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Veterans Program Extended at Germanna Community College

by | Jul 5, 2016 | Schools & Education

The U. S. Department of Labor has extended a grant that supports a Germanna Community College program helping veterans earn college credit for life experience, and pairing them with business mentors.

Germanna received $150,000 of the more than $3 million awarded to the Virginia Community College System in 2015. “The grant was to expire in March 2016, but the success of the program led to the extension,” said William T. Anderson, Germanna Veterans Mentor Program supervisor.

Anderson said Germanna has been finding new ways to grant student veterans credit for learning from their time in the military.

“The principal focus is the Joint Services Transcript, an official record of all occupations performed and courses taken by veterans while in the service,” Anderson said. “Germanna’s grant personnel have been working with faculty members to evaluate specific military occupations and map them to a certain set of courses, allowing any veteran with a particular occupation to earn credits towards their degree program.”

There also has been a related effort to expand credit-earning opportunities for students via standardized exams and portfolios, Anderson said. The grant has enabled Germanna to establish and fund portfolio programs for veterans with business experience to earn business credit for their prior learning, while reimbursements are now being offered to qualified veterans who attempt College Level Examination Program exams or DANTES Standardized Subject Tests for college credit at Germanna.

Since the grant project began, 21 students have been awarded college credits at Germanna

The career mentor program matches student veterans with other veterans in the community, who have successfully transitioned to civilian life. “The goal of this mentor program is for the student veteran to develop better life skills, and to enhance personal and professional growth,” Anderson said

When the spring semester ended in May, the Veteran Mentor Program had matched five mentor-mentee pairs.

Veterans and local business people interested in learning more should call Anderson at 540-834-1042 or email him at [email protected].

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