University of Michigan-Flint

Position: Interim Director

Credentials and Experience:  I teach in the Department of Philosophy, including having taught the veteran-only section of PHL 101.  I have been the interim director since the opening of the Student Veteran Resource Center, and am a veteran myself.

Favorite part of your work with the SVRC:  The part I enjoy the most is working with the staff of the center to develop and implement policies to better serve our veteran population.

Advice for student veterans:  Be confident in your abilities.  You had the perseverance and determination to make it through boot camp and fulfill your contract.  These same traits will get you through any class or degree program.  Settle down and do the work just as you did in the service.

Position: I work as the Veterans Admission Coordinator for the Student Veterans Resource Center. I handle all veteran, spouse, and dependent applications to UM-Flint. As part of the application processing, I review all AARTS/SMART transcripts for transfer credit and work with faculty to determine transferability of military training. I am also the point of contact for all DoDEA schools. I travel throughout the United States to participate in education support events for service members and veterans. My areas of interest are transition, student satisfaction, retention,  and attrition trends for veterans in higher education. 

 
Credentials and Experience: I completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Siena Heights University in 2006. I then went on to finish a Master of Education in Higher Education with a concentration in Student Affairs Administration from the University of Toledo in 2010. While doing my graduate work, the topic of veterans’ services in higher education became my focus and there was no questioning that it was going to be my career focus moving forward. I will continue my education in the fall of 2012 in the M.A. Rehabilitation Counseling program at Michigan State University.

Favorite part of working in the SVRC: I enjoy working with such a dynamic group of students. Many times I begin working with students via email while they are still on active duty. It’s great to finally meet someone face-to-face that I’ve been working with for several months from across the globe.

Advice for student veterans: Please do not hesitate to ask questions. We are here to provide you with resources and answers. I would also encourage you to connect with your fellow veterans on campus. Having a peer connection with someone that has been through the transition to UM-Flint will be very beneficial.

Position: My function is to assist our Student Veterans, Dependents and Spouses from the time they are admitted until they graduate.  I am responsible for certifying each Veteran’s VA Education benefits.  I assist with advising, enrollment, financial aid, civic engagement projects and counseling.  Whether you have questions about your benefits or need help scheduling classes, applying for financial aid, communicating with a professor or just someone to talk to, I am your person! 

Credentials and Experience:  I have been the VA Certifying Official since 2008.  Although I have never served in the military my brother spent eight years in the Army including three tours in Iraq.  I have worked at the University of Michigan-Flint for nine years and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in May 2011. 

Favorite part of your work with the SVRC:  My favorite part of working in the SVRC is the conversations I get to have and the friendships with my students I have made over the years! 

Advice for student veterans: Ask the staff in the SVRC for help.  We have many years experience in higher education and if we don’t know the answer to your question, we know someone that does!  Also get involved in student organizations and the community.  Networking and being involved through civic engagement projects will provide more opportunities than anything else you will ever do.

Position: I am an administrative assistant in the SVRC. I’m a new addition to the team and hope to be a great resource for student veterans and my colleagues. I’m currently in the training process to learn and understand the “ins-and-outs” of veteran benefits and all the other great resources that SVRC provides. Besides the normal duties of an administrative support, my newest projects are: research and collect information for upcoming projects and maintain and expanding the SALUTE program.

Credentials and Experience: I moved here from Colorado in 2011 where I worked as an administrative assistant for Colorado’s largest worker’s compensation insurance company. I have recently started working with vets, but my husband is a veteran and he is the reason for my motivation and appreciation for veterans.

Favorite part of your work with the SVRC: My favorite part of my job is the satisfaction of knowing that the more I learn, the better I can assist student veterans. 

Advice for student veterans:  The advice that I have for student veterans is: You have already accomplished so much in life, that school is one more monumental accomplishment that you CAN achieve. Second, the SVRC is another resource for camaraderie there are so many other students who you have common ground with. And most importantly, live for today and visualize for the future.