Palomar Opens New Veterans Resource Center with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

Mar 16, 2018

‘One-stop shop’ 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.

Pictured above: the staff of the Veterans Resource Center at Palomar College celebrates the official opening of their new facility on Friday, March 16.

SAN MARCOS, CA ― Palomar College officials unveiled the new Veterans Resource Center at the San Marcos campus during a ceremony on Friday, 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 includes 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 Friday’s 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.

The Veterans Resource Center includes a lounge (left) and a dedicated tutoring room (right) with sliding glass doors.

For more information about the Veterans Resource Center at Palomar College, please visit https://www.palomar.edu/veterans/.

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Media contacts:

Laura Gropen, Public Affairs, lgropen@palomar.edu, 760-744-1150 x2152

Tom Pfingsten, Public Affairs, tpfingsten@palomar.edu, 760-744-1150 x2960