ODU’s Military Connection Center 

Cy Ellis 

Professor Bobbie Whitehead 

ENG110C 

Old Dominion University(ODU) provides many services to their students. From medical care, boarding, plenty of on campus food options, and plenty of resources for tutoring or studying, students should have little issue finding what they need. As a veteran, one service that stands out is ODU’s Military Connection Center(MCC). Located in Monarch Hall, the MCC is a service open to military or veteran students that can help with applying for GI Bill benefits, set students up with peer advisors and hosts events that allow student veterans ample networking opportunities. For veteran and military students, the MCC is one of the most useful resources on campus. 

The MCC started helping me before I had even started at ODU. Last year I had made the decision to start utilizing my G.I. Bill, but I had no idea how to go about using it. While trying to decide where I wanted to go to college, I toured ODU and connected with a member the MCC. From them I learned a lot of useful information. Once I decided to apply for ODU, they went into helping me with the application process. I had never attended college before but was transferring with credits from the military, so I wasn’t sure which application to use and was given answers by the advocate from the MCC. After getting my acceptance letter, they helped me through the G.I. Bill process.  

The process for enabling the G.I. Bill is fairly easy but can be confusing. My first step was selecting between the Montgomery G.I. Bill (Chapter 30) and the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill (Chapter 33). There was the Veteran Affair’s (VA) Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) program to consider. After sitting down with my advocate and discussing my plans and how each program would factor in, I settled on the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill. The G.I. Bill as it turned out requires several forms be filled out. Some entries on the form lack context, which can lead you to making errors. The process for transferring military equivalent college credits to ODU requires requesting a transcript from one specific source despite there being several options to choose from. The MCC was able to walk me through all of these processes with ease. The MCC played a large role in helping me enroll into ODU. Having an the MCC to help assist admissions and the university registrar is an incredible asset to have for student veterans looking to enroll at ODU. 

Another service that the MCC provides student veterans is the opportunity for peer-to-peer assistance. This assistance can come in many forms from providing counseling to tutoring to just talking about your experience in the military. Most of this is covered under the Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (PAVE) program. Each peer advisor within PAVE is a trained advisor that is also a military veteran. These peer advisors are in place to help veterans transition from the service to being a student. This is a wonderful program to have because transitioning from the military to civilian life is a complex transition in essentially every aspect. Going from the rigid structure of the military to civilian world that is willing to leave any straggler behind can be difficult. Having someone who has made the same transition to guide you can be an incredible asset. 

Peer-to-Peer transition counseling is not where PAVE stops though. It is not uncommon for veterans to have some mental health issues after leaving the service. This can take many forms from depression and anxiety to severe post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Peer advisors within PAVE are also trained to provide a listening ear for veterans. While they are not certified therapists or mental health specialists that can help find solutions for your problems, they are more than capable of sitting down and listening to student veterans and understanding their problems. They are a good resource for finding the correct mental health assistance for someone going through tough times (Military Connection Center). 

PAVE also provides academic counseling and tutoring assistance to student veterans who need it. These advisors are able to assist the students’ academic advisor when setting degree paths to help ensure students are taking all the correct classes. They can also help students attempting to pursue graduate degrees to achieve the requirements necessary to become eligible for those programs. Peer advisors can also refer students to tutors to help students struggling academically get back on the right track. 

Finding a job in the current market is as much about knowing people as having a solid resume. Luckily the MCC provides resume writing workshops for veterans as well as plenty of opportunities for networking. The MCC holds a variety of networking events for student veterans to attend. These events range from casual activities such as beach trips, donut breakfasts and fun runs to more formal events such as career seminars, conferences, luncheons and town halls. Each of these events allow students to meet other students with similar backgrounds and build professional bonds. The seminars and conferences give student veterans a chance to meet potential employers and start building relationships that could lead to landing a coveted internship or job when finishing their degree. These events can play a large part in the success of student veterans after graduating from ODU. 

Along with networking events, the MCC provides resume writing workshops and assistance for student veterans. When applying for jobs, the first thing a future employer sees is your resume. These workshops help students with the finer points of resume writing. Even within a specific job field, such as cyber security, different jobs require different talents and abilities. These workshops help novice resume writers learn to tailor their resumes to specific job descriptions to give them the best possible chance of getting an interview. The resume workshops also help students learn to cut down resumes to an appropriate length. Prior to attending a workshop I had thought that a longer resume would help me stand out, but that was wrong. The workshop helped me cut out the fluff and ensure that my resume was short but concise. These workshops can prove invaluable for students looking to join their workforce. 

ODU is a very student-friendly university. They provide an incredible amount of resources to help students socialize, network, and excel in their studies. For any student veterans, or veterans looking to join ODU, the Military Connection Center is an invaluable asset that provides student veterans all the tools they need to be successful. These tools include everything from admissions assistance, counseling, tutoring, resume writing workshops and networking events. The MCC is an asset that all ODU student veterans should use.  

Works Cited 

“Military Connection Center.” Old Dominion University, 14 Nov. 2023, www.odu.edu/military-connection.