ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. (Aug. 19, 2013) -- When the dog days of August begin to wind down, parents anxiously look at the calendar knowing their children will soon attend school again. This rite of passage is not just for children, but also adults and other college students, either returning to or entering college for the first time. For adults, this process could be a challenge, but for service members and veterans this challenge could seem even more daunting.
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges offers educational and technical training opportunities for service members, veterans and civilians from Rock Island Arsenal and the Quad-Cities.
Entering an educational facility after spending years, as the spearhead of freedom and democracy can seem like an insurmountable challenge. The Eastern Iowa Community Colleges recognized the challenges and developed a robust and engaging system to overcome for service members and veterans returning to campus.
"We want the military community to know that we have a variety of offerings, whether they are looking for a degree or just a few fun classes," said Erin Snyder, associate director of enrollment management EICC. "We have convenient locations right off the Arsenal. The big thing is we want the military community to know that we are here to help them find something short term or something more long-term. We want to be respectful to the fact as an adult learner you are coming with skill sets already in place. Whether it is transitioning in their military career or just looking at what they have been doing and is a great educational fit for them. We are here to help them find their path, if you will; we are here to help them find the financial resources to help them."
"There is a huge emphasis on the Soldier to Civilian transition right now," said Stephanie Allers, Army education office guidance counselor. "It is our responsibility to ensure that Soldiers are educated or have the potential to have a decent job once they separate from the military or at least have the tools and information to achieve one of those two things. The EICC is in a perfect position to provide those things and that information, because they work with different levels of degrees, technical and non-technical and they have experience in working with Soldiers and veterans, as well as family members. We have a close working relationship with them and they provide flexible options. The relationship between the EICC and the local military community has been increasing especially with Rebecca (Geiken, military/ veteran student affairs facilitator) onboard in her position. It is critical that veterans can work with veterans, and that service members can work with veterans. They have been there and have a good understanding of what the service member, the separating service member or the veteran is going through."
The Army Education Office maintains relationships with many regional colleges and universities including Blackhawk College, St. Ambrose University, Western Illinois University, Augustana College, and the University of Iowa.
"We have seen an increase in veterans and the reserve component Guard and Reserve, we are certainly seeing more of those," said Snyder. "We have worked really hard; we have added a Veterans Affairs position about one and a half years ago. We have always done the VA certifications and we are a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges. We felt like we needed someone to walk veterans, military personnel and their dependents through the process, understanding that a veteran may have a hodgepodge of college credits from different places, since they lived in different places, plus their military training that might come in as college credits that we can articulate into credit. Therefore, we did hire a position to strengthen those relationships; we work with area units and the Veterans Affairs. We are involved with veteran's events in the community, as well. We have one full time person who rotates to each of our campuses every week. Through our registrar's office, we have a certifying official as well. All of our campuses have advisors and our campuses have started veteran clubs that we are very excited about, which allows them to connect them with other veterans. We are actually adding resources; more than 200 veterans are enrolled on our campuses."
SOC members are appropriately accredited institutions selected by the Army to offer associate and bachelor's degrees to Soldiers, their spouses, and adult children worldwide. They are military-friendly colleges with flexible policies that allow mobile Soldiers and their families to complete degrees without suffering a loss of credit. Degrees are offered via traditional and distance-learning delivery in popular academic areas or "networks," and unique degrees tailored to military experience and training.
"We have the lowest tuition in the state of Iowa," said Snyder. "Oftentimes our military members and veterans are not necessarily always using their VA benefits with us, because they want to save them. They might use traditional financial aid with us or something else like that with us. We are not always sure, they do not always self identify, so we worked on some processes to help make sure they are receiving all the benefits they are entitled to. In the state of Iowa, our Iowa National Guard receives tuition reimbursement, if you are an Iowa resident in the Iowa National Guard you will get your tuition reimbursed. The military discount rate was something that was board approved about two years ago. It was in relationship with First Army coming here. We knew there was going to be more of a military presence in our region and we did not want to penalize students that may chose to live five minutes from our campus across the river. We wanted to give them a tuition break and allow them and their dependents to pay in-state tuition. It is often hard to get military dependents, in-state tuition because they are moving around so often. We worked hard to get our board to approve that."
According to the EICC website, three local schools: Clinton, Muscatine and Scott Community Colleges, joined as the Eastern Iowa Community College District, which encompasses Clinton, Jackson, Muscatine and Scott counties and parts of Cedar and Louisa counties. This region was formed in 1965 when the state legislature formed these educational districts statewide. There are currently 15 community college districts in Iowa. More than 9,000 students are enrolled in traditional and technology career programs, and another 30,000 take advantage of its adult and continuing education classes. The EICCD (district 9) is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission, which is responsible for a 19 state region.
"The EICCD was established in the 1960s when the Iowa state legislature passed legislation that combined most of the junior colleges in the state of Iowa into districts," said Alan Campbell, associate director for communications EICC. "These 15 districts resemble the 15 area education agencies."
The EICC delivers classes on three campuses, technology centers on the campuses and in other locations.
"The EICC is made up of Clinton, Scott and Muscatine community colleges," said Snyder. "We are a fully accredited community college; our campuses are spread out more than 100 miles. We do credit for learning up to an associate degree, continuing education and business and industry training. We do the continuing education units and hours for reaccreditation for everything from funeral directors to nurses. We also do short-term training like welding. Business and industry hire us to provide courses such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration training or classes on how to get along with one another. Any skill sets they need. We also do General Educational Development diploma and English as a Second Language certificates, which is something we are proud."
"We take a lot of pride in our classes, not just our online classes, the amount of work we put into helping students succeed," said Campbell. "We do a lot to help them along, watch where they are at any particular point and if they need extra help, make that extra help available to them. I think we do a pretty good job at that or try to."
"Because of our connections with four-year universities, students can start here then move on," said Snyder. "We have articulation agreements that allow that process to be seamless for our students. Literally, we have everything from learning the English language through an associate degree and helping them transition on. With our articulation agreements, the four-year universities go course by course through our associate degrees, which are designed to transfer. We are fully accredited so students can transfer to one of our regional partners or wherever they want to go. This is because of our partnerships. We work very closely with those receiving universities to ensure that we stay updated. If their degree requirements change, we are reflecting that in our advice to students and what they are taking."
The colleges of the EICC in coordination with the Army Education Office, arranged for tours of their facilities and lunch for attendees. These tours took place over the spring and summer beginning with a tour of the EICC's Advanced Technology Training Institute at the John T. Blong Technology Center.
"We want to be the campus for the working learner," said Dan Martin, director of operations, Blong Technology Center. "The college offers six different programs at this location and with the exception of one there are no face-to-face lectures. Everything is software based, you can learn at your own pace. We have learning labs where students can come into the classroom, use a computer and link to material on our server or the web. There is always a teacher, mentor or learning center coach available when students need help. This enables students to receive the individual attention they need. In the learning labs is also where the student conducts their hands-on training."
"When students first enter the program, they are shocked, because there are no formal classes," said Martin. "We are different from all the other campuses, because our semesters are eight weeks compared to the 16 weeks. That gives students nine chances to enter the program every year. We are open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; it is up to the student to decide when they want to come in and access us. The material online can also be accessed from their homes."
"When we see college's facilities we can better address it to a service member," said Alison Hemmert, Army education service officer. "The Blong is one of the most under-marketed educational facilities in the region. When we saw it, we were shocked that a facility of this caliber is in our backyard, and even lay people, not military, in the Quad Cities community do not have an idea of the programs the facility offers."
The Blong Technology Center offers Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Applied Science and Associate of Science in pre-engineering degrees.
"We have Associate of Arts, Associate of Science (which is an AA, but you specialize in either science or math) and Associate of Applied Science, which includes everything from welding to nursing and we have some 60 career technical programs that would have an AAS," said Snyder. "Each career technical program has a certificate, diploma and associate degree; we have different exit points at one, one and a half and two years respectively. There are different exit points if they need be. They are ladder programs for the most part. If you get the certificate you can continue later for the diploma. Because many times a student wants to turn around and show an employer, I already earned this and then continue on. Some programs such as our IT program have a couple of different options within them depending on how you specialize. Therefore, you have different certificate, diploma and degree options within those."
A few months later, the Clinton Community College and the Clinton Community College Technology Center opened its doors for a tour.
"CCCTC has more non-traditional students and contains the graphic arts technology department," said Christopher Legel, CCC graphics arts technology instructor. "In the graphic design program we have an internship requirement; we insist the students work for for-profit businesses to make sure they get paid. The market here is small and we do not want to flood it with free labor. However, for non-profit organizations, big brothers and big sisters we will do just about anything."
"Rock Island Arsenal is the closest active duty base in five states," said Hemmert. "Our education office serves service members, guard and reserve, spouses and civilians. We serve more than 8,000 service members and monitor the program that pays for their schooling locally."
"We are a military friendly district," said Glenn Williams, CCC information technology department coordinator. "I review everyone's records that come into information technology. Military and civilian transcripts, if I can link it to a class then you will receive credit for it and that is one less class that you have to take to link to your degree."
"I am a veteran," said Williams. "I am also the adviser for the computer club and the student veterans association. Our first community project was the Student Veterans' Wall of Honor. We set this up with the Student's Veterans Association and our goal is to list any student, faculty or alumni who wish to have their name placed in our display, who served in the military and has attended CCC. We want to get more pictures of students in their military uniforms and their civilian clothes. Each campus is a member of Student Veterans of America. We all work together, but are separate because of funding and other requirements. There are 40-60 veterans enrolled at CCC."
"Veterans are much better with each other," said Hemmert. "They have that camaraderie, even if they do not want to disclose to faculty."
"We have two full time faculty members and several adjuncts that are veterans," said Williams. "One thing we want to incorporate into our faculty training programs is recognizing veterans whether they announce themselves or not as veterans. For a person who has been there, it is easier to tell if a person is a veteran or not. You walk into a classroom and see a student sitting in a corner with their back to the wall and away from the windows. They spend more time looking at the doors and windows than the blackboard. That is the purpose of our association; we provide veterans with a place to go if they are having problems."
"Everyone here knows my door is always open," said Williams. "I will stay here at night to help if I have too. It gives the student options, if they are having problems with a class or having problems with their instructors or students. I grew up during the Vietnam era and I see many things happening now that are going back in that direction. Some college campuses are not military friendly, if the veteran needs to talk or if the pressure is too great. I have a box of tissue, if we need to cry, whatever it takes. My office is always open; if they need to go somewhere and get away from everything, I have a couch, so they can put their feet up and relax."
"As part of my position as a transition advisor, we have a system in place in case a faculty member hears, sees or feels something they put in a request, or start a case on a student," Anthony Bielski, CCC academic advisor. "We had a veteran who did not show up for class for three days, I gave them a call. First, they were defensive, like who are you and what do you want but by the end of our 15-minute conversation, the veteran realized that someone cared and missed them. We talked face to face and now the veteran is doing great."
"Some classrooms are equipped with distance learning equipment to stream classes from one location to another," said Bielski. "There are also programs that allow high school students to complete enough college credits to complete an AA degree while they are finishing up their high school studies. Examples of these programs are IT and Nursing."
"This last semester I taught a class, I had students from four different community colleges around the state," said Campbell. "I did not see any difference, unless I looked to see where the students were from. It does not matter to the instructor. Most of the classes are text driven, but it depends on the instructors. I record videos of myself as a part of the class to help supplement certain chapters in it, but again, it depends on that faculty member in most cases."
"The Nursing program is one of the most popular programs at EICC," said Bielski.
At the time of the tour, it was one program, with the student making a choice of which level to pursue. They can opt out at the Licensed Practical Nurse level or continue on to the Registered Nurse level. A curriculum revision of the program is ongoing with changes pending.
"Entrance into this program is highly competitive, with GPA and other testing scores considered," said Bielski. "The prerequisites for the nursing program are specific; we often direct students to get an Associate of Science and then enter the nursing program as a junior. This will ensure they have all the proper courses they need to be successful in the program. It is a hard program to get into and we make it very hard on those who do, but those who go on to their testing have a 99 percent success rate."
The EICC are three separate colleges that administratively work under the same umbrella, but all still retain their different styles and culture.
"We are state and federally funded, through EICC, the colleges could be considered like departments, if you will, within the larger umbrella," said Snyder. "We have one college catalog, the EICC college catalog, not one for each campus. Their programs are obviously embraced in that, our programs are district wide. If we offer nursing it is at all three sites and the curriculum is the same at all three sites. We are basically one college with three different college campuses and technology centers. We are one college, but there are specializations within our communities, because of industry demand and the population. Some of our programs are unique offered at specific sites. For example, our Agricultural program has historically been at Muscatine and only at Muscatine, because they always had such a strong agricultural program. There was no need to duplicate this at our other sites."
CCC has a student run newspaper and each campus has college athletes and intramural sports. Clinton, Muscatine and Scott community colleges are members of the National Junior College Athletic Association and the Iowa Junior College Athletic Association.
"I think a lot of people out in the public will peg the community colleges as a career tech is all they offer, or college transfer," said Campbell. "There is so much more here. We offer the college transfer and we offer those career programs, we work with business and industry for a lot of their training, continuing education classes. There is the adult education area in which we help students get GEDs and help them with literacy challenges, or just helping them brush up rusty skills. If people are looking for an education there is probably somewhere we can help them out."
For more information, please contact the Rock Island Arsenal Army Education Office at (309) 782-2065.
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