U of I bridges gap to help veterans

U of I bridges gap to help veterans

The Oct. 22 lead story about the suicide of Elk Grove Village native and Marine veteran Jeremy P. Sears brought to light the struggle veterans face when returning home.

Veterans often suffer from cultural shock and mental/physical injuries. Adjusting to life becomes a big challenge as veterans must consider the plan for the rest of their life, like choosing a career. But what about obtaining careers that require diplomas?

Go to college? Easier said than done, especially for recovering veterans.

Therefore, praise is well-deserved for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and their fall 2015 opening of the Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education.

Already, U of I famously provides students with disabilities access to all facilities and classes even ranking No. 1 as the most disability friendly U.S. campus.

This center will open more doors to veterans by providing rehabilitation services, private/family counseling, and employment counseling. There is even assistance in the application process for federal and state veteran benefits as well as numerous educational scholarships.

U of I earnestly desires to help veterans receive an education by offering an individualized curriculum, tutoring, and bridge courses. In general, they want to see their students have a successful life.

This is the kind of program veterans have been waiting for and have deserved for a long time. Hopefully, we can see more of these centers open at colleges and communities nationwide.

Kelsey Neumann

Glen Ellyn