Yakima Valley College offers support to veterans pursing higher education
Over the past five years, more than 500 veterans and veteran dependents have prepared for new careers following their military service though Yakima Valley College’s Veterans Program, which helps service men and women receive assistance and support using their GI Bill® benefits. Students such as Jeremy Allgaier have used YVC’s program to earn a post-secondary credential and prepare for well-paying, in-demand careers in the Yakima Valley.
“I give this advice from someone who started school at 36 — it’s never too late — if you have something you’d like to pursue that requires a degree, pursue it,” says Allgaier, who served in the Army National Guard and is training to become a radiologic technologist. “Get your community supporting you and go for it. I’m so happy I get to be in patient care rather than in sales and I couldn’t have done it without taking that scary step of getting into classes and driving through my fear to make it happen.”
Allgaier hopes other students take advantage of veteran’s benefits.
“The Army National Guard is the only way my family is able to afford this. They have such great funding help it makes it a no brainer to be able to afford school. The cost of time is far less than the rewards you receive,” he continued.
“YVC has been extremely successful in helping veterans of all ages succeed in a college atmosphere,” said Veterans Coordinator Chris Kinzell. “Our staff and advisors think very highly of the veteran population and tutoring and education and degree counseling is available to students.”
Kinzell also said that YVC’s veteran graduation rate is the highest among the student population and the college has been designated as a Military Friendly® School.
“YVC offers military veterans and their families services like education benefits and other resource information and help with financial aid assistance along with their military benefits,” continued Kinzell. “We support students in the application process for VA Education Benefits, assist with the application and enrollment process at YVC, help with financial aid benefits, and provide mentoring and support to students throughout the duration of their studies. In addition, several children and spouses of veterans are receiving support while attending Yakima Valley College.”
Veterans are eligible for more than 50 associate and bachelor degree options and more than 100 short-term certificates of achievement offered at YVC, including opportunities for transfer to four-year institutions. For more information about YVC’s Veterans Program contact Chris Kinzell at 509.574.4715 or ckinzell@yvcc.edu.
Press Release Contacts:
Dustin Wunderlich / 509.574.6870 / dwunderlich@yvcc.edu
Stefanie Menard / 509.574.4646 / smenard@yvcc.edu