BGSU students, military members selected for distinguished National Veterans Leadership Foundation fellowship

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Two Bowling Green State University students, who also serve as active military members, are among a select group of students from more than 75 colleges and universities nationwide recently chosen to participate in the distinguished National Veterans Leadership Foundation (NVFL) fellowship program.

Currently serving in the Ohio Army National Guard, Christopher Ogle and Grant Hayden were selected in part for their leadership and service-oriented support offered to fellow service members through their work in the BGSU Office of Nontraditional and Military Student Services (NTMSS).

As NVLF fellows, Ogle and Hayden will collaborate with BGSU – ranked the No. 1 university in the Midwest for veteran and active military students – on initiatives to improve support for military-connected students and join a national network of dedicated advocates.

"As the Nontraditional and Military Student Services academic tutor, I have the pleasure of helping military students overcome many of the challenges associated with an untraditional academic journey," Hayden said.  

"As veterans, we have realized that our best support is each other," Ogle added. "Working at the Nontraditional and Military Student Services office allows me to share my knowledge and learn from other service members to provide the best service for our fellow veterans."

As the No. 1 public university in Ohio for student learning experiences, BGSU immediately connects military-affiliated students with academic advising, tutoring from a military tutor and access to a network of support through NTMSS.

"Every single student who comes through our office, whether active duty, guard/reserves or dependent, gets the same level of care and attention," said Bryan Bills, Nontraditional and Military Student Services military program coordinator. "Every phone call, email or appointment – we do whatever it takes to ensure the success of our military students by eliminating challenges and barriers."

As a staff sergeant and combat medic specialist/emergency care sergeant from Westerville, Ohio, Ogle has had his education interrupted by deployments. Despite pausing his education, Ogle credits his success to the supportive staff in the NTMSS office.

"I keep coming back to finish my degree, and every time, BGSU and the NTMSS office were there with open arms," Ogle said. "I choose to work at the NTMSS office to return the favor and help make the transition to college easier for other veterans."

After visiting BGSU in 2019 with his now-wife, Hayden fell in love with the campus and the tight-knit community of Bowling Green. As a combat medic from Centerburg, Ohio, Hayden's college journey was anything but consistent, with breaks in 2020 and 2021.

"I planned to return to BGSU for the Spring 2022 semester following training, but sudden COVID activation left me 24 hours to stop out," Hayden said. "The NTMSS office was incredibly helpful during this stressful time and made my transition very smooth. They are one of the primary reasons I came back."

As Ogle and Hayden continue to pursue their education and support-focused work at BGSU, Bills said he is excited to see the continued impact they will have as NVLF fellows.

"I have been fortunate enough to work with Chris and Grant and watch them grow and develop as leaders," Bills said. “They have tremendously impacted our military students and have become valuable assets to our team. I am excited to see them continue to make a difference as NVLF fellows."