Community College of Vermont Strengthens Support for Veterans

MONTPELIER, VT (03/22/2011)(readMedia)-- Chara Vincelette-Perocchi has joined the Community College of Vermont (CCV) in a newly created position, student resources advisor for veterans. Her work will support the veterans' advisors currently at each of CCV's 12 academic centers throughout the state, but a special focus of this part-time position is to help Vermont veterans navigate the complicated system of agencies and resources statewide.

"Students need to know that CCV is working hard to get them information that will help keep life balanced-not just in the educational setting," said Vincelette- Perocchi. "Veterans may not make it past the first few weeks of school if something isn't right at home, or if they are worried about how they are going to support their family."

Currently 270 CCV students receive veterans' educational benefits, more than any other college in Vermont except Norwich University. Enrollment for the spring semester is up 63 percent, and these numbers are expected to rise dramatically as more soldiers who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan take advantage of the new Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.

Vincelette-Perocchi lives in St. Albans with her husband and three children, and is based at the CCV-St. Albans academic center. She earned a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Columbia College in Columbia, MO. A veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, she is currently a member of the Vermont National Guard, and in her sixteen years with the Guard has served as public affairs executive officer, logistics officer, and mortuary affairs officer. She understands the special needs of veterans and their families.

Nationwide, veterans returning to the classroom have been identified as needing special support. CCV is already collecting data and analyzing access services and program offerings to increase student success and retention rates. Vincelette-Perocchi will be expanding these efforts for veterans, and will also develop training sessions on veterans' issues for CCV staff, faculty, and community partners.

The J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation, a supporting organization of the Vermont Community Foundation, recently awarded CCV a $55,000 grant to support expanded services to veterans. This grant is supporting the student resource advisor for veterans position. For more information on veterans programs at CCV visit http://www.ccv.edu/veterans_benefits/index.html.

Posted Tuesday March 22, 2011 at 02:19 pm by Community College of Vermont
Last Updated Thursday March 24, 2011 at 03:28 pm