Golden West College prepares for an estimated growth in its student veteran population and opens a Veterans Resource Center (VRC) to welcome students to a veteran-friendly campus.
With an estimated 2.2 million veterans residing in California, the state leads the nation in the number of veterans. That number is expected to increase dramatically as more military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan complete their service. In 2009, more than 26,600 veterans utilized education benefits at a California community college.
For a returning veteran, the academic world poses considerable challenges, as most individuals returning from military service have not attended traditional academic programs for several years. A significant number of veterans can be described as “nontraditional learners” and some return with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or other disabilities that pose substantial barriers to academic success.
To meet the needs of these deserving students, Golden West College established a Veterans Resource Center (VRC) to provide an on-campus point of contact for their veteran-related questions and needs as they navigate the college system. The overall goal is to deliver services to optimize academic success, which involves collaboration between many GWC support services: Admissions & Records, Counseling Services, Accessibility Center for Education (formerly, Disabled Student Services), Financial Aid, Student Health Center, and the Tutorial and Learning Center.
In addition, representatives from organizations such as U.S. Vets, OC Vets and the Veterans Administration will visit the center to provide additional information about VA benefits, housing, personal counseling and referrals to other services.
Most importantly, the VRC provides students with a place to socialize with fellow veterans and is a meeting place for the newly established GWC Student Veteran Organization. There is no better way for veterans to adjust to campus life than with students who share their military experiences. Veterans are accustomed to working as a team and students who make a connection with other students are more likely to achieve their educational goals.
When students were asked what the VRC means to them, they gave similar responses, “I no longer feel alone or isolated,” “it gives me a sense of belonging,” “it helps me keep my military experiences and memories alive,” and “it is a place to meet other students who I can relate to.”
GWC opened the Center at the start of fall semester and consists of a lounge/meeting space, a room for studying, two computer stations, and a private office for personal counseling. The VRC also has a very popular “Mess Hall” complete with a microwave, mini-frig, snacks and fresh coffee daily—all of which were donated to the Center. A Grand Opening is scheduled for November 9, 2010 at 3pm in the Central Quad.
Golden West College was selected by G.I. Jobs magazine as a Military-Friendly School for 2011. This honor places the college in the top 15% of all schools nationwide.
