Nov. 10, 2025
Contact: Janese Heavin, heavinj@missouri.edu
Photo courtesy of Keith Glindemann
Keith Glindemann — director of the University of Missouri Student Veterans Resource Center and a veteran with nearly 25 years of military service — isn’t used to being caught off guard.
So when the National Association of Veterans Program Administrators (NAVPA) recently honored him with an award celebrating his decades of service, he was shocked — especially because he had just concluded his third term as president of the organization.
Glindemann received the NAVPA Ron York Meritorious Service Award at the organization’s recent conference in Washington, D.C. The equivalent of a lifetime achievement award in the veterans’ community, the honor has only been bestowed 15 times since it was founded in 1995.
As president, Glindemann assumed he would have known if NAVPA planned to present the award this year, but his colleagues managed to keep it a secret.
“I’m used to having order and having everything planned,” he said. “I’m not big on surprises, but this was a good one. I was deeply touched and honored to have been nominated and selected for this award.”
What makes the recognition so meaningful, he said, is the work it represents.
“I think about what we’ve been able to accomplish over the last 15 years — the people I worked alongside, those I mentored and those who mentored me — and how many military-connected students we’ve been able to impact through this work,” he said. “I feel fortunate that I could lend my time and talent to this organization.”
A retired first sergeant in the. U.S. Army, Glindemann served 24 years on active duty, including a deployment with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Operation Iraqi Freedom. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Combat Action Badge.
But it’s his work after the military that has impacted thousands. Since retiring from the Army, Glindemann has become one of the most respected voices in veterans’ education nationwide. He served on the George W. Bush Foundation as a Military Education Task Force member and on the Military Friendly Advisory Council and has held multiple leadership positions within NAVPA — including national legislative director, vice president and three separate terms as president. In these roles, he has advocated for military-connected students and their educational benefits before Congress.
At Mizzou, Glindemann has helped the university uphold its national distinction as a Military Friendly® Gold School — and this year expanded that recognition to include being named a Military Spouse Friendly School. Both honors reflect Mizzou’s deep commitment to supporting veterans, service members and their families.
“Serving veterans isn’t just a career, it’s a calling,” he said. “I’m proud of what we’ve built at Mizzou to help veterans and military families find community and success as they pursue their goals, whether that’s promotion within the military or entering a new profession.”
Glindemann’s award is a reflection of his lifelong commitment to service and a reminder that at Mizzou, supporting those who serve is more than an idea; it’s who we are.
