By Brianna Rodriguez
Milton White, assistant director of the Military and Veterans Success Center, won the grand prize of the “AARP Honoring Our Heroes” contest after being nominated by a former student.
As a result, AARP will host an event on April 25 at The Hangar to honor White and present him with the grand prize of a celebrity cruise.
USF St. Petersburg graduate Skyla Luckey heard about the contest and immediately thought of White.
“Out of all of the veterans I know, the one who sticks out the most to me as being a hero is Milton,” she said. “He goes above and beyond of what is required of him.”
While Luckey was working toward her master’s degree in digital journalism and design, she worked as a multimedia specialist at the MVSC. She said that White made a major impact on both her academic and personal well-being.
White had a few suspicions but didn’t know he had been nominated.
“I truly don’t do the things that I do for any type of recognition,” he said. “I love the work that I do here.”
White said that he came to this school and immediately saw a need for better support for veteran students.
His passion for helping veterans led to the opening of the Military and Veterans Success Center in fall 2015. The center serves as a safe space for veterans to transition from the military to college life. It also provides work-study jobs for veteran students on campus.
White isn’t only involved with veterans on campus; he’s also involved with veterans in the community. He serves as a member of six veterans organizations in Pinellas County.
Katie Benton, veterans success specialist, partnered with Colleen Krepstekies at AARP to put together White’s reception.
“He hates being recognized. He’s one of the most humble people ever, but he’s amazing,” Benton said. “I told him that it’s his platform to say ‘Thank you’ to all of the people that have done things with you and for us and the community.”
White said that he is proud of his contributions. He wants to use the event as an opportunity to promote volunteering and the organizations that he is a part of.
“I want everyone to know that these folks are really doing the work,” he said. “I am one of hundreds of volunteers here in Pinellas County that are doing so much good work, and I want to call out some of those people by name.”
The Honoring Heroes event will take place April 25 at The Hangar, 540 First St. S, from 6 to 8 p.m.
