Campus & Community

The Veterans Resource Center on the Palm Beach Gardens campus has a new 529-square-foot home to better accommodate its growing number of student veterans.

The center, formerly located on the second floor of the library, is now in the Burt Reynolds Student Center, Room 134 adjacent to the Student Services Lounge.

“This location is a premier spot on our campus and will be much more convenient for our veterans as it is close to advising, the cafeteria, bookstore and student activities,” said Dr. Tunjarnika Coleman-Ferrell, provost and dean of the Palm Beach Gardens campus. “Our student veterans population continues to grow, and we want to make sure all of our services are easily accessible to them to ensure their success.”

According to Ashton Davis, student development advisor for veterans, the new space features a conference room where the student veterans club and other clubs can gather and organizations can come and give presentations. It also features seven additional computers over the previous location for a total of 10, two printers, a state-of-the-art projector and sound system, webcams, Skype capabilities and a mounted 55-inch television.

Student Veterans Club President Trace Tidell and Vice President Fredye Mendez helped coordinate the move with other PBSC staff members.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held June 6 for the new space. Those in attendance included community partners Executive Director Michael Durkee and Veterans Case Manager Alana Leon from the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund and William McCaw, life member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, who will be volunteering at the center. Other community partners include Island Dolphin Care and Ibis Friends of Veterans. On campus partners are the Career Center and Counseling Center.

The center is one of the reasons that Palm Beach State has received recognition year after year for its service to veterans.

Earlier this month, the College was selected for the second straight year as a Military Spouse Friendly School by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community.

In January, the College earned national top 10 rankings from two prestigious military publishers for the second consecutive year. Viqtory and Military Times placed PBSC fourth and seventh respectively on their lists of the best higher education institutions for veterans, which in turn makes PBSC the highest-ranking Florida school in its category.

The Palm Beach Gardens campus currently serves 225 student veterans. The center is currently open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The College also offers a 2,300-square-foot Veterans Success Center on its Lake Worth campus and a Veterans Resource Center on the Boca Raton campus.

Visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/VeteransServices for more information.