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Terrific wine tasting, delicious gourmet food, live music, auctions and 700 Torero supporters enjoying a sunny afternoon were the visible attractions at the 16th annual University of San Diego Wine Classic on July 13 at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice's picturesque Garden of the Sea.

But there was even more to be pleased about during this year's Wine Classic, a successfully hosted event during the 75th anniversary celebration of the university's founding.

The Wine Classic's underlying objective is to strengthen scholarship support for current USD students so they can continue pursuit of their educational and career dreams. Net proceeds from funds raised by this event support USD Alumni Association scholarships. There are currently nine alumni association scholarship programs, but the 2024 Wine Classic funds were earmarked to endow a 10th scholarship program, this one for military veteran students. Officials confirmed the Wine Classic raised nearly $70,000 in net proceeds, ensuring the Alumni Veteran Fund will be endowed.

"A lot of people assume that student veterans have the GI Bill and it covers all tuition needs and expenses that come with going to school," saysUSD Military and Veterans Program (MVP) Director Nelson Chase '08 (BA), '12 (MA). "The reality is that student veterans usually come to a four-year university after going to three or four community colleges. Each veteran has different time allotments left on their benefits and crises happen. Some military veterans are married, some have children and some have both situations. There are things that arise that their VA benefits just won't cover. Having scholarships available to support student veterans is very important. Opportunities such as the Wine Classic, Founders Gala and others to raise funds and help student veterans in need aren't just for the student, but their family, too."

"I joined the Army when I was 17, right before 9/11 and deployed to Iraq during the first Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. I spent 18 months in the Middle East. When I got out I went to community college first and then transferred to USD."

Chase has been working within MVP since 2012. The MVP is a hub for all military-connected students on campus. Chase oversees all initiatives, including student engagement and supportive services, for this valuable student population that's nearly 700 strong.

An Alumni Veterans Network was founded in 2015 and serves more than 4,000 USD veteran alumni. The network's goal is to make USD one of the nation's premier destinations for veterans seeking education, resources and fellowship.

Alumnus Paul Pintek '15 (MBA) helped launch the alumni veterans network. While the current leadership consists of Executive Director Todd Trahan '22 and Legacy Building Director Brenda Hernandez '23, Pintek was on campus for the Wine Classic and thrilled that the event would be supporting thealumni veterans scholarship endowment.

"It was a fantastic event and knowing it was supporting the alumni veteran scholarship fund, that recharges me," Pintek says. "I was fortunate to get a few scholarships myself, and when I got my MBA, it meant everything."

His USD connection came two months after a seven-year stint in the Marines ended in June 2013. He transitioned to a college student. HIs MBA experience was fulfilling, challenging and he was a part of a cohort that bonded well. He did group projects and traveled to Brazil, Argentina and Dominican Republic for business education experiences. As graduation loomed, he wanted to maintain his connection.

"Creating the Alumni Veterans Network was an excuse to not lose touch with friends I had made at USD. I felt the school really changed my life. The MBA was everything I needed it to be and I wanted to stay tied to the school," he says.

Pintek had also heard a story from then USD military coordinator Derek Abbey about a fellow USD student veteran who was a model undergraduate student, but because his benefits ran out, the financial gap was too much to finish his USD degree. He transferred and graduated from another San Diego-area institution instead.

"He was a model student, involved on campus and so it was a tragedy that a young man, doing all the right things, had a financial gap and left USD. This should never happen. It motivated me. "'How do I create something, something sustainable for other military veteran students? Not every veteran's story is the same. Everyone is different."

News of a successful endowment continues the university's focused support in recent years. The 2017 USD Founders Gala event, for instance, fell on Nov. 11, Veterans Day, and USD spotlighted and honored military veterans and expressed its dedication to fundraise for its military-connected student population.

A major accomplishment came in 2022 when USD, through the Yellow Ribbon program, can now give most military-connected students additional financial support. Previously, there was a cap for undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and law students. The cap has been lifted.

"Our veterans are so important to us and to this city," said Eric Hafner, USD's Senior Director of Alumni Relations. "We really hope to encourage more veterans in San Diego to come to USD."

Chase witnessed the rise of both the veterans center and support for military-connected Toreros - military veterans, active duty military, dependent children and spouses and on-campus ROTC program members - and is very appreciative.

"This shows the commitment of USD and our community supporting our military-connected students not just in the classroom, but outside, too. It's wonderful to see the support today from our leadership," says Chase, who attended the Wine Classic with his wife. "(President) Dr. (Jim) Harris is here, (University Advancement Vice President) Dr. (Rick) Virgin is here, Eric Hafner, the director of alumni relations, is here. Trustees and donors who have been willing to step up for our student veterans, especially in San Diego, are here. USD wants to be an anchor institution. We have the largest concentration of military connected service members in the country in San Diego. We're committed to this community."

- Ryan T. Blystone