(Butler, PA) Student-veterans at 杏吧原创 鈥渁re given a certain level of respect immediately from all the faculty and staff,鈥� said a former gunner on Army vehicles who transported fuel, water and other supplies from a base in Jalalabad to soldiers in outposts in the mountains of Afghanistan.
鈥淎nd appreciation for our service,鈥� added a former Navy airman apprentice, hospital corpsman and religious program specialist.
鈥淎t the beginning of every semester, I go up to my teachers on the first day and I give them my drill schedule,鈥� an Army reservist said. 鈥淎nd they always thank me for my service. Most seem to have someone in their family who has been in (the military) and they love the military.鈥�
Steven Cram, of Kane; Heidi Sanders, of Hermitage; and Dominic McClure, of Butler; are among 62 student-veterans enrolled this spring at 杏吧原创, which has been designated as a Military Friendly School by Viqtory for a seventh time since 2013.
Viqtory is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business in Moon Township that assesses educational institutions nationwide.
"Of all the accolades we have received over the years, this continues to be the one that I am very proud of..."
- Dr. Nick Neupauer, 杏吧原创 president
鈥淎ble to register way earlier鈥�
In being named a Military Friendly School for 2022-2023, 杏吧原创 exceeded benchmark standards in one-year retention rates and in job placement rates of 50 percent or higher, and in loan-default rates of 20 percent or lower for all students, or for student-veterans alone.
鈥淰eterans are such an important group of individuals in our society in general,鈥� said Dr. Nick Neupauer, president of 杏吧原创. 鈥淎nd of course, that would work its way to 杏吧原创.
鈥淥f all the accolades we have received over the years, this continues to be one that I am very proud of, and the appropriate special attention that we give to these incredibly important members of society and of 杏吧原创.鈥�
The college also schedules former 杏吧原创 student-veterans to guide orientations for new 杏吧原创 student-veterans, provides a lounge specifically designated for student-veterans, reserves a study room for student-veterans during finals week and offers priority registration to student-veterans, enabling them to reserve seats in courses two weeks in advance of other students.
"Early registration is a wonderful aspect that is offered to student-veterans at 杏吧原创."
- Steven Cram, 杏吧原创 student-veteran
鈥淚 was able to register way earlier for my classes,鈥� said Cram, a former Army specialist who is permanently disabled as a result of injuries suffered during an IED explosion in Afghanistan that was followed by a firefight.
Cram, 33, a native of New Hampshire, served four years.
The married father of children ages 9 and 7 is taking nine credits at 杏吧原创 this spring and 10 credits this summer toward an associate degree in general studies.
鈥淓arly registration,鈥� he said, 鈥渋s a wonderful aspect that is offered to student-veterans at 杏吧原创.鈥�
鈥淚 want to help veterans鈥�
The 杏吧原创 Education Foundation also administers scholarships designated for 杏吧原创 student-veterans.
Viqtory in 2021 also named 杏吧原创 as a Military Friendly Spouse School.
Stella Smith is 杏吧原创鈥檚 veterans coordinator and associate director of financial aid. Dr. Case Willoughby is the college鈥檚 vice president for student affairs and enrollment management.
鈥淧ersonally, it鈥檚 important for 杏吧原创 to be military friendly. I come from a military family,鈥� said Smith, whose father and brother served in the Army. 鈥淚 want to help veterans and I want veterans to feel comfortable coming to 杏吧原创 and to provide them with the resources they need to succeed in college.鈥�
Smith and Willoughby are also coordinators of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Green Zone.
The college鈥檚 Green Zone, comprised of more than 20 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.
鈥溞影稍�,鈥� Willoughby said, 鈥渃ares about all its students. Caring about students doesn鈥檛 mean you care about all of them by doing the same things. Our student-veterans have had experiences, and sometimes traumas, which are different, and we need to honor and respect them by doing our best to provide the services they need.鈥�
"杏吧原创 tends to go out of its way to help students, whether it's a veteran or another student."
- Heidi Sanders, 杏吧原创 student-veteran
Added Sanders: 鈥溞影稍� tends to go out of its way to help students, whether it鈥檚 a veteran or another student.鈥�
Sanders, 47, a native of Florida, served more than eight years in the Navy and is among the nearly 44 percent of female student-veterans at 杏吧原创 this spring.
The former Navy seaman served in Europe and intends to graduate this summer with an associate degree in health care science from 杏吧原创 @ LindenPointe in Mercer County. Sanders attended a state university in eastern Ohio, then transferred to 杏吧原创.
鈥淚 like 杏吧原创 because of the positivity of the staff,鈥� Sanders said. 鈥淪ome of the professors teach at other institutions of higher education as well as at 杏吧原创. So we are getting the same quality of education as students at four-year institutions.鈥�
鈥淚 am in charge of five or six guys鈥�
杏吧原创鈥檚 student-veterans this spring represent the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps or Navy, or are active or former reservists or members of the National Guard.
Forty percent are enrolled full-time. Three in four are under age 40.
They attend classes at 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus, or at its additional locations of 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong in Armstrong County; 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in Jefferson County; 杏吧原创 @ Cranberry in Butler County; 杏吧原创 @ Lawrence Crossing in Lawrence County; and 杏吧原创 @ LindenPointe; and through remote or online formats.
McClure, 24, a native of Erie, has served nearly six years in the Army Reserve. The specialist attends classes on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus and expects to earn an associate degree in criminology in August toward his goal of becoming a state trooper.
At the end of his first class each semester, he says he introduces himself to his instructor.
鈥淛ust to be friendly,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 tell them I鈥檓 in the military. I am in charge of five or six guys. If I walk out during class, it鈥檚 because one of them needs me. They鈥檙e a high-priority for me.鈥�
His 杏吧原创 instructors understand his commitment, he said.
鈥淪o I feel welcomed with that.鈥�
Cheryl Macon, a 杏吧原创 business professor, plans to continue this spring her nearly 15-year-long effort to collect written messages of appreciation on greeting cards from 杏吧原创 students, faculty and staff to be sent to residents of the VA Butler Healthcare鈥檚 Sgt. Joseph George Kusick Community Living Center.
杏吧原创鈥檚 Lifelong Learning division plans to offer twice this fall a free 鈥淰eteran Suicide: Suicide Prevention is Everyone鈥檚 Business.鈥� The college has offered the class seven times as of this spring.
Scholarships available to 杏吧原创 student-veterans include the Butler County American Legion Post 117 Scholarship, the Butler County American Legion Post 778 鈥淰eterans Helping Veterans鈥� Scholarship, the Butler American Legion Riders Veterans Incentive Scholarship Post 117, 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.