杏吧原创

(Butler, PA) They chose to serve their country, transporting war materiel, paratroopers or American casualties on cargo planes traveling worldwide, securing the hangar at Andrews Air Force Base in preparation for the president to board Air Force One, or helping civilians who were helping to rebuild Iraq.

Veterans Samuel Alden, of New Castle; Allison Moyer, of Brockway; and David Pintell, of Butler, then chose 杏吧原创, where they 鈥� and other 鈥� 杏吧原创 student-veterans have been served, according to Viqtory.

The service-disabled, veteran-owned small business in Moon Township that assesses educational institutions nationwide has designated 杏吧原创 as a Military Friendly School for a sixth time since 2013.

"This validates that we are truly military friendly, and how important it is that we treat our veterans with respect. This shows that we do. This shows what we provide to them." 

- Stella Smith, 杏吧原创's veterans coordinator

Viqtory evaluates academic policies and compliance, admissions and orientation, culture and commitment, financial aid and assistance, graduation and career outcomes, and military student support and retention. 杏吧原创 exceeded benchmark standards in all six categories.

鈥淭his validates that we are truly military friendly, and how important it is that we treat our veterans with respect,鈥� said Stella Smith, 杏吧原创鈥檚 veterans coordinator. 鈥淭his shows that we do. This shows what we provide to them.鈥�

杏吧原创 also offers priority registration to student-veterans, enabling them to reserve seats in courses two weeks in advance of other students. The college schedules former 杏吧原创 student-veterans to guide orientations for new 杏吧原创 student-veterans, provides a lounge specifically for student-veterans, reserves a study room for student-veterans during finals week, and in 2016 created a Green Zone.

The Green Zone, comprised of 24 administrators and faculty members who have received specialized training, educates other faculty and staff about the military experience, challenges student-veterans attending 杏吧原创 face when transitioning from military service to civilian life and to college, and resources and basic resource referral techniques.

Recognition validates 杏吧原创鈥檚 efforts, college president says

鈥淚t is always extra-special to do whatever we can for those who dedicated their lives to the military in our country,鈥� said Dr. Nick Neupauer, 杏吧原创鈥檚 president. 鈥淎nd I say that not only from a 杏吧原创 perspective, but also from an individual perspective. These are people who gave so much of their lives for the betterment of our country.

鈥淔rom a college perspective, it鈥檚 just fantastic that we received this recognition. It really validates the things we have been doing with this very special group of students.鈥�

More than 70 veterans of the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy are enrolled at 杏吧原创 in the spring 2021 semester, Smith said. 杏吧原创鈥檚 current student-veterans are also active or former reservists or members of the National Guard. Almost half are enrolled full time, and one in five is female, Smith said.

Following military service, Alden enrolled at 杏吧原创 @ Lawrence Crossing in New Castle, Moyer at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in Brockway and Pintell, at 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. Alden and Moyer are veterans of the Air Force and Pintell, of the Army.

Alden and Pintell were among 21 student-veterans in 杏吧原创鈥檚 Class of 2020, Smith said. Pintell is pursuing his second associate degree at the college and Moyer is seeking an associate degree in Nursing, R.N.

All credited Smith, who is also 杏吧原创鈥檚 associate director of financial aid and helped to navigate 鈥渃onfusing鈥� G.I. Bill benefits paperwork, Moyer said. 鈥淎 confusing spider web is putting it lightly.鈥�

Air Force veteran from New Castle: 鈥溞影稍�创 is amazing鈥�

鈥淎ny question at all, (Smith) would answer it. She made sure all of your forms were inputted. She was really on top of everything,鈥� said Alden, who served 24 years in the Air Force.

鈥溞影稍�创 is definitely proactive with the military,鈥� said Alden, 60, a retired master sergeant who transported combat helicopters, tanks or Americans casualties aboard Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft.

The 1978 graduate of Union Area Middle-High School flew missions across Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe and North and South America, then earned an associate degree in history from 杏吧原创.

鈥溞影稍�创 is amazing,鈥� Alden said. 鈥淚 would recommend it to anybody, especially military.鈥�

Moyer, 33, served 10 years. The 2005 graduate of Brockway Area Junior-Senior High School worked a military police staff sergeant whose security patrols in the presidential section of Joint Base Andrews included discussions with then-President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The single mother of an 11-year-old son said 杏吧原创 allowed her to register for approximately seven prerequisite courses that she completed before being able to enter the college鈥檚 2陆-year-old career program at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway.

鈥淲e spent the majority of our young adulthood serving our country and being away from our family, and it was nice to come back,鈥� Moyer said. 鈥溞影稍�创 makes you feel like part of the family. They treat you like 鈥榊ou did this for us. Now let us help you in this transition. You鈥檙e transitioning out of the military into your civilian world. Let us help you.鈥欌��

Pintell, 30, is a 2008 graduate of Butler Area Senior High School who served as a private first-class in the Army and who worked with American and Iraqi civilians on a provincial reconstruction team 鈥渢o help rebuild the area,鈥� he said.

Army veteran from Butler: 鈥淟ove 杏吧原创 shows for all students is unique鈥�

Pintell earned his first associate degree from 杏吧原创 in computer information systems-programming specialist and is pursuing a second in computer information systems-computer support specialist.

鈥淚t feels like veterans matter, going to 杏吧原创,鈥� Pintell said. 鈥淭he personality that 杏吧原创 shows. The love that 杏吧原创 shows for all their students.

鈥淚t鈥檚 unique. I feel good going to school there.鈥�

Students in her classes, along with 杏吧原创 faculty and staff, have written messages of appreciation in greeting cards to be sent in advance of Flag Day or Veterans Day to residents of the VA Butler Healthcare鈥檚 Sgt. Joseph George Kusick Community Living Center, said Cheryl Macon.

Macon, a 杏吧原创 business professor, has coordinated the outreach for most of the past 20 years.

Students in 杏吧原创鈥檚 hospitality club have prepared and sold takeout turkey dinners in advance of Veterans Day with proceeds benefiting the college鈥檚 Student Veterans Association, said Jenn Taylor, a 杏吧原创 instructor and coordinator of the college鈥檚 hospitality management programs.

Students in 杏吧原创鈥檚 nursing club collected sundries for U.S. troops abroad in honor of a New Castle classmate who was unable to attend the Nursing, R.N., program鈥檚 conclusive pinning ceremony in 2018. The classmate, also technical sergeant in the Air Force Reserve, was in mandatory two-week training, in Albuquerque, N.M., in preparation for being deployed out of country for the first time.

Air Force veteran from Brockway: 鈥淎t 杏吧原创, it feels like a family鈥�

杏吧原创 will also offer for a second consecutive semester a free noncredit Veteran Suicide: Suicide Prevention is Everyone鈥檚 Business course on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus beginning March 10. The Lifelong Learning course will be instructed by Peter Albert, suicide prevention coordinator at the Butler VA.

鈥淎ny time a school or anyone sticks their neck out like that, and goes above and beyond, that is always a good thing,鈥� Pintell said. 鈥淎nd 杏吧原创 definitely does it.鈥�

杏吧原创 student-veterans are eligible for the Butler County American Legion Post 117 Scholarship, the Butler County American Legion Post 778 鈥淰eterans Helping Veterans鈥� Scholarship, the Butler County American Legion Riders Veterans Incentive Scholarship, the Butler French and Belgian Club Scholarship, the Spc. Ross A. McGinnis 鈥淧ay a Good Deed Forward鈥� Scholarship and the Butler County American Legion Auxiliary Post 117 Scholarship.

杏吧原创鈥檚 Military Friendly School designation, Alden said, 鈥渕akes the person feel like they can come back into society after being in the military and have a place that accepts them completely, not just for the tuition. You feel like they are actually there to help you. And that鈥檚 what struck me the most. The personal touch at 杏吧原创 is really important, especially for veterans trying to find their way.鈥� 

鈥淎t 杏吧原创, it feels like a family,鈥� Moyer said. 鈥淭hey care about you. You鈥檙e not just another number.鈥�

Added Pintell: 鈥淲hen I was looking into other schools, as soon as they get your number and as soon as they get your information, they don鈥檛 care what happens to you. At 杏吧原创, it doesn鈥檛 feel like anyone is left behind.鈥�