From Service to Success
Veterans Center helps students forge new paths after discharge
From Service to Success
Veterans Center helps students forge new paths after discharge
Not every freshman at Eastern comes to campus with prom night and graduation parties still vivid in their minds. Some carry the weight of military service.
You won’t hear gap-year stories about travel or odd jobs from these veterans. Instead, they might talk about combat zones, the desert heat of Iraq or Afghanistan, or life in Marine Corps barracks.
What’s it like to begin a new journey—on a completely different path—after serving your country?
For starters, student veterans often feel disoriented after discharge as they adjust to civilian and college life. They might struggle to navigate an unfamiliar admissions process or determine how to best use their VA benefits. Many veterans also feel out of place among their freshmen peers, many of whom are significantly younger with fewer life experiences. Few freshmen fully grasp how years of military service have shaped their classmates’ identities.
Fortunately, EMU has a superb resource to help student veterans overcome their distinct challenges: the Lt. Col. Charles Kettles Military and Veterans Services Resource Center.
Veterans Center director, Wayne Doyle, left, and assistant director, Michael Wise, right, oversee an inviting space for student-vets that creates a sense of belonging.
Built for veterans, run by veterans
The Center, located in Boone Hall, serves about 350 student veterans each academic year. Its services include assistance with university admission, financial aid, campus orientation, tutoring referrals, résumé building, and sometimes even locating off-campus housing.
“Most of our vets have families and mortgage payments,” says Lt. Colonel (U.S. Army, Ret.) Michael Wise, the Center’s assistant director. “They’re already established in life and not like traditional freshmen. Vets often need help transitioning from military service to college life. We help orient them and give them structure they find relatable.”
The Center’s staff includes other veterans or family members of veterans, fostering an immediate sense of camaraderie. Wise’s 20-year military career includes tours in Bosnia (1995-96) and Iraq (2005-06). Wayne Doyle, the Center’s director, retired from active duty as a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves.
“We understand the issues our vets face because we’ve been through them ourselves,” Wise says. “We come from an environment that treats military personnel like family. That mindset transfers to this office. If a vet has an issue or problem, we’re going to help resolve it.”
The Center also provides a comfortable space for completing class assignments, with computers and dedicated areas for individual or group study. In addition, the staff monitor the academic progress of the student veterans and refer them to tutoring services, academic advisers or peer coaches when needed.
“We can access grades each semester, although students usually come to us first if they’re struggling,” Wise says. “Grant funding enabled us to hire peer coaches—other student-veterans—whose skills match the academic needs of our students. We’ve had tutors majoring in physics, mechanical engineering, social work and many other disciplines.”
Center staff are also alert for signs of PTSD, depression or other emotional concerns.
“Vets often need help transitioning from military service to college life. We help orient them and give them structure they find relatable.”
— Michael Wise
“We don’t ask for personal details or keep health records,” Wise says. “But we make referrals to the campus counseling clinic or to the VA Medical Center in Ann Arbor if needed. Sometimes poor academic performance tells us something is wrong. After a conversation with the student, we can usually determine if he or she needs specialized assistance.”
These comprehensive services contribute to Eastern’s consistently high national rankings as a military and veteran-friendly campus. This recognition is supported by surveys from Military Times, G.I. Jobs Magazine, and the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency.
“The surveys consider factors like retention and graduation rates, GPA, and tuition costs,” Wise says. “The rankings also reflect our high-quality support systems. And unlike many universities, we have a brick-and-mortar center where vets can connect in-person and access the resources they need.”
Finding structure and support: Ana’s story
After her first two years at Eastern, Ana Trent (BA23) struggled in class and found that sorority life didn’t fully provide the sense of belonging she desired.
“Something was missing,” says Ana, 27. “I wanted to grow as an individual and needed structure and discipline. I was adopted from Guatemala and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. My adoptive parents gave me a second chance. I wanted to give back by serving the country that gave me those opportunities.”
Ana enlisted in the Marines in 2019 and achieved the rank of Lance Corporal. She dreamed of having a long military career, but hip injuries cut her service short. She was honorably discharged in 2020 and returned to Eastern to study criminology and criminal justice.
“Returning to campus wasn’t easy,” Ana says. “I was going through a divorce, my daughter was only a toddler, and I didn’t know what resources were available to veterans who wanted to return to college.”
Ana was referred to the Veterans Center, which she describes as “life changing.”
Ana Trent was a Marine Lance Corporal before injuries led to her honorable discharge.
“The Center staff provided unwavering support from the moment I returned through graduation,” she says. “They helped me with forms, class schedules, assignments and exam prep. They also knew I was struggling and were always supportive. When I graduated, they went a step further and wrote a letter of recommendation for my grad school applications.”
During her last two years at Eastern, Ana earned a 3.9 GPA, raising her cumulative GPA to 3.5. She now works as an advising administrative assistant at the University of Michigan and plans to pursue a master’s degree in higher education administration.
“I can’t praise the Veterans Center enough,” Ana says. “They helped me become academically successful while overcoming some major challenges. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”
Krystal DuPree completed a tour of duty with the Army during the Iraq War.
Rebuilding after service: Krystle’s story
Krystle DuPree (BA18) joined the Army in 2009 after being laid off from her telemarketing job.
“I didn’t want a series of low-stability, low-paying jobs.” Says DuPree, 40. “I wanted to earn money for college and needed structure.”
She soon deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, where she worked as a mortuary affairs specialist during the final years of the Iraq War.
“I thought forensics was my calling and that the assignment would be a great start,” Krystle says. “But it came with a lot of emotional strain. That job forces you to confront your own mortality. You develop a deep sense of empathy, whether the person was a civilian or a fellow soldier. Some had the same rank as me. It was humbling and honorable work.”
After her 2012 discharge, Krystle attended community college before transferring to Eastern. Transitioning to civilian life while taking classes and caring for her young son was difficult.
“I was starting over at age 30,” she says. “All of my friends were still in the military. I divorced after less than a year of marriage. As a single mom, I had to get things going right away. Someone pulled me aside and told me, ‘You can’t run on fumes.’ That’s when I realized I needed structure again.”
At the Veterans Center, Krystle found the help she needed.
“The Center is amazing,” says Krystle, who earned a degree in social work. “They connected me with a tutor, introduced me to a faculty member who helped guide my research, and helped me build my résumé. It was also a space where I could be with other veterans who have similar experiences. I didn’t need to wear a mask.”
Krystle went on to earn a master’s degree in social work, become a certified substance abuse counselor, serve on the Ann Arbor Board of Education, and become an advocate for veteran support services. Today, she works for the Michigan Department of Corrections with incarcerated people who have substance abuse disorders.
“Eastern and the Veterans Center were pivotal to my journey,” she says. “They encourage me to push myself forward, even when I doubted myself.”
Courage, camaraderie, and a new calling: Keisha’s story
Keisha Anderson (BA19, MA22) served in the Army for two terms and advanced to the rank of Staff Sargent. Like Krystle, she was deployed to Iraq, where she served as a petroleum supply specialist during the early years of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her duties included refueling everything from generators and jeeps to tanks and aircraft.
“It was intense work,” says Keisha, 47, who was born in Jamaica and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2005. “We arrived in Iraq just after the first soldiers there had been ambushed.”
Keisha later deployed to Afghanistan in 2008 in a similar role.
“I was usually busy carrying out orders, so there wasn’t much time to reflect,” she says of her military service. “But I remember a time when we were taking incoming fire in Afghanistan while sitting on loads of fuel. The stress was visible in everyone’s eyes. My spirituality helped me get through it.”
Her final last deployment in 2012 took her to a base in Honduras—a non-combat assignment where she worked alongside members of multiple branches of the U.S. military.
After discharge, Keisha enrolled at Eastern to study social work. She didn’t expect to feel out of place after classes began.
“I was in my late 30s while most of the students were my daughter’s age,” she says. “Sometimes, I felt like I wasn’t smart enough to be among those younger students. I also missed the camaraderie of military life. It was a real struggle.”
At the Center, Keisha found the support she needed both academically and personally.
“I felt at-home from the moment I walked in,” she says. “The staff greeted me warmly and I loved seeing all the other student veterans. I completed many of my class assignments there. The staff truly care about everyone who enters their doors.”
When Keisha began experiencing symptoms of PTSD, Center staff ensured she received the right referrals.
“If I struggled, I always reached out to Center staff,” Keisha says. “Without their encouragement, I don’t think I could have completed my degree. I would have just left the university. But I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s at Eastern.”
For the past three years, Keisha has been a social worker at Lincoln Park Middle School.
“When I first learned about the social work major at Eastern, I thought, ‘This is for me!’ If I can positively impact even one student, then I’m doing the right thing. Helping kids find their way is incredibly rewarding.”
By Jeff Samoray
Photos by T. Rosa Studio
Keisha Anderson was a Staff Sargent in the Army and did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Visit the Lt. Col. Charles Kettles Military and Veterans Services Resource Center website to learn more about their services and how they help student-veterans thrive at Eastern.