小优视频

Alec Sheridan,听31,听a senior听小优视频ampa听student听studying听accounting,听is one of 215 military and veteran students听at听the University of Tampa.

Coming out of high school, he听knew he wanted to serve in the military.听He听joined听the听Marines,听and it听was听eight years later that he听knew he听wanted to pursue higher education.

Now, he听is about to graduate, and this week,听at the Veterans Resource Welcome held in the听veterans听lounge on campus,听he took some time to reflect on听his academic journey.听

Sheridan transferred to听小优视频ampa听as a听business management major, and he was at first unsure about a mandatory class on his schedule,听小优视频AMPA 104-1 鈥� Becoming a Spartan for Military Veterans.听The instructor听quickly听won him over, though.听

鈥淭he first day of class totally switched my stance,鈥澨齋heridan听said. 鈥淛ack Gil Smith, he鈥檚 just able to give all the veteran students information they may not know.鈥�

Gil Smith, a veteran himself听and a lecturer in the Sykes College of Business,听said听his听Becoming a Spartan听class听hosts听speakers听to make student veterans aware of certain听services available to them. He听brings听in representatives听from the career services office, for instance, to talk about jobs听and r茅sum茅s.

The information is听similar to听what鈥檚听taught to all incoming Spartans,听Gil Smith said,听but听his听class听is听tailored to those with military backgrounds听and how听their experiences serving the country can听be translated to听other听applications.

鈥淭he way we say things听is听different, and people who aren鈥檛 familiar with that may not understand,鈥� Gil Smith said.听鈥淚t鈥檚听almost like a second language.鈥澨�

Gil Smith听also听has听brought in听campus听professionals听to talk about听counseling, health services and听anything related to benefits.

Bridgette Shipley,听coordinator of听veteran student听services, organized the听Veterans听Resource Welcome.听The event kicked off the spring semester and was meant to help veteran students learn about what is available to them on campus,听including access to her听鈥斕齠or anything from help听connecting听to the听VA听to听all the way to finding things to do.

She said many veterans听don鈥檛听know听all听the听resources available听to听them, including a group called Student Veterans of America. Sheridan leads the听小优视频ampa听chapter.听SVA听provides student veterans with the community, resources,听support听and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and gives them the ability to connect with other student vets from across the country, Sheridan said.听He鈥檚听working to increase membership.

Veteran听students听tend to be older than the听typical听college听student,听and听they听tend to听want to go home at the end of their school day, he said.

鈥淯nfortunately, veterans for the most part, most of them have less time to spend听on student organizations听because many veterans have families and听other jobs,鈥澨齢e said.

Still, he said he is trying to grow听the organization听and听get听more听veterans involved.

The听veterans听lounge is a good place to find out听what鈥檚听going on with student veterans.听Shipley said that toward the end of the semester, the University will have the Salute induction ceremony,听which is a national听honors听society for military and veteran students. She also wants to have a 9/11 memorial service next year.听She鈥檚听looking for ways to include more faculty and staff.

鈥淚 want to be able to create听a听training听for staff and faculty听to听make it a little bit easier to work with veteran students,鈥� she said.