Veteran resources acknowledged for third year

Matthew Lozano
News Editor

Cuesta College was designated a 2015 Military Friendly School by Victory Media,This marks the third year Cuesta has been designated a Military Friendly School.

The Military Friendly  Schools designation is awarded to the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace military students, and to dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom and after graduation.

“This college is definitely more hands on with veterans then the last college I attended.” Tyler Horrigan, a second semester nuclear engineer major who served in the Air Force said. “The staff is always willing and motivated to work with us and make an attempt to help us with any needs we may have”

Cuesta currently serves more than 700 veterans annually and has a dedicated Veterans Resource Center on the San Luis Obispo Campus in building 3100. There veterans, reservists and military dependents as well as prospective students with military

experience can learn about available benefits, connect with others in a safe and friendly environment, and become active in other aspects of campus life.

Through such features as the Student Veterans Association, a club on campus which supports the veterans on and off Cuesta through weekly meetings and fundraisers.

“I think it’s great Cuesta has made it three years, a lot of that has to do with the work of Karen Andrews and the great student veterans we have here.”Student Veteran Association advisor, Thomas Patchell said.

Karen Andrews is Cuestas Veteran Resource Center Coordinator,  “The Resource Center is the beating heart of the Cuesta’s veteran community and provides an atmosphere of empathy and respect borne of shared experiences,” said Andrews. “We strive to offer one-on-one assistance that hopefully will ensure our many veterans have a positive experience here as well as feel supported through their educational journey.”

Cuesta also offers some veterans free parking permits through the “Mike” program, in honor of former Cuesta College student and Army National Guardsman Mike Mihalakis, who was killed in 2003 while serving in Iraq.

“For veterans, Cuesta, I think, is a good decompressional environment, with the friendly atmosphere around town and environmental accessibility, from mountains to beaches, it’s just great,” said Cody Bynes, a Marine and  second semester engineer major.