This year, Election Day and Veterans Day fall within eight days of each other, connecting with powerful imagery at both ends of the cycle and linking them inextricably together. At the end of a divisive and often toxic political campaign, Election Day on November 3 reaffirmed for us—everyday Americans that we are—that we have the power to define or redefine our government…with ballots instead of bullets. No matter the outcome of these national elections, Veterans Day on November 11 reminds us that this democratic franchise—the right to vote—is not a luxury to be taken for granted. It is a privilege protected by the men and women in our Armed Forces.
As community college professionals, perhaps without knowing it, we commit to repaying the gift of freedom guaranteed to us by the nation’s veterans by offering them the best support we can give when they return to us as students. Having given up a portion of their lives serving their country, they often find their new role as civilians enrolling in college harder than they—or we—might wish. These veterans often need more than just a few hours of academic tutoring or membership in a campus Veterans Club to thrive in an often-unfamiliar environment.
Therefore, our college—along with all of our community college partners—makes a strategic priority of recruiting and supporting veterans, military personnel, and military family members, earning CCBC the designation of “Military Friendly” and “Best for Vets” for each of the past 20 years. As part of that strategy, we have been blessed to receive a federal grant to deliver focused support for veterans while also participating heavily in the Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP), designed to assist veterans to enroll in and earn short-term credentials.
We join in a nationwide salute to veterans across our country. Happy Veterans Day!
