Veterans Success Center expands counseling services
December 2, 2013
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Starting today, the Collegiate Veterans Success Center at the University of Florida is a host site for a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs program to better serve veterans now in college.
Counselors in the VetSuccess on Campus, or VSOC, Program help ease veterans’ transition to student life and assist them in achieving their educational and career goals through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Post-9/11 GI Bill and other education benefit programs.
Charlotte Kemper, UF’s VSOC counselor, will be working each week at the Collegiate Veterans Success Center in Yon Hall Room 415 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays and 8 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays. Kemper will provide the following assistance for student veterans at UF:
- Information on VA educational benefits
- Understanding and applying for Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Chapter 31)
- Vocational exploration and career counseling services (Chapter 36)
- Information on college credit for military experience and training
- Information on applying for other VA benefits to include disability compensation, life insurance and home loan guaranty
- Assistance with electing healthcare benefits through the Veterans Health Administration
- Information and referrals for VA medical and mental health services
- Referrals to the local Vet Center for readjustment counseling services
- Referrals to on-campus, community, and VA resources to ensure academic success
- Guidance and support while using VA educational benefits
- Employment information and assistance
- Student Veteran peer mentoring and tutoring services
For more information about the program, watch the YouTube video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdDWdgClSPY.
The Collegiate Veterans Success Center opened in April 2013 to serve student veterans at UF by providing a designated location on campus for them to study, meet with on- and off-campus resources, and to spend time with and support each other in a fun and relaxing space.
For additional information about the center, contact Anthony DeSantis, associate dean of students, 352-392-0895, or anthonyd@dso.ufl.edu.