The Military Service Affinity Group of Western New York is holding its first ROTC, Service Academy and Student-Veteran Information Night on Veterans Day at St. Bonaventure University.

The event is designed for students in grades 7-12 and their families, high school guidance counselors, and current or prospective student veterans. People interested in attending are asked to register here.

The event will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at St. Bonaventure’s Military Aligned Student Program offices in De La Roche Hall on the west side of campus.

Speakers will discuss opportunities to cover college costs through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) or the nation’s service academies, each featuring opportunities to enter the workforce serving the nation as a commissioned officer. 

Veterans interested in continuing their education after their military service will learn about the GI Bill, as well as the multitude of other benefits they have earned through their military service.

The program will cover the valuable leadership lessons learned in the military, the multiple pathways to obtaining a commission as an officer in the military, and the benefits that veterans accrue as a result their service.

A panel of speakers will discuss the academy and ROTC application pathways — including civilian Senior Military College options — to provide students, families and guidance counselors with the best information possible to identify the options available and to increase their chances for nomination and acceptance to a service academy or ROTC scholarship.

Information will be shared about the application and nomination process for the U.S. Military Academy (Army), U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Maj. Brian Walsh, professor of Military Science at St Bonaventure, will answer questions about the ROTC program, including the scholarship process, on-campus workload, and summer activities. He will also outline the Simultaneous Membership Program, which is tailored to help soldiers serving in the National Guard and Reserves earn their degree and commission as a second lieutenant.

Retired Master Sgt. Frank Morales, director of St. Bonaventure’s Military Aligned Student Program (MASP), will discuss educational benefits for veterans such as the GI Bill and Tuition Repayment after service.

The MASP also supports the children of veterans. Morales will cover any other general benefit questions and is available for follow-ups. Veterans can request a one-on-one meeting on the RSVP form.

The event concludes with a question-and-answer session and the opportunity to network with the speakers.

_____________

About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).