How the CSU Helps Student Veterans Thrive After Service

This Veterans Day, we honor the thousands of student veterans and military-connected students who bring resilience, leadership and a spirit of service to the California State University. Behind the scenes, dedicated staff and directors work tirelessly to ensure these students thrive by helping them navigate GI Bill benefits, excel in the classroom and prepare for meaningful careers after graduation. 

We talked with CSU veterans services leaders to learn how they create community, foster belonging and support the success of those who have served.

What lessons from your military experience do you carry into your work at the CSU?

M. Thomas: My service provided a foundation upon which I have built my personal and professional life. While not every military experience has a parallel in civilian life, much has been written about the intangible qualities service in the military helps servicemembers develop. I encourage you to Google “JJ DID TIE BUCKLE" (an acronym for the 14 Marine Corps leadership traits—which recently had “empathy" acknowledged as an additional E). These qualities translate well into a civilian career, and I hope that I embody each of them. 

A. Ortega: The two most important lessons I learned in my time with the Army are the importance of putting the mission first and of community/camaraderie. In the CSU system, we put the students first. Their welfare is at the forefront of what we focus on in our department here at CSUF. Ensuring that we advocate for and support our students in every instance possible is fundamentally important. I also carry the importance of community into my work. It is our job to create a space for them on campus where they have access to peer support and professionals who understand the complex challenges some of them may face. Building a strong and caring community is something I bring with me day in and day out.  

C. Ramirez: Being in the Marines taught me attention to detail and being able to see the full picture. When veterans come to us and say, “I want to enroll," there is some investigative work needed to figure out how we can best help that student—available benefits, admission qualifications, career goals, etc. It makes it fun because no two days are the same. I also served as a recruiter for three years, which taught me customer service, outreach and independence, which also served me well as I oversee recruiting efforts. 

G. Young: Understanding the importance of commitment and trust between service members by being an active member of a military service family was the most important lesson/experience that I have carried with me into my work at CSUMB. Sharing my story as an army spouse with new veteran students on our campus has afforded me a quick way to connect directly with them on a "military family" level and build trust. They realize and respect that I have an understanding of their service in a more direct way than civilians with no military experience. 

R. Felix: The Air Force taught me to pay attention to detail, put service before self, and the importance of being part of something greater than myself. The work ethic, core values and leadership gained during military service are what I have brought over to the CSU. 

How does your work and/or your campus veterans center contribute to student success? 

M. Thomas: In my role as systemwide director of Veterans Affairs, I support the people who serve students at the Veterans Resource Centers at each of our 22 campuses*. I coordinate monthly systemwide meetings and lead an annual systemwide professional development conference. It's my responsibility to track proposed legislation at both the state and federal level and provide guidance to campuses when new legislation is signed into law or new regulations are adopted. I also have the privilege of providing military cultural awareness training for CSU faculty and staff around the system. 

A. Ramirez: As director of CSUSB's veterans center, I oversee compliance with state and federal regulations, accreditation and school policies related to military-connected students, but I am also responsible for advocating for the needs of that group, among other responsibilities. That's part of my commitment to our students: When leadership is having conversations about policies that impact students, I'm their veteran representative 

A. Ortega: We [at CSUF] focus on an “In-Through-Out" model. So, we support students before they even step on campus by providing Cal State Apply workshops and campus tours. We support them while they're here by providing various programs that assist with retention—including a peer mentorship program called PAVE (Peer Advisor for Veteran Education)—and through our women and family programs that support our military-connected population. We also support our students during the “out" process, making sure that as they get closer to graduation they are prepared to enter the workforce by hosting LinkedIn and resume workshops, and by providing graduate school support. 

C. Ramirez: A big part of my job is outreach and recruitment, so we attend education fairs at community colleges and on base. Supporting staff and faculty is another big part of my role. We educate them about what it means for a student to use benefits—why they need to be full-time, why classes must count toward their degree, etc. Faculty often reach out with questions, and I explain the requirements so they can help students without added stress. Sometimes I don't have the answer, but I know who does, and connecting students to the right resource is key.

G. Young: Our Veterans Resource Center at CSUMB provides veterans a place to meet and make a connection with each other outside the classroom. One of our campus priorities is helping students build a campus connection and gain a sense of belonging, and I have found that many of our veterans students, as part of the nontraditional student population, enjoy studying and connecting with each other away from the larger campus community. Our VRC is a welcoming space for all military-connected students. We intentionally host a welcome event every semester where current veteran students, staff and faculty are invited to welcome the new students and start building those supportive connections on day one.​

R. Felix: I believe in the community of our military-connected students, as I once was a student here at CSUCI, and I find ways to help them feel appreciated and part of the overall campus community. I started the first-ever Veterans Day flag ceremony in conjunction with our campus police department, and I have a nonprofit, Reins of Hope, that brings mini horses on campus before finals to help relieve some of the stress.

How do you help students understand and use their GI Bill benefits effectively? 

A. Ramirez: We go beyond certifying classes. Our advisors educate students on maximizing benefits, like using financial aid first to save GI Bill funds for graduate school. We also guide them on career planning and discourage the “collect every credential" mindset some bring from the military. One degree can open doors, and students can always return for more later. The GI Bill covers tuition and basic needs, but the ecosystem around it—advising, counseling and informed decision-making—is just as important. We make sure students understand all options and pathways. 

A. Ortega: Many of our students rely on their GI Bill as their primary source of income, so making sure they know how to access their benefits is a priority for our department. We host orientations each semester, and a dedicated retention and success coordinator meets with our students to provide academic advising, advocate on their behalf with their Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) counselors and ensure they are aware of any VA GI Bill policy changes. 

C. Ramirez: A lot of students—including myself when I retired—don't understand the GI Bill's different programs and purposes: Montgomery GI Bill, Post-9/11 GI Bill, STEM extension, Fry Scholarship and more. We walk them through, step by step: apply, certify and know what it pays for. We explain details like monthly payments and breaks—if the semester ends December 13, January's payment will be partial, for example. We advise them to plan for slim months and consider summer classes to avoid gaps. Our goal is no surprises, because that's what helps them succeed. 

G. Young: I host webinars and make one-on-one appointments (virtual and in-person) each semester for incoming veteran and military-connected students. I provide general benefit information at the Campus Resource Fair during all major on-campus events (Open House, Admitted Otter Day, New Student Orientation). My goal is to assist all benefit-eligible students, and often their parents, in understanding how to apply for the VA benefits, what documentation they need to provide the campus once they have been awarded a benefit and how those benefits will work for them once they are enrolled. 

R. Felix: As someone who has served and used my GI Bill benefits, I have learned the ins and outs of effectively using and maximizing them. I have also brought much attention to the once little-known Chapter 31: Veteran Readiness and Employment. I counsel veterans with disabilities to switch to Chapter 31, which offers additional benefits that Chapter 33 does not and enables those who qualify to save Chapter 33 benefits for a graduate or higher degree program.  

How has your time spent at the CSU facilitated your career growth and/or professional development? 

A. Ramirez: My entire education has been publicly funded, from elementary school to the Navy to the community colleges and the CSU—and my time as both a CSU student and an employee has molded me into the professional that I am today. I was most impacted as a student by my work with my graduate advisor Christina Hassija, now dean of the CSUSB College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, who invited me to participate in her research on veterans.  

I'm very fortunate that CSUSB is supportive of veterans services, all the way up to the cabinet and president. I feel like the work I do is valued, and our students feel they are valued as well. 

A. Ortega: My time working in the CSU system, and specifically at CSUF, has been an incredible opportunity for both my professional and personal growth. As an Army veteran and Titan alum, coming back to serve the campus that supported me as a student veteran is deeply meaningful and rewarding.  Working with the VRC has allowed me to strengthen my leadership, communication and program development skills while continuing to serve those who have served. 

The CSU emphasizes the importance of access and opportunity, and in my current role, I can provide both to countless potential student veterans in the system. Overall, this role has helped me translate my military experience and education into a fulfilling career built around service, mentorship and impact, and I love every single second of it.

C. Ramirez: [Working at the CSU has] made me expand my career and think bigger picture, and in a different mindset. Being a student, working my way as a student worker, getting hired initially as entry level and then feeling my spot out has made me strive for professional growth. Just the fact that I've moved up from an SSP (Student Services Professional) and now I'm the assistant director is pretty good. It has made me want to aspire for some higher goals, and maybe some different degrees and certificates.

R. Felix:​ I have been working for CSUCI for almost nine years since graduating with my bachelor's in psychology. I have been the School Certifying Official (SCO) for over three years. I started as an emergency hire in our student systems department and progressed to the Transfer Credit Analyst role before being hired as the next SCO. My career growth continues as I work toward my master's in criminal justice at Cal State San Bernardino. I am using my employee fee waiver to continue my education and development.

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Learn more about CSU support for veterans and other military-connected students.​

*Transition to 22 universities in progress (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Maritime integrating)—official fall 2026.​​