New Veterans Center in the Works
Military veterans pursuing their education at Palm Beach State College will soon have a new place to connect. The College is converting a former Criminal Justice building on the Lake Worth campus into the Veterans Resource Center, opening spring 2018.
The new center, which will replace the existing center in the Paul J. Glynn building, is made possible through an $800,000 one-time appropriation approved by the Florida Legislature in 2016 and sponsored by former State Senator Maria Sachs, a champion of veterans.
The new facility will feature a lounge for social and recreational activities, a computer lab and study areas. Student veterans will find services ranging from tutoring and academic advising to financial aid assistance, benefits counseling and disability services. It also will function as a venue for faculty training to enhance understanding and responsiveness to student veterans.
Matt Watkins, PBSC’s veterans affairs coordinator, was hired to run the new center as well as collegewide veterans programming. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran who has more than nine years of college experience helping veterans use their G.I. Bill benefits. “The idea for this resource center is for veterans to have a one-stop shop for everything they would need at the College and from the community,” Watkins said. “It will be a place where veterans can feel at home and get support.”
Visit Veterans Services to learn about resources college wide.