MHCC finds a way to meet veterans’ needs
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MHCC has earned designation as a “military friendly school” for the past four years.
This means Mt. Hood offers services likely not available at other campuses, and is dedicated to helping veterans succeed educationally, school officials said.
Veteran Services Coordinator Joshua Ray said that instead of visiting multiple places on campus for such needs as advising, schedule planning, financial assistance, veterans at MHCC can get everything taken care of in a single office.
Ray described it as a “one-stop shop.”
What’s more, for a second year, MHCC veterans have the opportunity to enter into a group cohort and take certain classes that hold only fellow veterans. This is the only veteran cohort in the Pacific Northwest.
The veteran-only classes run in a three-term series and include the core classes that most programs require.
“A lot of times when veterans return to school, they haven’t been to school in many, many years, sometimes 10 or 20 years,” Ray said.
“It’s difficult, because when you’re in the military, you’re always being told what to do… but when you come to the college campus, you are taught to critically think: ‘Here is the goal, but get to it however you want to get to it.’
“It’s a transition from one world to a brand new world. And we just want to ease that transition,” Ray said.
The intent behind the veteran-only classes was to put vets in a room with people who understand what they have gone through.
There are around 40 veterans taking at least one cohort class this term.
The classes are “designed to help veterans and get that support they need,” said Ray.
“It’s all about helping them stay in school. They fought for this country. They earned their (educational) benefits; it is their right to use them,” he said.
Ray is a U.S. Army veteran who came to MHCC as a student in 2007 and participated in a work study program with Veterans Services.
He remembers when the veterans office was reduced to a single cubicle. The program has moved about five times throughout the years, but gained space with each move, he said.
Having made use of the majority of veteran benefits himself, Ray feels he can use his experience as an example and help secure benefits for those he serves in a more efficient way.
“I just want to see that we continue to push,” he said. “Hopefully we can bring more veterans on campus, we can bring more families on campus, we can offer more services and provide more resources.”
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