Lewis University is partnering with Joliet Junior College and College of DuPage to enhance student veteran retention and educational success. The new program “Student Veteran Peer to Peer Mentorship Model from Community College to 4-Year University” is set to begin fall 2017 and sponsored by a $50,000 McCormick Foundation grant.
“This program enables us to connect with nearly 2,000 student veterans and better assist them through their entire process of attending a community college or Four-Year University. For those interested in a four-year degree at the community college level, they can have a better understanding of how to make the transition,” Roman Ortega Jr., director of Lewis University Veteran Affairs, commented. Veteran support from Lewis University directly benefits more than 500 veterans, service members, cadets, and military family members currently enrolled in Lewis University.
Student Veteran Peer to Peer Mentorship Model from Community College to 4-Year University will engage student veterans early in their college education and continue through their degree completion at their respective institutions. Lewis University, Joliet Junior College and the College of DuPage will connect through programming and peer mentorship opportunities. The one-on-one support component of the program will assist student veterans as they navigate college life, identify challenges they are facing, refer them to the appropriate resource on or off campus, and provide ongoing support to their academic and personal ventures.
For more information, contact Roman Ortega Jr. at ortegaro@lewisu.edu or call (815)836-5339 to learn more about the Office of Veterans’ Affairs at Lewis University.