What was life for you before Dallas College, and what was your experience coming to the college?
When I got out of the Marine Corps, I worked in construction then on a contract supporting the enterprise networks for the Navy and Marine Corps. After being on the civilian workforce for a couple of years, I decided to go back to college and utilize my GI Bill®*.
How was that transition for you coming out of the military back into civilian life?
My transition was relatively smooth. I was able to start a job quickly and begin getting into my own apartment. My experience in the communications MOS in the Marine Corps led to me working in an IT environment afterwards, which made it easy to apply the skills and knowledge I had already possessed. Going back to college was another challenge for myself though. I was in college for a semester before I joined the military and it had been 7 years since I had taken college course. This made it challenging to take on school again.
What advice would you give to others to be themselves and original instead of looking to be like someone else?
I would advise others to pursue whatever makes them happy and to not worry about what other people say or think about it.
Why did you decide to go into the military and what the process was like?
I wanted to join the Marine Corps to challenge myself, to be a part of something that's larger than just myself, and to make my family proud. After doing a semester of college, I decided that the military would be a better option for me at that point in my life. I was 19 years old when I decided to speak to a recruiter, and I was able to ship to boot camp just a few months later.
Looking back at your experience in the military, do you feel like you've accomplished something?
I feel grateful for the opportunity to meet the people that I did, the opportunity to travel to new places, and the experience that I gained through my MOS and other military training. Although I do wish I had been given the opportunity to do more for my country and fellow Marines overseas, I understand that not every service member gets to do what they hope to do during their time in service.
Sometimes you hear negative about veterans not wanting to go back to school or they think it's not for them, they're not welcome or it's too late. Why is college right for you?
I would say that I was one of those service members that thought that college was unnecessary, and it was an afterthought to me. Eventually, I wanted to challenge myself by pursing a bachelor's degree and applying everything I have learned in my life so far towards accomplishing that goal.
What does Veterans Day mean to you?
Veterans Day gives us the opportunity to show gratitude towards those that have served. I always made sure to thank the veterans that I personally knew before I joined the military. Now that I am also a veteran, I try to make sure to get free food and awkwardly thank people who thank me for my service.
What advice would you give to veterans who are thinking of going back to school?
I would advise veterans to do a lot of research on all the education benefits options that are available to them, figure out what you want to pursue, research every program and support system that is available to them at whichever college or university you look into, and network with other student veterans.
*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at
www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.