New veterans center open for business

   After twelve years in the Navy, Jeremy Roybal wanted to go to college.
Under the G.I. Bill, Roybal was entitled to education benefits that would cover his tuition, but couldn’t access them without submitting an education plan to the Veterans Administration.
   When Roybal approached Santa Ana College’s counseling department, he was frustrated to learn it would be two months before they could assist him with his education plan.
   “I knew I was driven enough to succeed in college,” Roybal said. But even after waiting two months, he received a plan that didn’t meet VA standards. “I was getting the runaround.”
   That was a year ago. Today, Roybal is one of four work-study veterans who work at the new Veterans Resource Center, helping other active and retired military personnel transition to college. 
   The VRC, now open in the U building at SAC, is intended to serve veterans by providing assistance with VA paperwork, counseling, financial aid, and community referral services. Veterans can also use the center as a quiet place to study, with access to computers and printers.
   Associate Dean of Student Services, Jane Mathis, said the VRC was developed in response to the increasing number of men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and seeking to enroll at SAC and SCC. Together, the colleges serve more than 350 veterans, many of whom have been away from an educational environment for 10 years or more.
   “Just walking onto a college campus after being away for so long is incredibly overwhelming,” Mathis said. “A lot of these men and women were getting so discouraged they were just walking away.”
   While the need was obvious, the solution wasn’t. In light of the current financial crisis, funding for new programs doesn’t exist. 
   Mathis sought grant funding but faced a catch-22. “People told me, ‘We’d give you money if you had a program,’” Mathis said. “I said, ‘Give me money and I’ll have a program’.” 
   By sharing resources with other departments, the fledging VRC began to take shape. Academic counselor John Acuna, himself a veteran, was permitted to dedicate part of his schedule to the new center, as was Dorothy Nacita, a certified financial aid counselor.  With certified staff in place, the VA could establish a work-study program in the VRC, assigning four part-time employees to the center.
   Now, when veterans enter the VRC, they meet someone who’s been in their shoes and can show them how to navigate the complicated process of developing an educational plan, applying for VA benefits and beginning their college experience.
   Response to the program has been overwhelming. 
   The VRC hosted a grand opening celebration on May 12. Representatives from local government offices and community organizations such as the American Legion and the Santa Ana Elks attended the event, which featured a resource fair for veteran students. 
   Mathis continues to seek funding for the VRC through community grants and by establishing a partnership with the Santa Ana College Foundation. She anticipates that the demand will continue to grow as more veterans become aware of the VRC.
   “These are amazing students to have on campus,” Mathis said. “They’re very motivated and they have an incredible work ethic.”