Palomar opens new Veterans Resource Center with ribbon-cutting ceremony

SAN MARCOS - Palomar College officials unveiled the new Veterans Resource Center at the San Marcos campus during a ceremony on March 16. The new center combines functions and activities that were previously housed separately on campus into one centralized space, creating a one-stop shop for Palomar's military-affiliated students.

The new space delivers counseling, tutoring, benefits assistance and more to Palomar's military-affiliated students - a thriving community of approximately 4,000 veterans, active-duty service members and military dependents, including multiple self-service computer stations for veterans to utilize in a large open space as well as a private study area and lounge.

The college's Veterans Services staff have private offices in the center, as well as a file/break room. All furniture for the space was graciously donated by bkm OfficeWorks.

"It isn't just about processing V.A. benefits," said Veterans Services Supervisor Jessica Horn. "It's the place where every military-affiliated student on campus has a family and a support system."

Having served approximately 5,000 visits since its soft opening in January, the Center provides veteran-to-veteran tutoring, peer-to-peer mentoring, behavioral health counseling, V.A. benefit certification, academic counseling and veteran-oriented workshops.

During the March 16 ceremony, a number of college officials who are themselves veterans honored the Palomar military community in their comments.

"It's really exciting today that we're able, in a small way, to give something back for all they've done for us," said Palomar Community College District Governing Board President Paul McNamara, who is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel.

For more information about the Veterans Resource Center at Palomar College, please visit www2.palomar.edu/pages/veterans/.