TEMPE, AZ — The number of veterans taking classes at Arizona State has more than tripled in the last ten years.
According to data from the university, the number of former service members taking classes has climbed from 1,988 in 2011 to 8,643 in 2021.
Officials attributed the increase to their programs, online access, and resources like the Pat Tillman Veterans Center (PTVC) which celebrated its 10th anniversary earlier this year.
"It took me a while to find college and achieve some of my higher education goals but once I got here the PTVC was a huge part of that," said Beno Thomas, a Marine Corps veteran.
Thomas recently graduated and started working at the Pat Tillman Veteran Center.
He told ABC15 they helped him understand how to succeed in school. Now, he's helping others do the same.
"Not trying to white-knuckle it and try to get it through it like it's a mission, they tried getting me through it like any other person would," he said.
One veteran said he chose to come to ASU after learning about its military-friendly programs.
"There [are] other colleges but they didn't have an emphasis on their veteran program," said Daniel Young, a Navy veteran.
"Just need to take advantage of all the resources I got," he added.
Arizona State's annual Salute to Service events will start on Monday. Some of the events, like a concert will be open to the public. For more information, click here.
