DelVal Celebrates Opening of Veterans Center

Delaware Valley College on Monday celebrated the opening of the Janet Manion Military and Veterans Center.

The new veterans center will be housed in Elson Hall on the College’s main campus. It will serve as a one-stop place for veterans, military personnel and dependents to relax with people with shared experiences between classes, get help with paperwork for educational funding, and get support from staff and peers, according to information from the college.

The Center is named in honor of the late Janet Manion, the founder of the Doylestown-based Travis Manion Foundation. She died of cancer in 2012.

She was the mother of Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion, who was killed while serving his country in 2007. The Travis Manion Foundation serves veterans and the families of fallen heroes.

Before Manion passed away last April, she was awarded an honorary degree from DelVal. She was one of 20 finalists for the 2012 Citizens Service Before Self Honor, awarded by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation for bravery, courage, and commitment to service.

“I’m honored to have known Janet Manion, a woman who dedicated her life to tirelessly fighting for the people who fight for this country,” said College President Dr. Joseph Brosnan. “When her son was killed, she used her grief to start a foundation that has touched the lives of countless people. Her work and that spirit will live on through the Manion family’s foundation and at Delaware Valley College through this center for our students.”

Ongela Djerf, a 2010 alumna and a military veteran who is currently working towards her MBA, said she is thrilled to see the Center opening on campus.

“This center is a really wonderful addition to campus,” said Djerf. “There are a lot of other colleges and universities putting in centers, but the focus will make this one really special. This will be a great place for people to find any resource they need, a safe-haven, and a place to talk to people with shared experiences.”