Sylvia Dominguez

Sylvia Dominguez, Navy veteran (Electrician on USS Ronald Reagan) senior in supply chain management in the Tillman Center.

By Selena Larson

Service men and women face many challenges when returning home from active duty. Arizona’s universities and colleges want to make sure getting the necessary education to make a career change isn’t one of them.

At Arizona State University, the Pat Tillman Veterans Center serves as a hub for all veterans programs and brings together academic and student support services. The Veterans Center, named in honor of the former Sun Devil and Arizona Cardinals football player who was killed by friendly fire in 2004 in Afghanistan, offers assistance for military men and women looking to return to school.

“Although some veterans may build on a career path by choosing jobs similar to what they did in the military, an education allows them to explore totally new career fields and become very marketable upon graduation,” says Christian Rauschenbach, programs manager at the ASU Veterans Center.

ASU offers other unique programs to their student veterans. The Tillman Scholars ASU Leadership Through Action program at the W.P. Carey School of Business empowers students to focus on personal development, leadership and social action to promote positive change in their communities.

In 2010, ASU was selected as one of the first eight schools to pilot the VetSuccess on Campus program. Two representatives from Veterans Affairs are located on campus to assist veterans with services like vocational testing and counseling, promoting successful completion of education and career goals.  The broad range of opportunities and experiences draws many veterans to ASU.

“Along with the benefits program, I know many veteran students are drawn to the fact that we have over 250 undergraduate degrees to choose from,” Rauschenbach says.  In addition to ASU, Maricopa community colleges also partner with local and national veterans assistance programs.

The Maricopa Community Colleges East Valley Veterans Education Center provides free outreach and advisement to veterans and their families. Skype service for communication, assistance in applying for benefits, and referrals to community resources are just some services the EVVEC provides to veterans.

The EVVEC is hosted by Rio Salado Community College, which ranks among the top 15 percent of schools in the nation for its commitment to quality education for military veterans.

All Maricopa community colleges in the East Valley offer some form of veterans’ assistance, from registering for classes and determining benefits to creating unique degree plans.

Whether in a college or university environment, higher education in Arizona offers special opportunities for those who have served our country. To find out more, visit www.asu.edu/military or www.evvec.org.