Phoenix Battalion recruiter Staff Sgt. Michael Stone talks with high school students at the University of New Mexico. The Army worked with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities to gvie Hispanic students a preview college and campus life. Photo courtesy of HACU.
Phoenix
Battalion, HACU Get College on Hispanic Students' Radar
By Mike Scheck, USAREC, Phoenix Battalion
Oct. 24, 2014
Inspiring Hispanic high school students to attend college is the goal of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. Helping those students pay for an education is a goal of the U.S. Army.
The two organizations found a way to work together to achieve their common goal.
“When the U.S. Army approached HACU in 2009 about ways it could diversify its leadership, one of the easiest solutions was university tours,” said Jeanette Morales, HACU director for K - 12 Initiatives.
HACU and the Army hosted a college tour at the University of New Mexico campus Sept 8 - 11, for more than 350 students from around the state.
“Although Hispanic students understand the value of college, most view a campus as a surreal place,” said Morales. “For the majority of the students we invite to these tours, it is the first time they have set foot on a university campus. The students are usually the first in their family to finish high school and have little to no experience with the college admissions process.”
Phoenix Battalion recruiter Staff Sgt. Michael Stone served as a mentor during the campus visit. Even though he found that some students still held a stereotypical misconception about military service – being the job option of last resort - he got very positive student feedback.
“Students were very interested in the various Army tech jobs,” Stone said. “Students were most interested in finding out about challenging Army jobs that would help them in college and how serving in these positions part-time in the Army Reserve would help pay for college. Recruiters constantly stress Army educational benefits to students, since these are opportunities that will enhance and change their lives.”
Morales thinks most Hispanic students lack a basic understanding of how an Army enlistment can help them pay for college.
“They are familiar with the military recruiters they see on campus but are not aware of the different options they have to utilize the military for education and a career beyond their enlistment,” she said.
The week long campus visit gave the students a taste of college life.
“University personnel provided helpful information on financial aid, admissions, scholarships and student life specific to their university,” said Morales “The information is general enough that students can apply the information to any college or university. We hope that when high school students are ready for their college search, they feel comfortable to take the next step to gather in-depth information or visit other universities.”
Stone shared his own personal experiences about achieving his educational goals while in the Army. “I’ve earned over 40 semester hours using the Army’s tuition assistance program. My goal is to complete my bachelor’s degree and work toward my masters before I retire from the Army.” He said, “I’ve also learned many life lessons and gained many leadership skills performing my job. I wouldn’t have been able to buy that training anywhere.”
Morales believes having the Army presence during the campus visits provides students with real-world knowledge on the importance of higher education.
“Soldiers stress how the military has changed their lives by financing their education and jump starting their career, but most importantly, how it empowered them to be an instrument of change to those around them,” she said. “Financing an education continues to be an obstacle in attaining a college degree and it’s important for students to know they have options and that a college degree is possible.”
By Mike Scheck, USAREC, Phoenix Battalion
Oct. 24, 2014
Inspiring Hispanic high school students to attend college is the goal of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. Helping those students pay for an education is a goal of the U.S. Army.
The two organizations found a way to work together to achieve their common goal.
“When the U.S. Army approached HACU in 2009 about ways it could diversify its leadership, one of the easiest solutions was university tours,” said Jeanette Morales, HACU director for K - 12 Initiatives.
HACU and the Army hosted a college tour at the University of New Mexico campus Sept 8 - 11, for more than 350 students from around the state.
“Although Hispanic students understand the value of college, most view a campus as a surreal place,” said Morales. “For the majority of the students we invite to these tours, it is the first time they have set foot on a university campus. The students are usually the first in their family to finish high school and have little to no experience with the college admissions process.”
Phoenix Battalion recruiter Staff Sgt. Michael Stone served as a mentor during the campus visit. Even though he found that some students still held a stereotypical misconception about military service – being the job option of last resort - he got very positive student feedback.
“Students were very interested in the various Army tech jobs,” Stone said. “Students were most interested in finding out about challenging Army jobs that would help them in college and how serving in these positions part-time in the Army Reserve would help pay for college. Recruiters constantly stress Army educational benefits to students, since these are opportunities that will enhance and change their lives.”
Morales thinks most Hispanic students lack a basic understanding of how an Army enlistment can help them pay for college.
“They are familiar with the military recruiters they see on campus but are not aware of the different options they have to utilize the military for education and a career beyond their enlistment,” she said.
The week long campus visit gave the students a taste of college life.
“University personnel provided helpful information on financial aid, admissions, scholarships and student life specific to their university,” said Morales “The information is general enough that students can apply the information to any college or university. We hope that when high school students are ready for their college search, they feel comfortable to take the next step to gather in-depth information or visit other universities.”
Stone shared his own personal experiences about achieving his educational goals while in the Army. “I’ve earned over 40 semester hours using the Army’s tuition assistance program. My goal is to complete my bachelor’s degree and work toward my masters before I retire from the Army.” He said, “I’ve also learned many life lessons and gained many leadership skills performing my job. I wouldn’t have been able to buy that training anywhere.”
Morales believes having the Army presence during the campus visits provides students with real-world knowledge on the importance of higher education.
“Soldiers stress how the military has changed their lives by financing their education and jump starting their career, but most importantly, how it empowered them to be an instrument of change to those around them,” she said. “Financing an education continues to be an obstacle in attaining a college degree and it’s important for students to know they have options and that a college degree is possible.”