The William Joiner Center was founded in 1982 as a response to the initiative of the university's large student veteran population. Named after William Joiner, an African American veteran and the university's first Director of Veterans' Affairs, the center is supported by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and by grants from both public and private sources. It provides educational and other services to veterans, conducts research and makes policy
recommendations on issues relating to veterans, and encourages teaching and scholarship on the Vietnam War and social consequences.
Throughout the years, the center has sponsored various programs and contributed to many important research projects.
