“GI Bill helping local colleges fill classrooms - Star News Online”

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GI Bill helping local colleges fill classrooms - Star News Online Posted: 20 May 2010 04:56 PM PDT Thigpen didn't stand out, unless you knew what you were looking for. At 32, he's a little older than the average undergraduate, clean cut and serious looking. He stares you in the eye when he talks to you and he's passionate about his studies. While those attributes aren't common to most traditional undergrads, they are to the increasing number of military veterans like Thigpen who are entering schools of higher education. "I want to have my CPA and a law degree," Thigpen said. "Really, it's the military that's given me the opportunity to move forward." According to the American Council on Education, in 2007-2008 military undergraduates made up about 4 percent of all undergrads, of which about 85 percent are 24 or older. Some 660,000 veterans and about 215,000 active duty military personnel were enrolled in undergraduate education in the United States as of Sept. 30, 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. From 2000 to 2007, the number of veterans in undergraduate programs rose by 1,830 students, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Although more recent statistics are not available, it's evident that those numbers have already increased significantly. America's fight in two long wars is creating a surge of young veterans eligible for education benefits. And the benefits are becoming more tempting. The new "Post 9/11 G.I. Bill" went into effect Aug. 1 of last year, which generally provides military undergraduates more money and does not require veterans to contribute funds to receive education benefits. In addition, benefits are available for 15 years after military service ends instead of just 10 years afterward, which differs from the still-available Montgomery G.I. Bill. The effect of this new bill is easily seen locally. At Cape Fear Community College, the increase in veterans and military personnel has been gradual. Carol Cullum, vice president of student development at CFCC, said 300 veterans attend CFCC, up from 225 veterans at the school in 2001. At UNCW, however, the increase has been more pronounced. "I can tell you that applications just from last year to this year are up dramatically. Not just up by 50 percent or 100 percent, you're talking up by 150 to 200 percent," said Ann Marie Beall, associate director of the UNCW office of admissions. "We're not talking thousands, but we're talking you might have 20 applicants before. Now you have 200 applicants in comparison." UNCW did not even keep records of their number of veterans until about two years ago when this spike began to manifest itself. An increase in a new demographic with new needs, means a few growing pains for the schools and veterans are inevitable. Many schools, such as UNCW and CFCC, are coming up with creative ways to meet the needs of this growing population, including adding special services, mentoring opportunities and veteran-specific meeting areas. John Ward, a veteran and instructor of criminal justice at CFCC, said veterans in his classes stick out in very positive ways. "They bring a real-world outlook into the classroom," he said. "Most of them are very, very high-scoring students . . . They're almost like they're on a mission." Usually, this difference works out well for everyone. Sometimes, however, it doesn't. Dealing with the stress of getting into college and adjusting to a new lifestyle is difficult enough for a traditional student straight out of high school. But the colleges and the students must also cope with the additional stress of someone moving from a combat environment to a classroom environment within a relatively short period of time. Ward said he sees veterans frustrated with the lack of seriousness some students have in their studies. They also become frustrated at the pace of classes. He said he's had to remind veterans that there has to be a balance in how quickly material is learned so that everyone has a chance to learn it. Carol Cullum, the vice president of student development at CFCC, said her office has seen veterans who have a difficult time making the adjustment from battlefield to classroom. Some might need to sit in the back of the class or they might become irritated at loud noises. "They're just having difficulty coping," she said. "I don't necessarily mean that it was in the classroom. I think that it became apparent in the classroom." For some vets, like Thigpen, a sergeant in the North Carolina National Guard, the transition has been fairly easy. He attended N.C. State and UNCW before entering the service, so he knew what to expect. But, he said, it took his family to point out how military training, combat experience in Iraq and having children had changed him. He's more focused, goal-driven and has a different perspective on life than the average person. And he has had to adjust to college life and to classmates with no military background. "They don't know what the world really holds and most will not know what the world really holds until one or two years after they graduate," he said. "And I've been there." Amy Hotz: 343-2099 On Twitter.com: @AmyHotz Five Filters featured article: The Art of Looking Prime Ministerial - The 2010 UK General Election. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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