Pacific University establishes Veteran’s Resource Center for growing number of veteran transfer students

Veterans have always had a presence on the Pacific University campus. In fact, the university states that they want to be inclusive and supportive by welcoming veterans and their families to be a part of the learning environment at Pacific.

Over the past few years, the veteran population on campus has appeared to increase, resulting in the designation of the Veteran’s Resource Center on campus.

The university has been provided with the resources necessary to help with house and some of the other services for veterans on campus thanks in large part to a donor in the Pacific community.

The administration, including President Lesley Hallick, enjoy seeing the veteran population on campus grow and feel the house will encourage more to come to Pacific.

“We’ve always welcomed veterans but this is the first time we have been organized about it,” Hallick said. “Many of them are transfer students from Rock Creek, because there seems to be sort of a leader from there who has recruited more of his friends to come to Pacific.”

As for the newly named resource center on campus, it is not currently house staffed but it is run by volunteers in the veteran’s club on campus. However, Hallick feels there is a possibility that may change in the future.

“With the resources we have through our donor, it may be possible to have like a student worker in the future to be a center point of the house like in other campus programs,” Hallick said.

According to Hallick, there is an increase in veteran transfer students that are also taking advantage of Pacific’s graduate program as well. Hallick and the administrative staff feel the increase is due in large part to the provided services Pacific offers specifically for veterans.

These services include The Office of Learning Support Services, which offers students support and accommodations for a variety of learning needs, Student counseling and health centers which provide psychologists specially trained to provide support for veterans, the Center for Civic Engagement, which can help veterans get connected with community organizations that support them in various ways, as well as many extra-curricular activities specifically for veterans.

“I think the increased number of veterans will add an interesting dimension to campus because the veterans tend to be a little bit older and settled in many ways,” Hallick said. “They are kind of like transfer students but often even more mature. Their presence is still small but it is definitely growing.”