Khloe Gage ’25
Established in 1986, the Month of the Military Child is observed each April to honor and celebrate the children of service members from all branches of the Department of Defense.
Khloe Gage ’25, a military-connected student studying economics in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, is the daughter of Lt. Col. Kim Lee Gage, who served in the U.S. Army. She was also recently selected as the recipient of the James Lyons ’03 Sons and Daughters Memorial Scholarship.
Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Gage says she set her eyes on Syracuse University after visiting Central New York throughout her childhood. Her aunt was a professor at Ithaca College and the appeal of having family nearby was a strong influence for her to come to Syracuse.
“I grew up coming to Central New York during Christmases or over the summer. I knew I wanted to go to a larger school, so it was either Indiana University, since that’s where everyone in my family went, or Syracuse because it was close by to my aunt,” says Gage.
Gage and her father, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Kim Gage, attend a school event circa 2011. (Photo courtesy of Khloe Gage)
The James Lyons ’03 Sons and Daughters Memorial Scholarship is named after Syracuse University alumnus 1st Lt. James Lyons, who graduated with an undergraduate degree in biochemistry. Lyons was killed in action in southern Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006 and is believed to be the first Syracuse University graduate killed in the conflict. His friends and family established the scholarship to provide aid for the children of fallen or disabled veterans.
“A few people from OVMA [the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs] reached out to me and asked me to lunch. At first I thought they were trying to enlist me or something, but then they offered me the Lyons Scholarship and, honestly, I found it surprising they chose me,” says Gage. “They just opened up a door that I definitely wouldn’t have even known about.”
As a child of an active-duty officer in the Army, Gage says her childhood required a lot of moving, and many experiences of being the “new girl” in school. Before she had turned a year old, she had already experienced her first move, a process that would repeat seven more times before she graduated high school.
“Moving out of state, and even internationally, was my normal. Moving around made me more extroverted though, which I enjoy. It’s easier for me to talk to new people and I don’t get as nervous because I had to do that to make friends,” Gage says.
One instance of checking into a new school stood stands out. Gage recalls a time when her father was dropping her off at her new school, and because he was in his uniform they both kept getting held up while trying to get to her classroom. “Everyone was stopping us and thanking him for his service. I remember I was so freaked out about being late to class,” she says.
When Gage was sixteen years old, she joined roughly 15,000 other military children who share a unique experience: Her family went from being a Blue Star Family, a family with an immediate family member currently serving, to a Gold Star Family, the family of a fallen service member.
“A month after my 16th birthday, my father passed away, which left me with an incredible sense of loneliness. I spent my junior year of high school questioning every personal connection I had,” says Gage. “As I walked down the hallways, smiling at my peers, I was solely going through the physical motions of trying to express myself as the happiest person in the room, even though internally I was spiraling.”
While the scholarship may open doors, figuratively, the opportunity literally opened new doors here on campus. Prior to finding out she was selected as a Lyons Scholar, she had never stepped inside of the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building on campus. Now she says she finds herself spending quite a bit of time there.
Gage is becoming oriented with her new job working with Veteran Career Services Director Jennifer Pluta.
“My selection for the scholarship has broadened my outlook and my awareness. It’s exposed me to opportunities I otherwise would not have had,” says Gage, who along with the scholarship was also offered a position in the OVMA working with Jennifer Pluta, director of veteran career services at Syracuse.
“Initially, all I saw was everyone in uniform going in and no one coming out, I thought it was a booby trap or something. I also didn’t know how big it was, but there are so many areas regular students can go that no one outside of the doors seem to know about,” Gage says.
Gage is still open-minded about what the future has in store for her, or her for it. While she knows she doesn’t want to serve in the military, she hasn’t ruled out service all together. While at Syracuse she’s started looking at different opportunities, including working with the FBI.
“Since enrolling at Syracuse University, the support and connections I have made have been positively overwhelming. As a sophomore, I know Syracuse University supports my growth and exploration not only a student, but as a person,” says Gage. “Right now I’m excited for the immediate future with the OVMA. I’m excited for new connections, more laughter, greater experiences and the unknown that I cannot wait for.”
