Joseph A. Marshall Veterans Center

The Joseph A. Marshall Veterans Center is a place where student veterans can come together to find services, camaraderie and unwavering support. Located on the Fall River Campus with connections to all of the Bristol locations and online, the Veterans Center is led by Denny Cosmo, who serves as the director and a mentor to the students who come through its doors. A true center of excellence, the Veterans Center has earned numerous accolades and recognition for its commitment to our student veterans. From prestigious awards to groundbreaking community outreach initiatives, these stories showcase the remarkable impact this center has had on both our campus and the broader community.

Denny Cosmo

Leading the Way

Denny Cosmo, Director of Bristol Community College’s Joseph A Marshall Veterans Center, was recently named a 2023 Veterans Champion of the Year by G.I. Jobs®. Veterans Champions of the Year recipients are recognized for going above and beyond to help student veterans and their families succeed in education. In addition, Denny was named the 2023 and 2024 SVA Chapter Advisor of the Year by Student Veterans of America.

Denny is an energetic U.S. Army Veteran and veteran’s affairs professional with a passion for guiding and empowering student veterans. Denny proudly served as a Ranger in both airborne infantry and military intelligence branches of the U.S. Army from 2001-2010, completing two combat tours in Iraq.

Military Friendly

Bristol Community College is proud to be awarded the gold designation as a military friendly school in the 2023-2024 Military Friendly® School’s list. The 2023-2024 Military Friendly® Schools list, by Viqtory, a media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life, honors schools throughout the country that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans and spouses as students, ensuring their success on campus.

John Morris

Student Veteran Takes Top Role

John J. Morris, a veteran of the United States Air Force, served as the Student Trustee for Fall 2023.

John is continuing his education at UMass Boston, where he intends to pursue both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in information technology. His ultimate goal is to establish a career in information technology management or information security within the defense or government sector.

John was also recently honored as one of 32 national recipients of G.I. Jobs® 2023 Student Veteran Leadership Award. The annual awards honor the achievements of outstanding student veterans and the many ways they serve their schools, communities and fellow veterans.

Bristol’s Student Trustee is elected annually by their peers to serve as a student representative and member of the Bristol Community College Board of Trustees. Bristol’s Board of Trustees is made up of regional business and community leaders who work tirelessly to ensure the college’s institutional initiatives remain at the highest level of quality.

Warrior-Scholar Project First for a Mass. Community College

Bristol’s Veterans Center hosted the Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) in October 2023. The full-day immersive experience welcomed intellectually curious veterans and National Guard members to the college’s Fall River Campus for an engaging College Success Workshop. WSP’s College Success Workshops provide student veterans with the skills they need to succeed in higher education and include study skills and college transition sessions. WSP offers one and two-week humanities-based courses at premier institutions of higher learning, such as Harvard, Princeton and Yale. This is Bristol’s first time hosting the WSP, as well as the first time that the initiative has been hosted at a Massachusetts community college.

SVA Future Leaders Visit DC

The college proudly sent six outstanding Bristol Veterans to the esteemed Student Veterans of America 2023 Leadership Institute in Washington, DC. The college’s inaugural cohort of six, out of the 78 students selected nation-wide, was the largest of any institute of higher education to attend the Leadership Institute. The cohort’s participation in the event marked a significant milestone for Bristol Student Veterans.