The UPLJ’s Interview With U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill
January 29, 2024
U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill with Fairleigh Dickinson University students for The UPLJ. From left to right: Bartolo, Kayla Brennan, Nicholas Valvo, U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill, Tracy Osawe, Julia Matczak, Felicia Rogers-Carter and Mariana Garcia.
By: Tracy Osawe (Ed.)
On January 25, 2024, Fairleigh Dickinson University (Florham) had the pleasure of hosting a press conference for U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ). During that press conference, Representative Sherrill announced two bills that would create programs to assist veterans with the process of transitioning to civilian life.
The UPLJ Senior Blog Editor Tracy Osawe also had the opportunity to conduct a brief interview regarding veteran housing assistance.
Please visit https://www.fdu.edu/veterans/ for additional information about the veteran services offered by FDU.
Tracy Osawe: First of all, thank you so much for coming to FDU and introducing these two bills. I knew the school provided veteran services, but I had no idea it was so expansive.
Representative Sherrill: [Smiles].
Tracy Osawe: Have there been any talks of possibly including housing services as part of the program you discussed today? As I’m sure you already know, homelessness is a fundamental problem affecting the veteran community.
Representative Sherrill: We’ve generally done housing work through different pieces of legislation. But its certainly something [to consider]. This is a new program. So as we implement a program and put it on the ground, we find other pieces of it that need addressing. So we’d certainly be happy to look at stuff like that as people come into the program. And if its putting housing in through this program or using some other programs going on in the state... We will help support the skill bridge participants.
Tracy Osawe: Will there be a representative, or maybe some kind of sponsor, that visits homeless shelters to speak about this program? I work at Homeless Solutions and I strongly believe that some of our veteran guests would benefit from this program.
Representative Sherrill: [Smiles]. I love Homeless Solutions. They are one of my favorite organizations.
Tracy Osawe: Thank you! Homeless Solutions really is a special place. [Smiles].
Representative Sherrill: We do have a [specific] program for veterans that are unhoused. It [the MOVES Project] was a program [established] when [former] U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh was here in the district. In Fairfield they [the MOVES Project administrators] have a great resource facility. They have job transition. They have clothes. Like dress for success type closet, if you will. They help interview prep. They go through resumes. And they have been really successful in helping transition veterans who have been homeless into a job and a stable paycheck – which has been great.
Tracy Osawe: That’s amazing! I’ll definitely be looking into that.
Representative Sherrill: Sean [member of Representative Sherrill’s PR team] can get you more information on that program as well.
Tracy Osawe: Great, thank you! So last question. One of my favorite questions really. What advice do you have for any students here at FDU that would like to get more involved in helping our veterans either here on campus or in the community?
Representative Sherrill: Well first of all I would thank them. I think that’s a great way to get involved. Talking to the head of [Veterans] services Ms. Garcia is a great resource here on campus. [She can] talk about how and what kind of help could be provided. I’ll tell you as a veteran, when I went back to school it had been many years since I had been in school. So even some people who are willing to do some tutoring or discussion of getting back in the academic mindset after years away from it would be possibly helpful. But Ms. Garcia could be really thoughtful of how to engage people. And then certainly a lot of our legions and VFW’s [Veterans of Foreign Wars] do different community service projects that people can get engaged in as well.
Tracy Osawe: Thank you so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to do this.
Representative Sherril:Thank you! And really nice seeing you again.
Consultant: Mark Wolf, Esq.