The Office of Military and Veteran Services is Washington University’s focal point for military and veteran matters, to include transitioning military-connected students into higher education, providing and connecting students with programs and services, and partnering across campus and in the community.
Our services include:
- Advising current and prospective military-connected students
- Advising students on how to maximize their Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs educational benefits
- Supporting military-connected students with questions, concerns or issues impacting them
- Supporting faculty and staff who work with student veterans
- Facilitating connection between veterans and non-veterans
- Providing and supporting veteran-unique programming
- Social and professional development events
- Peer mentoring and sponsorship
- Veteran orientation
- Connecting students to campus and community resources
Contact Us or Schedule an Appointment
Please note that we do not accept requests from external agencies to post information to our site.
Office Staff
Jennifer Goetz
Veteran Student Services Advisor
- Phone: 314-935-2609
- Email: jennifer.goetz@wustl.edu
Jennifer Goetz is the Veteran Student Services Advisor and coordinates efforts across the university’s schools, divisions, and units to effectively serve WashU’s military and veteran community. Jen is a veteran social worker, Brown School alumna and Air Force Reservist.
Raised in an Air Force family with both parents serving as career Airmen, she received her commission from the University of Virginia’s Air Force ROTC program and served several years on active duty before transitioning to the Air Force Reserve in 2006. She brings her experiences as a military family member, spouse and service member into her work with current and prospective students of all backgrounds, including service members, veterans, family members and ROTC cadets.
Ashley Byrd
VA Work Study Student Worker
- Phone: 314-935-2609
- Email: a.e.byrd@wustl.edu
Ashley E. Byrd is a decorated and highly skilled sailor who was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal for her dedication to community engagement and leadership. While in the United States Navy, she lived in Guam where she served 6 years on active duty and today, she serves as a reservist. She is currently completing a dual Master of Social Work and Social Policy degree at the Brown School, focusing on policies that impact the lives of military women and families. Ashley earned her BA in Peace and Global Studies with a minor in Spanish from Earlham College.
Ashley brings a wealth of experience in community advocacy and project management gained in the United States Navy, AmeriCorps VISTA, and the Habitat for Humanity of Guam. To the Office of Military and Veteran Services, Ashley brings her commitment to a global perspective of cultural competence to empower marginalized communities through identity affirming social stewardship. As a VA work study student, she connects with military-affiliated students and the larger university community to coordinate projects that create a more inclusive environment for veteran student engagement.
Laura McDermott
VA Work Study Student Worker
- Phone: 314-935-2609
- Email: laura.mcdermott@wustl.edu
Laura McDermott is a VA Work Study Student Worker and a Master of Social Work candidate at the Brown School. She is concentrating in Violence and Trauma in Communities, and her interests are in social policy, violence prevention/intervention, and the implications of historical and intergenerational trauma in community health. She supports the office’s work across the university, engaging directly with military-connected students and assisting in the office’s administration.