The College of the Canyons Veteran Program was awarded a $200,000 grant by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, which is set to be used toward accommodating the growing amount of veterans attending the school.

More than 600 veterans and dependents enroll at COC annually, according to school officials, and since the 2012-13 graduation, completion rates have increased by 142 percent.      

“The funding will be used to establish new and enhanced services for veterans and dependents of veterans,” said Renard Thomas, director of the Veterans Resource Center. “With the projected growth of the Canyon Country community, one of our priorities is to improve services and access at the Veterans Resource Office on the Canyon Country campus.”

Veterans already have access to services such as advisement, academic counseling, free tutoring and more through the Veteran Resource Center at the Valencia campus and the Veterans Resource Office at the Canyon Country campus.

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But the grant will now help pay for more staff and faculty trainings to ensure they know the best ways to support student veterans, as well fund an increased number of office hours at the Canyon Country campus to improve veteran accessibility.  

The veterans certification process is set to be improved through the reorganization of staff and creation of a more sophisticated communication system that is intended to engage students at every step of enrollment, from first contact to registration, according to officials.  

An online orientation program will also allow veterans outside of the area to access their education benefits while they are exiting the military.

The grant funding was awarded to eligible colleges through a competitive process. In total, $8.5 million was awarded to 59 colleges by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors.

California community colleges have an annual average enrollment of 80,000 veterans and active duty service members, making it necessary for these schools to provide programs, faculty and staff that can guide them towards success and contribute to their well-being, officials said.

For more information about the COC Veteran Resource Center, visit the department’s web page here.

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