Since the passage of the Post−9/11 GI Bill in 2009, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has paid close to $30 billion in education benefits--serving one million service members, veterans and their family members. Institutions have found ways to attract and retain veterans, most notably through the Veterans Resource Center.
Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) dramatically increased both matriculation and graduation rates for student veterans and their dependents using a “one-stop shop” location where service members can find the information they need and a space that is uniquely suited for them. Darlene Head, Manager of Veterans Services at SLCC, led the charge to more fully integrate the veteran population at SLCC into the school, while meeting the unique concerns of the veteran community.
The case study of SLCC is featured in Helping Veterans Succeed: A Handbook for Higher Education Administrators and will also be discussed during the live, free webinar Promising Practices for Serving Student Veterans, which will be held Thursday, February 26 at 2 p.m.
It takes the collaboration of numerous departments and various initiatives to fully incorporate veterans into an institution’s community. With expertise regarding non-traditional students as well as veteran learners, Tanya Ang, Director of Veterans' Programs at the American Council on Education, will discuss how to establish a truly veteran-friendly location. This webinar will include a Q&A session for live questions.