On Wednesday July 12th, the Georgia Southern BIG hosted its monthly "BIG" Cafe networking event. The event began with a coffee and networking portion at 8:30am, and guest speaker presentations followed at 9:00am. Coffee was provided by Cool Beanz Espresso Bar.
The guest speaker was Dr. George L. Fredrick, U.S. Army Retired and Director of Military & Veteran Services at Georgia Southern University.
Fredrick presented his department's work and mission in helping veterans and military-connected individuals reach their academic goals at Georgia Southern University.
Fredrick's presentation included:
- Learning about military culture and experiences
- Recognizing obstacles military-connected students face in higher education
- Identifying community resources that are available for students
Fredrick is noted by BIG as being, "Georgia Southern's celebrated leader for military veterans, students, and families." He is also credited with advancing much of the veteran educational support at Georgia Southern University.
This is evidenced by Georgia Southern being named a 2022-2023 Top Ten Military Friendly® University; designated by Viqtory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs, STEM Jobs and Military Spouse magazine.
The University has been named to the list for the past five years and has also been ranked as one of the “Best for Vets” universities by CollegeFactual. It has also ranked No. 1 in the “Best Education Options for Veterans” by Veterans News Report, the “Top 60 Military Friendly Colleges” by Intelligent.com, and in the best schools for military students category by Best for Vets Colleges.
Regarding his most rewarding experience as Director thus far, Fredrick said, "The most rewarding experience for me has been witnessing the expansion of our university towards helping our military-connected population reach their academic goals."
What is "BIG Cafe"?
Join us to meet and mingle with cool, innovative people in our ecosystem powered by strong coffee and great conversation. Our speakers bring topics of interest followed by facilitated conversation to engage your feedback, ideas, and encouragement. You are an important part of this program, so please bring a friend or make a new one.
The Georgia Southern BIG is located at 58 E. Main Street, Statesboro, GA.
For more information on "BIG Cafe", visit their website HERE, or their Facebook page HERE.
