For most American soldiers, entering into the civilian lifestyle after spending years in the military can be a challenging task and Park University is working to make the transition into civilian life a little easier.
Dealing with finances and personal relationships, deciding to go for an education, and even experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder are all issues soldiers are heavily dealing with presently.
With Park’s recent addition of the Warrior Center, soldiers are receiving help in various ways on how to adjust from military life. Education, employment, finances, relationships, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and transition are all topics the Park Warrior Center can assist student soldiers with every day.
Provided with assistance from the Center’s professional staff, military students and veterans have easier access to this information which enables them to move forward with their college careers.
With only being an official part of the Park University campus for two years, the Warrior Center, located in Thompson Commons Student Center, has greatly flourished in many ways. In late 2008 and early 2009, R. Crosby Kemper Jr., with UMB Bank, and Thomas Holcom, with Pioneer Services, came up with the idea of a center at Park that could serve wounded military members.
Through considerable teamwork, the men were able to provide $150,000 of funding. By the spring of 2009, Park was one of 20 higher learning institutions in the country—and the only institution in the Midwest—awarded a $100,000 Success for Veterans Award Grant from the American Council on Education and the Wal-Mart Foundation. The money was eventually used to create the curriculum for veterans and wounded service members.
Laptops, a relaxation station and a reference library are just some of the features the Center offers its students and members.
Stephen Terry, the director of Military and Veteran Student Services, believes that the Warrior Center is an important place to have on Park’s campus.
“The Center feels like you’re in a safe environment where people understand, whether it be school-related issues or even post-traumatic stress disorder,” he said. “There is something to be said about respect in a place like this, knowing that the people here have respect for each other, no matter what branch of military they served in. They understand what the other has been through.”
Working in the Warrior Center is completely worth it for Terry, and for many reasons.
“There are three milestones that our students accomplish in the program. The first is getting accepted and starting classes,” he said.
For many soldiers, deciding to take a risk and attend college can be difficult, challenging and very intimidating. But taking the first step and applying and getting accepted is rewarding and gratifying.
“The next milestone is getting that first semester under their belt. Once they get through that first semester, it begins to get a bit easier for them because they know they can keep going,” Terry said.
But seeing the student soldiers and veterans graduate is the most rewarding for Terry.
“Seeing them walk across the stage and giving them their coin of excellence – the Challenge
Coin – is satisfying. We like to know that we had something to do with that achievement in their lives,” he said.
Whether it be getting a good grade on a test or dealing with a hardship in their life, students involved in the Warrior Center know that help and support is always provided to them.
“More than anything else, the Park Warrior Center is a really important place for people to get to know each other and rely on each other for help and support,” Terry said. “It’s also a community. It’s a common space for the student veterans. When people join the military or become a veteran, they are part of a big family, and families take care of each other.”
For more information about the Warrior Center, students are encouraged to contact the staff at http://military.park.edu/ or contact Terry at [email protected].
