In the United States, there are approximately 16 million veterans who served in the U.S. Military. An even smaller sample of that population are veterans to returned to higher education, about 800,000. Have you ever wondered what it is like going from being apart of an intense armed force to then pursuing a degree?

For thousands of student veterans, this is a reality. Although veterans make up approximately 6% of all undergraduate college students, their stories often go untold, lack the support they need, and they face misconceptions that affect their education journey. In the fourth episode of Education Chat’s fifth season, your host Natalie Hinton sits down with a student veteran to understand what it is truly like to return to a classroom setting after military service.

Special guest Ralph Figueroa is a graduate student at Cal State San Bernardino and a U.S. military veteran. An active supporter of the Veteran Success Center and 2024 National Student Veteran of the Year, Figueroa has dedicated his time and effort towards advocating for students who are just like him. He shares his story as a student navigating a system that was not built with him in mind, and emphasizes the importance of support for disadvantaged students.

This episode provides a powerful reminder that all student veterans have different backgrounds, but all share the same drive to gain a valuable education. Any person that wants to gain a better understanding of the challenges veterans have to face within the education system will leave this episode informed and inspired. And to any veteran, student veteran, or loved one of a veteran, Figueroa’s personal journey will resonate and encourage you to pursue your dreams.

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