Campus representatives, who play a vital role in serving active military and veteran students at member and prospective member institutions in the Interstate Passport Network, convened July 17-18 at WICHE in Boulder, CO, to discover how earning a Passport could help students from these mobile populations.
The purpose of this workshop was for attendees to learn about the current status of Interstate Passport and how the program can assist active military and veteran students through the transfer process. By training these 31 advisors to train other advisors on their campuses, staff hope to ensure that students across the Network are hearing a consistent message regarding the benefits that Interstate Passport provides. Other topics on the workshop program included the perspectives of Education Service Officers on some of the best practices for educating airmen; successful strategies and lessons learned in advising veterans, family members and active duty students; and unique programs and online offerings for military and veteran students available from participating institutions.
Noted presenters from the Air Force included Dr. R Joel Farrell, chief of academic analytics for Air University; Cheryl Holt, Ellsworth Air Force Base education services specialist; and Dr. William Kono, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam’s senior civilian advisor.
Tony Flores, program coordinator of Utah State University’s Veterans Resource Office, stated that “the workshop gave us the opportunity to focus on this highly mobile population that is often negatively affected by transfer and how earning a Passport provides an opportunity to minimize these effects. Membership in the Interstate Passport Network can assist veterans, service members, and their dependents at our institutions. The more that we can highlight this opportunity for our students and encourage expansion of the Network will be the key.”