Moraine Park is committed to and proud of our veteran and military students. The college offers a number of programs approved for VA benefits and courses with a variety of flexible scheduling that is attractive to student veterans and military students alike. Moraine Park thanks you for your service and for allowing us to help you further your education.
Steve served in the military from 1983-2012. He retired as a senior Non-commissioned Officer (NCO), working as a Military Police Investigator, Senior Logistics Supervisor, and Infantry Platoon Sergeant. His service includes Desert Shield & Desert Storm, two rotations to Panama, two tours in Iraq, and several missions to South America.
His academic accomplishments include an Associate’s degree in Leadership Development from Moraine Park Technical College, a Bachelor in Business Administration at Marian University, and a Master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, in Educational Leadership and Policy with an emphasis on post-secondary, adult, and technical education.
Steve is responsible for linking military-connected students to support services within the college and the community. He provides direct case management and one-on-one assistance to student veterans on all three of Moraine Park’s campuses.
“I began my college journey right after my deployment to Iraq. I was not only looking for a great education but also a personalized experience and a place I belonged. Moraine Park not only made me feel like a welcomed part of their family, but being here has ignited passions and goals that I did not know existed before. I am excited for my future and the opportunities it holds.”
“My time in the military was really stressful and took a big toll on me mentally. I chose Moraine Park because it was one of the only schools that offered the path to health and wellness I was looking for. I am really happy with my experience so far and cannot wait to see what the future has in store.”
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Moraine Park is committed to and proud of our veteran and military students. The college offers a number of programs approved for VA benefits and courses with a variety of flexible scheduling that is attractive to student veterans and military students alike. Moraine Park thanks you for your service and for allowing us to help you further your education.
To learn more go to morainepark.edu/veterans
Moraine Park considers student veterans as one of America’s greatest untapped human resources. They are mature, goal-orientated and mission driven and the kind of role models we need on our campuses. That’s why Moraine Park is committed to taking care of our veterans. We have been ranked # 8 in the nation as a “Best for Vets” school among technical and two year colleges, and has been named a “Military Friendly” School for the 11th year in a row.
Moraine Park offers over 100 degree and certificate programs all of which are approved for funding under various benefits such as the Montgomery GI BillTM , Post 9/11, VEAP, REAP, Vocational Rehabilitation and the Veterans Educational Assistance for Survivors and Dependents program. We also offer priority registration for our veterans and those currently serving to ensure they get the classes they need to complete their program in a timely manner.
The college also has a student veteran specialist, a veteran himself, and happens to be alum of the school. Moraine Park also has a Certifying Official who is extremely knowledgeable in Federal and State funding programs and a military spouse. Veteran services are available on all three of its main campuses dedicated to supporting veterans, their spouses and family members and can assist or provided staff and faculty members that can assist with career, academic advising along with disability services and tutoring at no charge and guarantees someone that has your best interest in mind.
The college also has a student veteran specialist, a veteran himself, and happens to be alum of the school. Moraine Park also has a Certifying Official who is extremely knowledgeable in Federal and State funding programs and a military spouse. Veteran services are available on all three of its main campuses dedicated to supporting veterans, their spouses and family members and can assist or provided staff and faculty members that can assist with career, academic advising along with disability services and tutoring at no charge and guarantees someone that has your best interest in mind.
For those that would like to get involved with college activities there is also a Student Veteran Association (SVA) where veterans, those currently serving and family members can get together and discuss similar academic or service related issues and solutions with their peers in an environment with individuals who have had similar experiences and share similar values.
Moraine Park offers over 100 degree and certificate programs all of which are approved for funding under various benefits such as the Montgomery GI BillTM , Post 9/11, VEAP, REAP, Vocational Rehabilitation and the Veterans Educational Assistance for Survivors and Dependents program.
Some of the advantages of attending Moraine Park include the ability to complete a degree in a short amount of time and find employment quickly and you have an opportunity to transfer credits earned to many four-year colleges or universities.
The flexible learning and scheduling opportunities allow you to work around your job and family responsibilities and the smaller class size helps veterans become more comfortable and gain greater confidence in a higher education setting. Classes can be taken either online, on campus or a mixture of both referred to as blended.
Attending school, whether it’s a technical college or university has a unique set of differences from the military which some may find frustrating. In the military decisions need to be made quickly and decisively as opposed to the college, which is based more on collaboration. Mission success was normally depended on the performance of others, but in college you’re more on your own. Following orders was extremely important and required. In class you have more freedom of action. Veterans are accustomed clear, direct communications. College tends to be more nuanced, and while serving you usually could tell who was in charge in college the hierarchy is sometimes unclear.
Others may have difficulty navigating the various educational benefits or have experienced late payments from their VA benefits. That’s where our student veteran services come in. By identifying barriers early and providing transition services, academic planning, and career development and connecting our students with internal and external resources to assist them to be successful.
The college also has a student veteran specialist, a veteran himself, and happens to be alum of the school. Moraine Park also has a Certifying Official who is extremely knowledgeable in Federal and State funding programs and a military spouse. Veteran services are available on all three of its main campuses dedicated to supporting veterans, their spouses and family members and can assist or provided staff and faculty members that can assist with career, academic advising along with disability services and tutoring at no charge and guarantees someone that has your best interest in mind.
So you’ve enrolled, now what? Here are some tips to help you. Meet with your program advisor and financial aid specialist to ensure your classes are applicable for the program. Verify your military or veteran status with enrollment services so you can take advantage of the priority registration. This allows veterans with an honorable or general under honorable discharge and who reside in Wisconsin, or those currently serving to register for classes one day prior to their standard designated registration date. Note: This does not waive any course or program requirements, such as prerequisites and program restrictions and it must be done in person.
If you receive orders for training or a mobilization be sure to notify your instructors, the certifying official or the student veteran specialist as immediately. This can minimize any negative financial impact, reduction in benefits, or loss of academic credit. Complete the “Appeal to the Withdrawal/Refund Policy” form, attach a copy of your orders and submit to the college as soon as possible.
There are a number of things veterans returning to school should understand when it comes to using their Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits. Textbooks, supplies and some college fees are the veteran’s responsibility and not every veterans’ educational benefits cover these expenses. Also, there is no “break pay”. So if you have a gap between classes or do not enroll in a course during the summer no payments will be made. Finally, the amount of your payment can vary based on the number of credits a student is enrolled in and whether those classes are on campus or strictly online.
It is the veteran’s responsible to certify their attendance on a monthly basis with the VA. Ask the student veteran specialist or Financial Aid department on the new process.
In general, we highly recommend to plan ahead and prepare for unexpected circumstances for your family.
In addition to the Post 9/11 GI Bill TM, sometimes referred to as Chapter 33, there are other tuition programs available to our military connected students. Benefits like the Wisconsin GI Bill TM, which pays for tuition only, Vocational Rehabilitation, otherwise known as Chapter 31 and the Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Reimbursement Grant are just a few of the additional resources available to service members.
An important thing to note is veterans who are receiving educational assistance can still apply for financial aid or scholarships. In fact there are several scholarships available to veterans normally at the beginning of the fall semester, ranging from 250 – 10,000 dollars.
Finally, if any of our military connected student are having problems, need to ask a question about their benefits, or experiencing a financial aid issues it’s best to contact the Student Veterans Specialist or the Financial Aid /Certifying Official.
