Impact Stories

       My daughter, Lauren, plans to attend UVA in the Fall.  Lauren  never met her father.  He was killed in Afghanistan May 5, 2006, during  his 20th year of service, when she was just 28 days old.  There were so  many challenges to overcome during those early days.  My husband's pay  was stopped immediately.  I had literally signed up for an allotment  towards a 529 Plan just the day before.  No pay, no allotment.  We  needed a new plan.   Learning Lauren was eligible for VMSDEP let me  breathe a sigh of relief.
      Lauren has worked  hard.  She is a stellar student, athlete, and community volunteer.  She  earned a seat at many quality institutions.  She passed up other, out of  state opportunities and financial packages, with an intention to stay  in state and utilize VMSDEP for tuition and fees. UVA was Lauren's  number one school choice.  As soon as she was accepted by ED, she  cancelled all other applications.  Lauren is enrolled in the College of  Arts and Sciences and plans to dual major in Psychology and Behavioral  Neuroscience.  She hopes to continue to Medical School, where she will  study Psychiatry, a field gravely understaffed in Virginia.  VMSDEP is  central to that plan.
      When speaking with the  finance department at UVA, I was told she could use her Chapter 35  benefits to cover a portion of housing costs.  We could make up the  delta.  After significant analysis, we decided she would not apply for  other scholarships through the school, because we had a plan in place  that would meet her financial obligation and money should be left on the  table for those without such options - options earned through her  father's lifetime of service and loss of life in service. She applied  and was approved for 48 months of VMSDEP.  Imagine our horror, when, on  her 18th birthday, after most scholarship deadlines had passed, we  learned the General Assembly buried an Amendment in the Budget,  restricting the use of VMSDEP and making it a last payer.  A lifetime of  planning shattered.
      Erosion of the VMSDEP  program would be a breach of promise to our most Disabled Veterans and  Military Surviving Family Members, who gave all in Service to Our  Nation.  Many chose to stay in Virginia, a State positioning itself as  the most Veteran friendly State in the Nation, in great part because of  this Program and the opportunity it offers for their family members to  obtain an education and continue to work and contribute to a State they  love.
      Thankfully, the Budget will be  revisited on May 13 and there is time for the General Assembly and the  Governor to do the right thing, by ensuring perpetuation of VMSDEP and  keeping its promise to those who have given so much in service to  Virginia and our Nation.  I pray honor, justice, and the law  will prevail.  This is a benefit of service and disability granted by  law through Constitutional Amendments, not a handout. 

V/R, Kristen (Lauren's mom)