A new class this semester has been created to help student veterans make the transition from the military to civilian life.
The six-week class, J151 Career Exploration and Development, provides student veterans with resources and workshops on career development.
J151 is a one-credit-hour elective class held every Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Crestview Hall, room 209.
Shelly Trent, adjunct lecturer of business and instructor for the J151 class, said she is a human resource professional skilled in career development instruction.
“We cover résumés, cover letters, networking, transferable skills, the job-search process and more,” Trent said.
Trent said there are currently eight students enrolled in the course.
She said she allows other students, not enrolled in the course, to participate in some sessions.
Credit can only be obtained by attending all classes and completing assignments and tests.
“For example, if a veteran really only wanted to attend the résumé session, he or she could attend that meeting and no others,” Trent said.
Dale Brown, secondary education sophomore and president of the IUS Veterans Program, said the class is a pilot course and dependent on how successful this semester is, will determine if it will be offered in the fall semester.
Brown said a $15,000 grant was awarded to IU Southeast by Operation Diploma to help fund the class.
Operation Diploma is a Purdue-based program, launched last year by a $5.8 million donation by Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation.
The foundation was created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Co.
Operation Diploma grants funding to higher education institutions in Indiana.
This helps student veterans establish a smoother transition from the military life to the civilian and college life by providing various veteran initiatives, outreach programs, counseling and student services.
“Funding will go toward initiatives, such as guest speakers, consultants, computer programs, career development workshops, job fairs, etiquette dinners and networking programs,” Brown said.
Last semester, a new student veterans group was established with a $2,000 grant awarded by Operation Diploma.
The Student Veterans Organization currently has 76 members.
Brown said the grants are for one year, and then IU Southeast may request more funding.
He said Walter Ryan, interim dean for research, and Sheying Chen, associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, will be requesting a $50,000 to a $100,000 grant for the next 2010 to 2011 academic year to help support research development for veterans.
Brown said the proposals will have to present that IU Southeast’s research and veteran development will benefit all veterans, students and non-students.
He said research could include emotional and physical conditions threatening soldiers and veterans, such as, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Brown said veteran students have more of a desire to go to college and find a career.
“Our goal is to make sure they complete it,” Brown said.
Brown said there’s an increase in student veterans and family members, which he attributes to the new educational benefits and the Post-9/11 GI Bill, developed in 2009. The bill included housing and book money, in addition to 100 percent of tuition paid by the government.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, in January, the unemployment rate for veterans serving in the Gulf War after September 2001 was 12.6 percent, up from 8.9 percent in January 2009.
By LEAH TATE
Staff Writer
lmtate@umail.iu.edu
