An improved GI Bill means that more military veterans are now attending college, including Howard Community College.
But these former service men and women experience challenges unlike the average student on campus.
That's where the Student Veterans Organization comes in. The student group was started last year to give support and encouragement to veterans navigating academic and civilian life.
"What veterans miss most is the camaraderie. We're trying to create a friendly, like-minded environment and make the college process smoother," says SVO President Todd Beall, a former Marine who served eight years before returning to Columbia at age 27 to start college.
The group meets every other Tuesday from 6 to 7 p.m. to share information, resolve communication issues, and generally give each other the chance to vent among understanding peers. They are also collaborating with HCC administration on a potential student veterans center.
At least 300 veterans attended classes in the last semester on GI benefits, according to veterans' affairs coordinator Olayta Rigsby, and there are another 300 students who have connections to the military.
For more information on the Student Veterans Organization, call Olayta Rigsby, 410-772-4514, or e-mail him at origsby@howardcc.edu.