>> Hi, how you doing?

>> Doing great over here. So, Veterans Day just came and went, we had a lot of wonderful tributes throughout the area and an excellent car show put on yesterday. It's nice to celebrate the veterans really strongly once a year, but also to take care of their needs throughout the year, you know, every day of the year to treat our veterans as best as we possibly can. So, if we can you can start off with Cal State Channel Islands, talk about the Veterans Resource Center at CSUCI.

>> Sure. So, our center, it's really a place for student veterans, active military students, and then, depends of veterans to handout during the day. We provide coffee, they can come in and use computers, study there, they can just hang out in the lounge if they want to and talk. So, it's kind of a place to in-between classes to hang out. But, then also we provide of course, information about their GI Bill®, help them transition to the university, provide events and programming as well.

>> Yeah, for both of you, it was an interesting time for me when I was going to college. In my classes, and my classes were like about 77 to 81-ish, we had a lot of veterans that came through. And it was an interesting mix, because not only did you have people with military experience, you also had people who were maybe three, four, and five years older than the general student population. And that was, unique for the student and for the veterans that was coming back, and, you know, we all learned a lot as we went through the process of having classes together at the college level. So, with both of you, and if we could start off with Jay then go to Mike, what are your roles specifically at the center?

>> Yeah, so, my role really is to coordinate the efforts. I'm the only professional staff person and I do have some student staff that work for me. But, coordinate all the events, make sure that we're, up on the, most recent bills and things that have to do with student veterans, make sure that we know all the different benefits that they can receive. And then, we also want to be very aware of all the different resources on campus for our students and get them connected.

>> Mike, what do you do at the center?

>> I'm a student solely, so I just am here because it's my home base on campus.

>> Awesome, so you're just in there, how's it treating you so far?

>> The best [phonetic] center.

>> That's awesome. So, let's talk about some of the resources that are provided for students, and see, you know, how they are delivered by faculty and how they are received by students. So, Jay, if you'd go again first, please?

>> Sure. So, the resources that we provide, academic counseling, so they can, be prepared to know what kind of classes to take. We also have disabilities resources. So, if they have need to, have access to extra help, they can do that. Tutoring, we help-- -- We're kind of a one stop shop here to help them with all the resources that they need on campus. So, Mike, give us some of your unique challenges, that you have going through school.

>> Well, for me, there were a few things when I started, for sure, age, was definitely a factor. I, am older than most of my professors, actually, let alone the students. So, at first I was really self-conscious about that. And after a while I realized nobody cared, but initially I had some reservations about that. And because of that, you know, there was some concern about isolation, like who would I connect with on campus, and I really wanted to find a community. And I hadn't decided that it was going to be the Veteran Center, I just happened to walk in one day, and was really surprised to find there's a really great sense of community on campus around this vet center. So,for me, those are the two things.

>> Mike, let's talk about your major if you don't mind. What do you hope to do in the workforce after you graduate.

>> I'm studying music with an emphasis in Classical Music Theory, and I want to be a teacher. I'd like to teach music at a junior high school.

>> Wow, that'd be awesome, especially with classical music. I don't, boy, there's a-- -- Now, if, I got to ask, you're history for-- -- were you trained and on what instrument, as a youth? Okay. Apparently we lost the line, Kim, so, they actually have to call back.

>> Oh, no!

>> So, maybe you could fill in with, what you have to talk about, and I'll see if I can get that line back.

>> Okay, that sounds good. Basically, we've had the, yet another award, on our faculty. Assistant Professor of Management Maria Ballesteros-Sola, has been named Educator of the Year by the Western Ventura County Business Alliance. And the award was part of the city of Camarillo's 54th Annual Top 10 Community Awards. Ballesteros-Sola got the award for her creative teaching method, including a trip to her native [phonetic] Spain, she plans to make with her students. She has planned it earlier, but it god delayed because of the pandemic, in which they will be able to work with Social Business Organization Headquarters there. And she also developed courses with the University in Tiajuana. And, she routinely connects with the business community to help entrepreneurs move toward becoming a Certified B Corp, which is a designation for businesses that meet the highest standards for social and environmental standards. And congratulations to Maria Ballesteros-Sola. And, while you get them back on the line, I do have to say that we do have, a dog at the Veterans Center named Doc. He's a very sweet dog, he's known as a facility dog. And, the veterans can, and anyone can take him for a walk. And, the thing about dogs as, they're natural, they're sort of like natural furry therapists for everybody, but particularly for the veterans. You know, if you're stressed about class, or you're stressed about, you know, midterms, finals, whatever, just taking a walk with Doc does wonders. So, anyway--

>> Sounds awesome, we did get them back.

>> --yeah, oh good.

>> So, here we go. Gentleman, we are back, and let's, I just did want to complete that thought though with Mike. Classical Music, such an interesting topic, but much needed in the schools. What was your background?

>> Oh, I actually have a [inaudible], after ETSed out of the Army, I started working with a local theatre. And, originally had studied theater, moved to New York City, acted in New York City and was always doing music on the side. But I never studied, I never like really worked on theory or any like, the real roots of music. So, I wanted to go back to school for that reason.

>> Awesome. Great, great subject to teach the kids. Good path that you're on there, Mike. Is it important for students and veterans to connect with one another? Mike, you kind of addressed that, and if we could go to both of you. And, it was great when I was a kid, because we did, in my college years I had a whole bunch of veterans along with me. And that age difference, not as traumatic as you were talking Mike, but definitely there by like four or five years, maybe a few more. Let's talk about that interaction between the student. And, if we could start with you Jay, that'd be great.

>> Yeah. I think it's really important that, for both the veteran and, for just kind of our normal age students, general population, to get them to know each other. We do have a policy, we have an open policy at our center. So, any student can come in and have some coffee, or, you know, print some documents or whatever. So, yeah, I think it's important that the veterans don't become isolated only to themselves, that they do interact, and get to know all different students. And Mike, what is the benefit for you? What's it been between you and the students?

>> Well, for me, like the main thing really is, essentially the community. And, I would think for, I mean, I'm speaking in general terms, but mainly, like for any vet who has come of a combat situation, or peripheral to a combat situation, the idea of having sort of a home base on campus or some sense of community, to me is invaluable. Because like I said, I didn't really know where I was going to fit in, and I found that the Vet Center was it. And there's a, you know, the spectrum of people here is pretty wide, young, old, male, female, everybody's represented. But, there's like a, kind of an underlying sense of we're all in it together, and specific to this campus I will say, and this Vet Center, and I really appreciate that. So, the Veteran Center provides everything you need pretty much. They're supporting you, in a strong fashion, correct?

>> That's correct. I should add that I went to a junior college before I came here and they had a Vet Center that was, it was quite good, but it wasn't nearly as robust as [inaudible], the campus here. Because of the lounge, because of the service dog, and, because of all the food and Jay who puts everything together, it really makes a difference.

>> It's Jay and Doc I'm guessing. Is Doc the service doggie?

>> That's right.

>> Awesome. Great to have him along. So, let's talk about challenges that might be unique to veterans. Jay, if you'd start with that please? What's different for a veteran going through school, going through higher education, and then getting a job?

>> Yes. I think especially during this time with COVID, there's a high need for our student veterans to have structure. They come from a very high structure environment in the military, when they don't have that structure, during COVID again, when they had to do things on their own it was very difficult. So, providing that structure to them, helping them to build structure where there isn't in their life, is something unique to them. And, it's again, something that we help them with.

>> And Mike, what are you saying as challenges through education, and then you're career.

>> Specific to veterans, I would think, well, for sure coming to a university after deployment would be, probably, dealing with that switch going from military life to university life, which is totally different in all aspects. And also, it's worth mentioning if there were any physical or mental health issues as well, that certainly would be a challenge, you know, where a veteran center could really, really help a student moving forward. I would say, those are two specific challenges I think that are worth mentioning.

>> Yeah, but that's got to, play in your favor a lot too, because I was the most undisciplined person in the world through my college years. And, I think I could have used some of that education you clearly got from your military experience. So, gentleman, great speaking with both of you. How many students are served? How many student veterans are served at the campus?

>> We have about 100 student veterans.

>> Wow.

>> And then, about 250 dependents of veterans who also can get benefits from the state.

>> How about male, female, is there a bit of a mix there too?

>> There is a big difference there, it's even a little bit more than the military, there is a higher percentage, it's probably about 2/3 male to 1/3 female. Okay. Well, I'd like to thank both of you for joining us, and especially Mike, thank you for your service to this country. I know they're treating you well there, and I hope you have great success in your, endeavor to become a classical music teacher for those kids, that sounds fantastic. And Also, Jay Derrico, the Assistant Director of the Veterans Affairs Program at Cal State Channel Islands. Thank you again for joining us here, it's greatly appreciated at KVTA, thank you for work.

>> Thank you, all right, take care.

>> And Kim, thank you for setting up this great interview as always from Cal State Channel Islands.

>> Hey, you're welcome Spence, and an Air Force brat I was more than happy to do it.

>> Yeah, I was just a brat. That's all, just natural brat for me. Well, thank you very much, that was great. After Veterans Day, we have to remember that this continues to service our veterans as well as we possibly can, at 8:51 here at KVTA.