Free classes and counseling are available at New River Community and Technical College through Veterans Upward Bound.
Beginning computer classes for veterans will be offered from Oct. 19 through Dec. 16. If there is enough interest, English and math classes also will be available.
Veterans Upward Bound Counselor Curtis Pauley is at the Greenbrier Valley Campus on Tuesdays.
“I promise to help veterans in any way I can in their transition from active service to continuing their education,” said Pauley, who noted that there are many financial aid packages available that veterans may not realize will pay for the expenses of a college education.
Pauley assists veterans with the process of applying to school, comparing and applying for GI Bill benefits, obtaining copies of DD214 forms and military transcripts, applying for federal financial aid, and providing timesaving links to other veteran agencies, such as VA Medical Centers and Vocational Rehabilitation.
New River CTC, a designated Military Friendly School, provides additional resources for student veterans, including program advisors and peer coaches who are knowledgeable and trained to handle veterans’ specific requirements. Some military experience may translate into college credit, for example.
Veterans enrolled in technical programs including Computer Science, Electric Distribution Engineering Technology, Industrial Technology, and Welding Technology receive additional benefits through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bridging the Gap program.
New River CTC also has accepted the “5 Star Challenge,” an initiative of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and West Virginia Community and Technical College System, to support student veterans and military-personnel.
Events commemorating the 5 Star Challenge and the College’s student veterans are planned for Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11. For more information, contact Donna Lewis, New River CTC Coordinator of Adult and Veteran Student Services, at 304-647-6566 or dlewis@newriver.edu.
Veterans Upward Bound classes are small, veteran-only, and are generally offered one evening per week for eight or 12 weeks at a time. They are refresher courses to brush up on academic skills before entering postsecondary education. Participants are eligible for a small stipend that helps to offset the cost of transportation to and from Veterans Upward Bound classes. Program participants also are provided access to an online, self-paced tutorial program in which they can progress through various academic subjects and lessons on their own schedule.
Veterans Upward Bound is headquartered at Davis & Elkins College and provides services and materials free of charge to program participants throughout West Virginia. Veterans Upward Bound also acts as a resource and referral service. Most veterans are eligible.
For more information, call Curtis Pauley at 304-646-0684 or email pauleyc@dewv.edu, or visit the VUB website www.vubwv.org.
