Joan Van Buskirk, wife of alum and former Council of Trustees member Myron Van Buskirk, made a decision that would affect great change for veterans. It all started from an interview she saw on television about SDSU’s Veteran’s Affairs Department.

After the TV interview, Joan contacted the SDSU Foundation to find out how she could help veterans seeking education at SDSU. “Over the years, the reports of the difficulties our veterans faced when they returned to civilian life touched me very much,” says Joan.

Joan was inspired to set up a Veterans Endowment scholarship as a way to thank veterans on a personal and tangible level. Her generosity works in tandem with the university’s mission to further support our veterans, as SDSU became the state’s first (and the nation’s ninth) Purple Heart Campus in 2018. The addition of the Van Buskirk Veterans Scholarship Endowment greatly helps to establish SDSU as a veteran friendly campus and strives to pay it forward for our servicemen and women.

While thanking our veterans may seem a tall order, the generosity of Joan Van Buskirk, and those like her, help veterans transition to life back home and overcome the lasting effects of their service and sacrifice. The scholarship not only conveys our nation’s gratitude, but grants veterans the opportunity to study for the next chapter of their lives, starting at SDSU.