On Nov. 7, the Troops to College – Thank a Veteran event took place at the Flagpole in the Quad at California State University, Stanislaus. Many local veterans were honored, such as Colin Kalahar, a CSU Stanislaus alumni.
The ceremony included the raising of the flag and the National Anthem, sung by Kelly Dixon, the MSR cafe barista. A banner was also presented on a table for guests to sign to give thanks to those who are serving or served in the military.
Some guests speakers included President Joseph Sheley, who addressed the audience during the Thank a Veteran event.
“We thank the veterans for everything they have done for us and we thank the college for all the work they have been doing to get the word out on how veterans can transition on campus,” Sheley said.
CSU Stanislaus has been recognized for its services of aiding military members, as they were listed in the G.I Jobs magazine 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools. This placed the university in the top 15 percent of most friendly military schools worldwide.
The Student Veteran Center, located at the Student Services building, opened this fall semester at CSU Stanislaus. It is an environment geared towards veterans, allowing a place for other fellow veterans to meet and greet each other.
Their office hours are open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Their lobby area is a place for veterans to be able to relax. A computer, refrigerator, microwave, printer, a study area and much more are also available.
The center helps provide academic and student support services for veterans, advising them and most importantly, doing their best to provide them with the best education. The staff is also working to put together events on campus geared towards veterans.
“We just want veterans to know that we have a place for them on campus,” Nadine Kent, Veteran Affairs Coordinator said.
Kent expresses that the center is expected to grow and is hoping to make it a place where students can be able to get to know about their fellow veterans.
“The common misconception [is that] our veterans can be quiet, but they are quite humble,” Kent said. “Many of our residents will come and say, ‘I didn’t know that person was a veteran’.”
Students, as Kent advises, need to get to know each other.
“Our population is growing,” Kent said. “We have veterans in these classrooms. We need to be able to help each other out. Start talking to them, ask questions. More and more veterans are here. They really are good students and make a good presence on this campus.”
As citizens, it is important to honor our fellow troops. To learn more about the Student Veteran Center, contact Nadine Kent at 209- 667-3081.
