CHARLOTTE  – For many military veterans, walking into a dorm on campus or a classroom full of 18-year-olds can be a challenging experience. As non-traditional students, veterans must adapt to a new culture and way of life as they transition to college life after being in the military. At many schools, student veterans are finding a place to hang their hat in between classes, meet other veterans and easily access resources to help them excel in school at an on-campus student veteran center.

Now, the student veterans organization at Queens University of Charlotte will have the same opportunity to help ease their transition. The student veterans at Queens have been awarded a Student Veterans of America Vet Center Initiative grant of $6,767 funded by The Home Depot Foundation to renovate a veterans center on campus.

The Queens University chapter applied for the grant by sending in a video of its involvement and a reason why they needed a new space to meet. In their entry, the group explains that the chapter’s 35 members had been meeting in the lobby of the admissions building for lack of another space.

Queens University of Charlotte student veterans competed among colleges across the country for the grant and were selected as one of 50 chapters to receive a grant.

This year’s grantees received up to $10,000 each totaling $422,747 in grants given to student veterans. Recipients span the nation from California to New York.

“We’ve seen how vet centers can be the linchpin for veterans working toward graduation and we’re grateful to be able to offer our SVA chapters resources like the Vet Center Initiative thanks to partners like The Home Depot Foundation,” said Jared Lyon, president and CEO of Student Veterans of America.

Student Veterans and the Home Depot Foundation launched the Vet Center Initiative in 2014 as part of SVA’s mission to provide veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and following graduation. By the end of 2016, 111 campuses in 40 states will have earned more than $970,000 benefiting more than 53,600 student veterans.

“The Vet Center Initiative is a natural extension of our nationwide efforts to improve the homes and lives of our military veterans and their families. We see these grants as an investment in our nation’s future,” said Heather Prill, senior manager, National Partnerships and Atlanta Hometown Giving, the Home Depot Foundation. “Vet centers offer a home base on campus where student veterans can bond over similar experiences, learn from each other, and support one another through the challenges of college life. With a veteran center, these student veterans can chart an easier path towards graduation and continue to be tomorrow’s leaders.”