USD Magazine Fall 2014

TORERO  NEWS

USD Veteran Student Services Coordinator Laura Paquian (center) is flanked by USD students (from left to right) Adrimarie Ramirez, Bethany Woloszyn-Redman, Ruben Orosco and Steve Leader.

[ b a s t i o n ] CLOSING THE GAP

New USD Ve t e r an ’ s Cen t e r s e r v e s t ho s e who s e r v e u s

by Mike Sauer

F

or the better part of three decades, Laura Paquian earned her stripes as an

that they’re typically unfamiliar with,” says Paquian, who now serves as USD’s veteran student services coordinator. “Life in the military is very regimented; in that kind of system, it’s very easy to find what you’re looking for. That’s not always the case in civilian life.” And in the case of the men and women who seek to advance their educational and career opportunities by returning to college after they rotate out of service, that transition can be jarring. Student veterans who may have been out of school for years — as well as those fresh out of the military — can find it challenging to connect with their new class- mates, who are often many years younger and unfamiliar with military culture. As if that hurdle isn’t high enough, there’s also the strug- gle to find their niche. A study at Arizona State University suggests the power of social relationships directly impacts a veteran’s decision to stay in school. Post-traumatic stress and multiple deployments are thought to unravel the ability of some to connect with their campus community — and sub- sequently stay in school long enough to earn their degrees. Since veteran’s priorities are often different from those of the typical college co-ed,

learned how vitally important it is to provide service men and women with the resources, support and encouragement they need to make a seamless and successful transition from

active-duty to civilian — even when they don’t ask for it. “One of the things you learn about veterans is that they typically don’t look for help; there’s a vulnerability in that,

educational counselor and career coach in the United States Navy. Along the way, she

TIM MANTOANI

10 USD MAGAZINE