Veterans Innovation Network

VetIN is home to the Veterans Innovation Fellowship (VetIF) program and the Veteran Assistant Program (VetAP) program. These programs are dedicated to generating an entirely new type of US technical leadership pipeline. Intentionally we have designed a white-glove leadership development pipeline where we train, mentor, and promote prior-enlisted student veterans and reservists seeking careers in research. Our mission is to enhance the pool of future STEM leaders through a focus on established talent with field tested experience; leaders that already know how to operate under high uncertainty, high risk, and resource scarce conditions. We seek to empower and embolden prior-enlisted student veterans to pursue leadership career paths in research because we recognize that prior enlisted students represent an unparalleled pool of talent when it comes to problem solving in real world environments.

Our fellowship and assistant programs offer comprehensive training, financial support, basic & applied research experience, mentorship, coaching, networking, and advocacy. Our efforts are designed to provide direct, unambiguous paths to advanced degrees and careers in research so that our vibrant collection of student veterans can contribute to solving the numerous challenges that exist for our nation and the world. We recognize that the majority of technical and scientific leaders come from backgrounds and with experiences that are different from the lives experienced by the enlisted ranks. Through this program we seek to broaden the scope of experience that exists in our factories, boardrooms, start-ups, and faculty pools.

We invite you to explore the Veterans Innovation Network and consider partnering with our efforts to leverage the intellectual capital of student veterans towards the challenges of today and tomorrow.

World-class Mentorship

Obtain 1-1 mentorship with world leading researchers and personalized coaching sessions designed to support you as a student, a veteran, and a researcher.

Collaborative Research

Learn both basic and applied research skills while contributing to the technical discoveries of a science and technology center at that operates at the precipice of what is possible.

Financial Support

Generous pay/stipends designed to allow student veteran researchers to focus on attaining the most from both educational and research experiences.

World-class Mentorship

Obtain 1-1 mentorship with world leading researchers and personalized coaching sessions designed to support you as a student, a veteran, and a researcher.

Collaborative Research

Learn both basic and applied research skills while contributing to the technical discoveries of a science and technology center at that operates at the precipice of what is possible.

Financial Support

Generous pay/stipends designed to allow student veteran researchers to focus on attaining the most from both educational and research experiences.

Networking

COMPASS connects participants with best-in-class research institutions, professional organizations, and faculty to ensure that our student veterans have the strongest possible network as they advance into the next stage of their education or careers.

Professional Development

We provide formal training in project management, personal branding and brand management, application (graduate program and award) development, and writing & communication to all of our student veterans.

Networking

COMPASS connects participants with best-in-class research institutions, professional organizations, and faculty to ensure that our student veterans have the strongest possible network as they advance into the next stage of their education or careers.

Professional Development

We provide formal training in project management, personal branding and brand management, application (graduate program and award) development, and writing & communication to all of our student veterans.

VetIF Research Fellows

VetIF: Future Fellows

Isaiah Burkes

2026 VetIF Cadre
School: North Carolina State University
Major: Applied Mathematics
Branch: US Army, Infantry
Labs: Bogdan, Thuo (Network Science)

Zach Patterson

2026 VetIF Cadre
School: Wayne State University
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Branch: US Army, Armored Recon
Labs: Bucsek, Brock (Materials)

Henry Pham

2026 VetIF Cadre
School: North Carolina State University
Major: Electrical Engineering
Branch: US Navy, Surgical Technologist
Lab: Bogdan, Valev (Network Science)

Chris Romero

2026 VetIF Cadre
School: University of Southern California
Major: Artificial Intelligence
Branch: USMC, Embassy Security
Lab: Bogdan, Mao (Network Science)

VetIF: Current Fellows

Our current fellows help fuel the Center’s research goals while developing into the next generation of US-based technical leaders.

Steven Crechiolo

2024 VetIF Cadre
School: University of Michigan
Major: Physics
Branch: USMC, Infrantry
Lab: Cesnik (Aerospace)

Brandon Olson

2024 VetIF Cadre
School: University of Michigan
Major: Neuroscience
Branch: USMC, Air Traffic Control
Lab: Lahann (Bioengineering)

Bryce Hagle

2025 VetIF Cadre
School: North Carolina State University
Major: Mechanical & Electrical Engineering
Branch: USMC, Signals Technologist
Lab: Thuo (Materials)

Tyler Reish

2025 VetIF Cadre
School: University of Michigan
Major: Neuroscience
Branch: US Navy, Corpsman
Lab: Lahann (Bioengineering)

VetAP and Matriculated Fellows

Olubukola Akinbami

Current: VetAP as COMPASS Staff
Prior: 2024 VetIF Cadre
School: University of Michigan (BS 2025)
Major: Psychology
Branch: US Army, Security Administration
Lab: Bogdan, Mao (Neuroscience)

Andres Carrillo

Current: VetIP in Accelerated CS MS Program, UIUC
Prior: 2025 VetIF Cadre
School: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne
Major: Computer Science
Branch: USMC, Scout Sniper
Lab: Bogdan, Chen (Network Topology)

Casey Chason

Current: VetAP in Accelerated EE MS Program, NCSU
Prior: 2025 VetIF Cadre
School: North Carolina State University
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Branch: Current US Army Reserves, Combat Engineer
Lab: Valev (Bioelectrical Engineering)

Jebril Thaxton

Current: Rackham Merit Fellow, EE PhD program, UM
Prior: 2024 VetIF Cadre
School: University of Michigan (BSEE 2025)
Major: Electrical Engineering
Branch: US Navy, Nuclear Power Systems
Lab: Liu (Sensor Science)

Our current (2025) program statement can be found here

Please contact the Veterans Innovation Network (VetIN) Program Manager
with questions or to get involved:
Dr. Jeff Raymond – jefferyr@umich.edu

2026 VetIF Application

The 2026 Veterans Innovation Fellowship application cycle has closed. Please check back December for the 2027 VetIF application materials. The 2027 application materials be posted by December 15th, and applications will be accepted January 1st through March 1st, 2027. All undergraduate prior enlisted veterans or reservists in STEM programs at the following universities with an interest in career in research and technical leadership should consider applying: University of Michigan, North Carolina State University, University of Illinois, Urbana Champagne, University of Southern California, and Wayne State University.

Applications accepted January 1st, 2026 through March 1st, 2026.

Click the link below to download the application and instructions. Please review the below materials, the rest of the Veterans Program webpages, and the entire COMPASS website prior to beginning your application to ensure that you are qualified to apply.

VetIF Overview

Our competitive program offers up to 3 years of support with a generous hourly pay rate of $20/hr-$30/hr. The fellowship has a research requirement of 12-18 hours of research per week while attending full time during the semester and requires a full-time commitment during the summer. Research is performed on campus with a COMPASS faculty member advisor during the year with a variety of options for research during the summer. Fellowship recipients receive a multi-tiered array of professional and technical mentors to include bi-weekly 1-1 coaching, a day-to-day research mentor, monthly 1-1 PI coaching, and an applied research mentor. Recipients are also exposed to an extraordinary network of world-class researchers, manufacturers, and R&D centers in order to best position them to bring the skills they master in the program to the real world as innovators and leaders. Many of our fellows choose to select a second mentor from other Universities within the COMPASS network, thereby doubling their networking and mentorship opportunities while gaining even greater exposure to cross-disciplinary research.

Applications

Our rubric for assessing students focuses on personal goals and programmatic fit. Applicants will be assessed as follows: academics and recommendation letters (30%), military experience (10%), Short form essays (40%), and alignment with the Center (10%). The application requirements, application materials, links, and additional instructions will be forwarded to you through your campus student veteran offices prior to the end of the fall semester.

Academic backgrounds

Because our research spans so many disciplines, we accept many majors: all physical and mathematical sciences, all engineering disciplines, certain life sciences (ex. cognitive science, neuroscience), computational and data sciences, and most interdisciplinary STEM majors. Awardees must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and successfully complete research training and assignments each semester.

Timeline

Applications will open on 1/1/27 and close 3/1/27. Review of applications will begin immediately and offers will be extended by 4/1/27. During the summer, incoming fellows will select a home research laboratory and support/research will begin 9/1/27.

Preparation

The only preparation for this application is familiarization with the faculty research for the Center. While headquartered at the University of Michigan, our researchers span multiple universities and disciplines. Familiarizing yourself with our work prior to writing the essay materials will also be beneficial. Due to the financial support and research commitment requirements of the program, fellows should not intend to seek any other student employment during the school year. A variety of options exist for summer research experience, customized to the fellow, though a full time commitment during the summer is the default.