HOUSTON – Jason Ward, a Houston Community College (HCC) student, knows firsthand about the difficulty of re-entering today’s world following years of military service. The transition to life as a civilian was extremely tough for the Marine veteran, who went from supporting a mission in Japan to getting fired 5 times from bartending jobs in Houston. The situation left him broke and homeless.
“I let life hit me real hard,” said Ward. “Coming out of the military, getting terminated so many times, and losing your apartment, you really are on the bottom. It was almost unreal.”
Hitting rock bottom is what motivated Ward to enroll at HCC, where he discovered a whole new world filled with opportunities for veterans. Today, Ward is on top. He attends class full-time, works three jobs, including one through the HCC Veterans Work-study Allowance Program, and dedicates his spare time to mentoring and volunteering with several veterans’ organizations. The veteran community at HCC is taking notice of Ward and his achievements. He recently received an award for excellence in veteran service and leadership by the Veterans Diversity Resource Group under the HCC Diversity and Inclusion Council.
“You won’t live forever. The opportunity to make a better life for yourself is now,” said Ward. “Don’t be stagnant; keep moving and give back. Your service to others should never stop.”
Ward and hundreds of veterans with their own stories were honored at the recent Veterans Day tribute at HCC. There are 3,139 members of the veteran student community currently enrolled at the college. The veteran community includes spouses, spouses of active duty military personnel and their dependents. Veterans who attended the “Stand and Be Counted” ceremony were commemorated and celebrated for their efforts with special tokens of appreciation.
“They served, they worked, they fought, and our nation is better off because of it,” said Dr. William Harmon, HCC Central Campus President and Army Veteran. “When you are here, please know you are home and among friends.”
HCC Chancellor Dr. Cesar Maldonado read a Veterans Day Proclamation and thanked the veteran men and women for their service.
“We are building at HCC a culture of respect for all students that should include a culture of recognition for veterans,” said Dr. Maldonado. “The talent that veterans have when they leave service is something that our society isn’t grasping and putting to productive use. That is something HCC is committed to doing.”
HCC has several programs that support the veteran community. There are four VA Resource Centers across the system for students to connect with VA-trained professional staff, network, study, and receive counseling to help with family crises and readjustment issues. HCC is one of only 94 U.S. college campuses that are designated as VetsSuccess on Campus sites by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The distinction was earned due to our campus leadership support, established relationship with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and our strong support services for veterans. This program enables the VA Resource Centers to offer a full-time VA employee to help both current and prospective students with academic and personal matters.
There are scholarships available for veterans through the HCC Foundation and the Texas Workforce Commission and job fairs for veterans seeking employment or for those who want to learn about academic and workforce programs offered at HCC.
“All that we do day in and day out is to support your academic and institutional success at Houston Community College,” said Dr. Cephas Archie, interim director, Veterans Affairs and Student Services. “We are committed to increasing the quality and quantity of the academic experience for all veterans here including students, faculty and staff.”
For more information about opportunities for veterans at HCC, please visit hccs.edu/veterans.
