Sgt. Lin recognized for academic achievement, service and mentorship
Adelphi, Md. — Nov. 11, 2026 — University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) today named Sgt. Qing Qing “Ellen” Lin, U.S. Army, as the 2026 General John W. Vessey Jr. Student Veteran of the Year during its annual Veterans Day ceremony. She is the 10th recipient of this award, which recognizes student veterans who have excelled in their academic and military careers. The award includes a $3,000 scholarship.
Lin enlisted in the U.S. Army two weeks after graduating from high school in July 2022. Her first assignment was as a wheeled vehicle mechanic at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea. The next year, she enrolled at UMGC where she currently studies health services management with plans to become an Army physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Through summer 2026, Lin maintained a 3.92 GPA and repeatedly earned a place on the Dean’s List while serving on active duty.
Lin now serves as a field maintenance team squad leader at Fort Drum in New York, where she has led and mentored six soldiers. She has also developed free Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery study materials and tutors English as a second language (ESL) applicants seeking to join the U.S. Armed Forces.
Her military achievements include four Army Achievement Medals (AAM), the Army Good Conduct Medal (AGCM), the Army Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Overseas Service Ribbon, the Korea Defense Service Medal, and one Soldier of the Quarter board award.
“My time at UMGC has shown me that education isn't a badge of individual success. It is a promise, a duty to those we lead and those we serve,” Lin said in remarks after accepting the award.
Lin was nominated for the Student Veteran of the Year award by her mentor and the 2025 Vessey Student Veteran of the Year, Staff Sargeant Shaun Paris, a U.S. Army combat medic.
The Student Veteran of the Year award is named for distinguished UMGC alumnus Gen. John W. Vessey Jr., the 10th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the only person to hold that position after beginning his military career as an enlisted servicemember.
About University of Maryland Global Campus
University of Maryland Global Campus was founded more than 75 years ago specifically to serve the higher education needs of working adults and military servicemembers. Today, UMGC is the largest provider of postsecondary education in Maryland and continues its global tradition with online and hybrid courses, more than 175 classroom and service locations worldwide and more than 100 degrees and certificates backed by the reputation of a state university and the University System of Maryland. For more information, visit www.umgc.edu.
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