Meet Andrew Newby, USCB's New Director of Veteran & Military Affairs
Andrew Newby has joined the University of South Carolina Beaufort as the university's first Director of Veteran & Military Affairs. He brings more than a decade of experience supporting veterans and military-connected students at some of the South’s largest universities, and his arrival signals USCB's determination to make sure military-connected students feel seen, supported and empowered to succeed.
An Emmy Award-winning George W. Bush Institute Scholar, Newby brings a deep belief in the skills and experiences that service members and their families bring to their communities.
“Student veterans look into the future when they see me,” Newby says. “I left active duty for higher education, used my GI Bill to get two degrees, and have been on both sides of the desk as a student and an administrator.”
After leaving the Marine Corps, Newby built a career helping veterans navigate higher education. At Auburn University and the University of Mississippi, he developed programs addressing the academic, personal and professional needs of military-connected students. At Ole Miss, he founded the university’s first Veterans Resource Center and created a Veterans Treatment Team that allowed student veterans to receive on-campus healthcare as a form of courtesy work for VA appointments. The program was recognized nationally as a Best Practice in Campus Strategy, and federal legislation looks to nationalize the program for the country.
Most recently, Newby led Veteran & Military Affairs at the University of Alabama, supporting more than 4,200 military-connected students and overseeing more than $10 million annually in Veterans Affairs education benefits. His work has included strategic communications, policy advocacy, donor engagement and partnerships across higher education and the military community.
At USCB, Newby is looking to build on the university’s close ties to the region’s military community. USCB has been offered office space at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, which will provide a renewed touchpoint for service members and their families.
He will build his team to help military-connected students find their purpose on purpose and has plans to create the first Veterans Resource Center. He plans to build a world-class team to assist with benefits, create intentional programming, and a provide a renewed sense of belonging that military transitions often overshadow.
"If you've ever had to write your blood type on your clothes to go to work in the
morning, you shouldn't have to wonder where you can go on this campus to get the help
you need," he says.
Newby is particularly passionate about supporting spouses, who often put their careers on hold as they move from one duty station to another.
“I want to focus on military spouses,” he says. “Oftentimes spouses give up the best professional years of their lives moving from duty station to duty station--the military is a family business.”
Another priority is a proposed military enrollment initiative, the Military Promise Program, which would allow South Carolina high school graduates who enlist for military service to be guaranteed admission to USCB.
For Newby, USCB’s small size is one of its greatest strengths. He's ready to build relationships with students by meeting them where they are, walking through the walls they put up, and helping them navigate the unknown together.
He will also advocate for USCB and military families with local, state and federal elected officials and institutions, including Congress, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Personally, Newby is excited to make the Lowcountry his new home, with his wife and five children ages 1-16.
With Newby leading Veterans & Military Affairs, USCB is creating new pathways for those who have served — and for the families who have supported them — to pursue their goals. His mission is to move military-connected students to, through and beyond higher education, and to make USCB the next right step.
- USCB -
CW 08/31/2026