Keystone College Receives Funding for Veteran Program

Keystone College has received funding from a local charitable foundation to improve the lives of the men and women who have served their country through military service.

Keystone has received a $5,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation to help implement the Keystone College Veterans Success Program. The program will provide targeted information and guidance on emerging educational opportunities and customize services for veterans, including financial aid, scholarships, and vocational training programs. The goal of the initiative is to empower veterans with the knowledge, resources, and educational training they need to enhance their careers and improve their lives.

Administered by the Scranton Area Foundation, the Robert H. Spitz Foundation primarily awards grants to registered nonprofit organizations that support initiatives and programs serving the residents of Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania.

“We are very grateful to the Robert H. Spitz Foundation and the Scranton Area Foundation for helping Keystone in this important initiative to assist our nation’s military veterans,” said Keystone College President John F. Pullo, Sr. “Keystone has a long and proud history of serving those who have given so much to defend and support our nation’s freedom. This focused initiative continues that tradition.”

For the second consecutive year, Keystone has been listed as a school which is “Best for Vets” by Military Times Magazine, a national publication which serves veterans and active military members. 

Keystone’s selection was compiled through the magazine’s extensive research, including data from the federal Department of Education and Department of Veterans Affairs, to determine those schools which best serve veterans through educational opportunities, financial assistance, and services.

In previous years, Keystone has also been listed as a top school for veterans by other national military and veterans publications. Founded in 1868, with a commitment to providing an education to Civil War veterans and their families, Keystone is home to the Elmer Hawk ’48 Veterans Center, which serves as the headquarters for the Keystone Armed Services Club.

The Veterans Center offers a comfortable and convenient meeting place for this special group of Keystone students who have given so much to their country. Students can meet with each other, complete their school assignments, or simply relax, read, visit with friends and family members, or watch television while waiting for their next class.

Recognized as one of the best educational values in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Keystone offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree options in liberal arts and science-based programs in business, communications, education, natural science, environmental science, and social sciences. Located on a beautiful 276-acre campus 15 minutes from Scranton, Pa. and two hours from New York City and Philadelphia, Keystone is known for small class sizes and individual attention focused on student success through internships, research, and community involvement.

Boback’s Bill for Veterans Programs Approved by Committee

Legislation that would create an instant Pennsylvania lottery ticket to fund veterans programs, sponsored by Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming), today was unanimously approved by the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, which she chairs.

House Bill 1691 would help to fund an elderly veteran’s day care program within the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in addition to the Veterans Trust Fund, which supports other veterans’ programs and benefits. The committee also unanimously approved Boback’s legislation (House Bill 1972) that would establish the day care program.  

“We are looking for any way possible to fund programs that assist our veterans and creating a new instant lottery ticket appears to be a workable option. A similar ticket exists in Texas, which has contributed $177 million to veterans’ programs in that state since 2009, including more than $23 million last year,” said Boback. “The community-based program supported by ticket revenue would be a great help to families by providing a place where older veterans can go to receive quality day care services.”

Other bills unanimously approved during the committee meeting include:

  • House Bill 2086, sponsored by Rep. Joe Kerwin (R-Dauphin/Schuylkill), which would provide for the authority of Pennsylvania National Guard members to operate vehicles owned or leased by the Commonwealth in response to an emergency.
  • House Bill 2097, sponsored by Rep. Joe Hamm (R-Lycoming/Union), which would modify the staffing requirements for basic life support ambulances from the current three to two certified personnel.
  • House Bill 2346, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sainato (D-Lawrence), which would modernize the statute governing the state Armory Board.
  • House Bill 2361, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery), which would establish June 12 of each year as “Women Veterans Day” in Pennsylvania.
  • House Bill 2412, sponsored by Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware), which would allow the Pennsylvania National Guard to provide functional support for cybersecurity needs across the Commonwealth.

The bills will next be considered by the full House of Representatives.