To view this email as a web page, click here.

Veterans at ASU

May 2026

 Powering Defense

ASU wins federal contract to offer war and strategy degree to government leaders

Arizona State University has been selected by the Department of Defense to offer a new master’s degree in war and strategy, using intensive seminars, war games and rigorous coursework to train our nation’s greatest minds in military and defense strategy.  Beginning this fall in Washington, D.C., the program will offer up to 24 degrees annually and will prepare active-duty military members or government civilians to strategize, advise on and lead national security efforts.

This master’s degree comes from the DoD’s objective to provide a degree for the Strategic Thinkers Program, replacing Johns Hopkins University. Incoming learners for the Strategic Thinkers Program will walk away with knowledge on how, when and why wars are fought, in addition to the new master’s degree in war and strategy from ASU’s School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership.Read more

ASU highlights growing role in defense research, education

ASU is accelerating its role as a strategic partner to the Department of Defense as it continues aligning faculty expertise to support national security priorities.

ASU researchers and military program leaders discussed past projects and future initiatives during the Office for Veteran and Military Academic Engagement’s yearly gathering. Titled “Research to Readiness: Showcasing ASU Expertise in Partnership with the DOD,” the event convened university experts leading a range of defense-related work, from advanced robotics and emerging technologies to professional military education and health initiatives.Read more

What’s up at ASU? Find out – subscribe to ASU News
The official digital news platform for Arizona State University, ASU News delivers stories of people making a difference in your community. We bring the top headlines to your inbox three times a week.Subscribe  Championing Veterans

Pat Tillman Honor Run in San Jose takes on deeper meaning for Tillman’s hometown

Former Sun Devil Football star and Army Ranger Pat Tillman — who stepped away from his NFL career to enlist after the 9/11attacks and was killed in friendly fire in 2004 — grew up in the rolling hills of New Almaden in south San Jose, California, surrounded by a close-knit community that continues to carry his legacy today.

More than two decades later, communities across the country gather each year for Tillman Honor Runs hosted by ASU Alumni Association chapters and clubs. The 4.2-mile fun runs, a tribute to his No. 42 jersey, bring people together in remembrance, reflection and action in April. But in Tillman’s home state, the meaning runs deeper. The events don’t just honor his legacy, they strengthen the very community that shaped him.Read more

From Navy service to world-renowned barbecue, ASU alum Sterling Smith inspires fellow veterans

Veterans and their dependents gathered recently at ASU’s Pat Tillman Veterans Center not just to learn how to cook brisket, but to hear a story about discipline, reinvention and purpose.

Sterling Smith, a Navy veteran and founder of Loot N’ Booty BBQ, led a hands-on cooking demonstration for about a dozen attendees, sharing both technique and personal insight. After serving in the military, he graduated from ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business with a finance degree in 2002 before building an award-winning barbecue career including being named 2022 World Barbecue Champion.Read more

Building a community through live music

Researchers from ASU — in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, the Center for Innovation in Healthy and Resilient Aging and the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation — have launched a partnership with the Phoenix Symphony and Vet Tix, which provides free or reduced-cost event tickets to military members and veterans, to explore how live orchestral music strengthens community ties among veterans, active-duty service members and their families.

When veteran Maureen Kilzer returned home from duty, she was having challenges adjusting back to civilian life — until she discovered the symphony through Vet Tix. “The outlet provided by the weekly concerts at the symphony gave me several hours of freedom from these challenges. It was wonderful,” Kilzer said.Read more Supporting the Military

ASU to help Arizona’s Fort Huachuca improve energy, lower costs

In a move that will support resilient energy systems in the places that keep our nation safe, Arizona State University is collaborating with U.S. Army Installation Management Command. The agreement, the first led by a university, will allow Army installations across the U.S. to tap into the university’s innovation for energy services.

Fort Huachuca in Cochise County, Arizona, will be the first to partner with ASU under the new agreement. ASU’s energy services will include expert meter readings of historical buildings and energy efficiency assessments. The insights will help the fort make informed decisions regarding energy improvements that can boost reliability and lower costs. Additionally, ASU will collaborate with the nearby Cochise College to teach students valuable career skills and strengthen the local workforce.Read more

Graduate pursues dream of flying, serving nation

A daughter of refugees who fled Iraq in the 1990s following the Iran-Iraq War is one of the most accomplished of the over 2,000 military-connected students who graduated from ASU this spring semester.

First-generation college student Mareem Al-Mosawi was commissioned as a military officer, along with 32 other Air Force cadets, during a ceremony on the Tempe campus this month. She will head to pilot training, where she will begin her journey toward becoming a pilot, a goal that stemmed from her childhood dream of space.

Al-Mosawi served this semester as deputy commander of the 250-member student wing for ASU’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 025, “The Flying Devils.” The physics major with a minor in Arabic from The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences attended ASU on a full-ride academic scholarship and received other scholarships to take civilian pilot lessons while at the university.Read more

Major in motion

For U.S. Space Force Maj. Tyler Williams, cyber defense isn’t just an academic pursuit. It’s a continuation of his service.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in computer systems engineering from the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU, in 2014, he commissioned through the Army ROTC program and began his career as a signal officer and a network systems engineer before transferring to the Space Force in 2022.

After seeing how a single configuration error or unpatched system could compromise an entire operation, Williams decided to return to ASU to deepen his technical knowledge through the Space Force’s Advanced Academic Degree Program.Read more More from ASU

ASU breaks ground for better health outcomes for Arizona

Arizona State University isn’t just breaking ground — it’s shaping the future of health care for communities across Arizona. ASU Health, anchored by the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering, the School of Technology for Public Health and other health programs, aims to advance research, education and innovation to improve lives.

ASU Health, as part of a collaboration with the city of Phoenix, will also work on projects in occupational health for first responders. The headquarters building is scheduled to open its doors in fall 2028. Read more

New AI-enabled platform to help learners navigate career transitions in a rapidly changing world

As careers shift and industries evolve, most professionals will navigate multiple career transitions over their lifetime, often without clear pathways to move forward.  To help individuals build skills, navigate change and connect learning directly to career outcomes, Arizona State University has created a new AI-enabled platform called ASU for Life.

Bringing together learning experiences from across the university into clear, connected pathways, the platform helps learners understand what to do next, how to build relevant skills and how each step contributes to longer-term career mobility.Read more

Arizona State University | Military@ASU
Tempe, AZ 85281 Telephone: 480-965-2100

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense visual information does not imply or constitute DOD endorsement. This email was sent to: peterhovis@icloud.com

Forward to a friend | Update Profile | Unsubscribe
View this email onlineArizona State University
PO Box 877705, Tempe, AZ, 85287-7705, USA

Copyright © 2026 Arizona Board of Regents | Privacy statement