Veteran Success: How to Bridge the Gap University of Washington - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Veteran Success: How to Bridge the Gap

University of Washington Tacoma > Jorge M. Martinez - Admissions Advisor UW Tacoma alum, Marine Corps Veteran > Andrea Coker-Anderson - Registrar, UW Tacoma with 28 years of experience serving veteran and military students > Rosalynn Johnson - West Point Grad, Army Veteran, Military Spouse, Associate Director of Veteran and Military Services, 2018 Student Veteran Association Advisor of the Year About UW Tacoma

8 Keys to Veterans’ Success ❖ A voluntary initiative through the Departments of Education, Veterans Affairs, and Defense ❖ Highlights specific ways that colleges and universities can support veterans ❖ 2,237 colleges and universities committed to supporting veterans

1. Create a Culture of Trust and Connectedness Across Campus ❖ Student Veteran Organization ❖ Peer Advisor for Veteran Education (PAVE) ❖ VetCorps Navigator ❖ VA Work Studies ❖ Partnerships with local VSOs: USO Pathfinder, FourBlock, Wounded Warrior Project ❖ Syllabus Statement ❖ Campus Programming - Quarterly Schedule ❖ Veteran Informer - Twice a quarter newsletter

Key Points in the Syllabus Statement ❖ Autumn 2017 Implementation ❖ Available resources for military-connected students ❖ On campus location ❖ Contact Information - email and phone ❖ Key Points of Contact for use by faculty and students

2. Ensure Consistent and Sustained Support from Campus Leadership ❖ Growth of Staff to best serve students ❖ Support from Campus Leadership ❖ Increase of services to include programming ❖ Relocation to larger space to better support increasing population

3. Implement an Early Alert System ❖ Coordination with Admissions and Academic Advising ❖ Veteran Administration benefits ❖ Financial Aid ❖ Disability Resources for Students ❖ Student Advocacy and Support ❖ Veteran Navigator ❖ Departmental faculty and staff briefings

4. Coordinate and centralize campus efforts in a designated space ❖ Current location in Tioga Library Bldg. as of February 2017 ❖ 3,455 square feet of space ❖ Sponsored by Alaska Airlines - yearly $20k ❖ Within the center - VIBE (Veterans Incubator of Better Entrepreneurship) and Veteran and Military Services ❖ VMS - Associate Director, 2 School Certifying Officials, 6 VA Work Studies, WDVA VetCorps Navigator, PAVE Team Leader ❖ VIBE - Director, 2 VA Work Studies, 1 intern

UW Tacoma VMRC

5. Collaborate with Local Communities and Organizations ❖ FourBlock ❖ USO Pathfinder ❖ Wounded Warrior Project ❖ Travis Manion Foundation ❖ Washington Dept of VA ❖ WA State Military Transition Council ❖ JBLM Garrison, Education Center, and SFL-TAP ❖ Navy Education Program ❖ PLU ROTC Detachment ❖ US Army War College Fellows

Examples of Collaboration with Local Communities and Organizations ❖ FourBlock cohorts meet in the VMRC ❖ FourBlock career counseling and resume building guidance for UWT students ❖ Organizations participate in campus Veterans Working Group, comprised of internal and external organizations ❖ Local education fairs on JBLM and Bremerton ❖ Involvement in USO Education Advising Board ❖ Involvement in Washington State Military Transition Council ❖ Quarterly campus visits by SFL-TAP participants

6. Utilize a uniform set of data tools to collect and track information on veterans ❖ Quarterly demographic data ❖ Development of certification tool ❖ Military Friendly Data Collection ❖ PAVE Participation - expanded to graduation ❖ Priority Registration ❖ Data Fellows

7. Provide Comprehensive Professional Development for Faculty and Staff ❖ VMRC Staff attends department, faculty, and staff meetings ❖ Encourage use of military-connected syllabus statement ❖ National Military Spouse Network 2017 Conference - pre-conference event focused on faculty and staff ❖ VIBE events - Motivational Mondays focus on resiliency

8. Develop Systems that Ensure Sustainability of Effective Practices for Veterans ❖ PAVE Campus - 1 of 38 campuses across the US ❖ Best Practice - One Stop Shop involving Academic Advising, Disability Services, Financial Aid, Career Services ❖ Recognized as a WDVA Veteran Supportive Campus

What’s Next - UW Tacoma Priorities ❖ Implementing Forever GI Bill - BAH by zip code for practicum/internship enrollment ❖ New Army Tuition Assistance ❖ Transfer of Benefits ❖ Implementing Document Management system ❖ Enrollment Increases - specifically Voc Rehab ❖ Expansion of PAVE to include Spouses/Children

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