By Matthew Cimitile, University Communications and Marketing
Student veterans are often older than traditional college students and more likely to balance off-campus jobs, spouses and children. Combined with their military experiences, these factors can make transitioning to college life – and feeling at home on campus – more challenging.
The USF Veterans Impact Program (VIP) helps bridge that gap by connecting student veterans to campus life through events, workshops and learning opportunities where they learn academic and career development skills to set them up for success at USF and beyond.
“It has given me a sense of belonging at USF St. Petersburg,” said Nicholas Veasey, a student veteran who took part in the program. “Being 31 and coming to college later in life, having the Office of Veterans Success and VIP has shown me what’s available on campus. It has helped build a community for me that as a veteran you crave when you get out.”
During Giving Week, USF St. Petersburg raised support to expand that impact so more student veterans can experience a connected, fulfilling college journey. The campus received 51 gifts from donors, raising nearly $8,000 for VIP.
“In honor of my late husband, a Vietnam Veteran and proud USF graduate, I made this gift with deep gratitude for the opportunities the GI Bill provided him to earn his accounting degree,” said Sherry Forbes, a USF donor whose gift helped to launch the VIP award. “USF played an important role in shaping his future, and through this contribution, I hope to support today’s student veterans as they pursue their own education and career paths. It is a meaningful way to honor his legacy and give back to those who have served.”
Interim Regional Chancellor Thomas Smith
Assistant Director of the Office of Veteran Success Todd Post
Rocky
During Giving Week, university alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students champion programs and initiatives that fuel student success, bolster research, strengthen campuses and uplift the entire USF community. There were 25 unique projects to support this year.
By connecting student veterans with peers, faculty and community partners, VIP strengthens academic habits while fostering personal and professional development.
The campaign for the Veterans Impact Program was bolstered by a $5,000 challenge gift from long-time campus champion Debbie Nye Sembler.
“Student veterans bring leadership, resilience and a deep sense of purpose to campus, and I hope this gift inspires others to join me in creating greater opportunities where they can truly thrive," said Sembler, who is currently the USF Foundation Board Chair and a member of the USF St. Petersburg Campus Board. "Together, we can enhance the college experience in ways that honor their service and help them reach their full potential.”
A legacy of supporting veteran success
Support for student veterans is also reflected in donors like Susan Churuti and her late husband, Bob, longtime pillars of the St. Petersburg community.
Bob (center) and Susan (right) at a ceremony honoring the establishment of the Scott Deering Hamilton Scholarship Fund in honor of Susan’s late brother.
Bob, a real estate broker and appraiser - known as “Mayor of Beach Drive” by the Tampa Bay Times – and Susan, an attorney, were deeply committed to the city, serving organizations such as the Florida Orchestra, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Mahaffey Foundation.
They were highly invested in the success of USF St. Petersburg. Bob served on the USF St. Petersburg Campus Board from 2010 to 2018. When his appointment ended, Susan was elected to the board to fill his seat, serving from 2018-2022.
In 2019, the university honored their many contributions to the campus with the establishment of the Scott Deering Hamilton Scholarship Fund in honor of Susan’s late brother – a proud USF St. Petersburg alumnus, avid sailor and lover of literature.
“We were always committed to St. Petersburg and making the city a better place. Ensuring this unique campus in downtown thrived was a part of that,” Susan said. “My mother went to USF, my brother John went to USF, my nephew met his wife in Dr. Thomas Smith’s (now Chancellor Smith) political science class. My brother Scott went to USF and worked at the Tavern. We have such family history here and just love the culture of this campus.”
Bob Churuti during his service to his country.
Bob was also a disabled veteran. Drafted into the Vietnam War, he was injured in a training exercise that shattered his wrist. During the war, he served in the U.S. Army Finance Corps that was responsible for financial operations and military payroll.
This experience, along with the strong sense of camaraderie he developed in the military, kept veterans’ issues especially close to his heart. USF is home to nearly 1,400 student veterans, one of the largest populations for a state university in Florida.
After Bob’s passing in 2025, Susan honored his legacy with a gift to the USF St. Petersburg Veterans Services Support Fund. The fund helps support programs, educational opportunities, conference travel and more, all while assisting USF’s Office of Veteran Success in enhancing academic success, personal growth and professional development. Many family members and friends of Bob also gave to honor his legacy.
“Near the end of his life, this is what he wanted,” Susan said. “It brought together the veteran’s aspect of his life and his service and dedication to USF perfectly.”
USF Giving Week ran from April 6-10.
You can learn more and support the Veterans Impact Program here.