on how well they support veterans, active-duty service members, and their families.
Schools are assessed on factors such as student retention and graduation rates, availability of dedicated veteran resources, financial aid and benefit processing, and overall campus culture.
Achieving “gold” status places an institution in the top tier of participating schools, signaling a strong, measurable commitment to veteran success both inside and outside the classroom.
In a statement released by Fitchburg State, President Donna Hodge said the designation reflects the university’s continued commitment to those who have served, emphasizing the importance of providing strong academic and personal support systems for military-connected students.
For Buck, the recognition is less about prestige and more about validation.
“It helps us recognize the mission that we’re continuing to do here… and having this office and having a director… is communicated across the whole community. We have two student certifying officials now… so things like that added to the equation to get us the gold status.”
A Certifying Official is an employee who acts as the official liaison between the school and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report student enrollment information,and to assist students.
These employees ensure veterans and eligible dependents receive VA benefits.
The office’s daily operation reflects the mission of supporting veterans and their community. “We’re a jack of all trades honestly,” Buck said. “A lot of it is collaboration… the VA system at large. It’s a very complex system, and there’s a lot of moving parts, and it’s always changing.” He added, “Every day is different … there’s never a stagnant day.”
Fitchburg State has been designated a Military Friendly institution for the 11th consecutive year; and joins such peer institutions in Gold Status as Suffolk University, Regis College, Boston College, Middlesex Community College, and Bristol Community College.
Looking ahead, Buck emphasized advocacy.
“It’s still getting our voice out more on campus… getting more key figures involved,” Buck added. “At the end of the day… it is a numbers game too, always recruiting and advocating for students. It’s a very ‘yes’ mentality here [Fitchburg State University] it’s not just one department, it’s multiple departments that are contributing and helping out.”
Ultimately, Buck believes impact spreads organically.
“If we’re able to help that one student… it’s going to be a trickling effect,” he said. “Word might just go around saying, ‘hey, these services… are great.’”
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