Friday, November 12, 2010

Schools Meet the Challenges of Veterans Transitioning to Campus Life


Link to November 12 Appleton Post-Crescent article, "Veterans find difficulties in transition to campus life".

Excerpt: The Post 9/11 GI Bill helps thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans enroll in college, but the transition from battlefield to lecture hall is often formidable.

"I came back to school and I was like a deer in headlights," said Matt Knorr, 27, a banking and finance student at Fox Valley Technical College who served three tours of duty in Iraq from 2003 to 2005.

"When I got out, I didn't know anybody," he said. "I spent a lot of time at tables by myself and I didn't connect with anybody. It was hard to adjust back to that life."

Since the new GI Bill took effect in August 2009, more than 300,000 recent veterans have enrolled at colleges and universities across the country, presenting administrators and counselors with a unique set of challenges.

"We've started to create a recognition of our veterans," said Vicky Barke, student life director at FVTC, which enrolls nearly 450 veterans. "In our enrollment services area, we have signage that says 'Veterans' Office' so they know that when they come here we have a place for them to find out about their benefits."



No comments: