Boots to Books and
Beyond Campaign
“We are proud to be a part of the Boots to Books and Beyond Campaign and
applaud the community based approach that Edmonds Community College is
taking toward better serving returning veterans and their families who are so
deserving of our attention and support.”
- The Honorable Chris and Mike Gregoire, Honorary Co-Chairs
“We are not going to stop working until all of our veterans and all of their
families feel the support of the entire country.”
- First Lady Michelle Obama
“Nearly one in 12 of our nation’s heroes can’t find a job to support their
families, don’t have an income that provides stability, and don’t have work
that provides them with the confidence and pride that is so critical to their
transition home. For too long we’ve patted our veterans on the back for their
service and then pushed them out into the job market alone.”
- Senator Patty Murray, Chair, U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs
Invest With Us to Increase Veteran Success
Better Serving Those Who Have Served
During the next decade, more than a million veterans will be returning
from military service in Afghanistan and Iraq, experiencing the joys and
difficulties of readjusting to civilian life as our family members, friends,
neighbors, employees, and co-workers.
We are fortunate to have these capable men and women among us. Veterans
bring unmatched experience and diversity to our communities. As employees,
many are exceptional because they have acquired invaluable decision making
and leadership skills, as well as the experience needed to be team builders and
team players. As students, they strengthen our campuses.
Some of these men and women are quickly adjusting, using their many skills
and talents to make the successful transition home. However, many are faced
with very real challenges, impacting all of us. We have a responsibility to give
back to those who have given so much for our country.
Boots to Books and Beyond Campaign
The Edmonds Community College Foundation has embarked on a $1 million
campaign to support student veterans at Edmonds Community College.
Boots to Books and Beyond Campaign funds will support critical on-campus
resources, services, and activities during the next five years and beyond. This
strategic initiative is based on research and trends, survey outcomes, and
studies of best practices in serving student veterans across higher education.
The project was developed with extensive community input.
Campaign Mission
To foster an environment where veterans and their families get the support
they need to overcome obstacles and achieve academically — an environment
in which they are well prepared to begin fulfilling careers or pursue further
educational opportunities.
“It is imperative that we come
together as a community
to provide a strong support
network and ease the transition
of returning veterans and their
families. The lifelong impact
and personal transformation
that can occur through higher
education cannot be overstated.
Current college services and
programming must be retooled
and strengthened to meet the
unique and individual needs of this
growing student population.”
— Dr. Jean Hernandez, President,
Edmonds Community College
Campaign Vision
Edmonds Community College is the college of choice for veterans and their
families in Western Washington as a result of meaningful and memorable
experiences, a supportive environment, and proven student veteran success.
Campaign Outcomes
•• Increase the number of veterans and their family members who enroll in
college and graduate from a program of study.
•• Increase the number of veterans and their family members who find
meaningful employment and/or transfer to a four-year university.
•• Increase student veteran satisfaction with the support and academic
services provided to them.
www.edcc.edu/foundation
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Boots to Books and Beyond Campaign
Edmonds Community
College: Already a
Veteran-Friendly Campus
•• There is a strong institutional
commitment to veterans.
•• Enrollment of veterans has
increased by 114 percent
during the past four years.
•• There are more than 300
veterans currently enrolled at
Edmonds Community College
— many more have not been
identified because they are
not using or not eligible for
military educational benefits.
•• A veterans benefits
coordinator works on
campus.
•• The college has an active
veterans club.
•• National leadership — first
community college to be
represented on Student
Veterans of America’s
national Student Council.
•• A special campus monument
is dedicated to welcoming
veterans.
•• The college has its
own challenge coin that
celebrates veterans.
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Meeting the Needs of Today’s Veterans
A seamless, supportive pathway to college and job training can
help returning veterans regain their sense of purpose. Veterans are
increasingly turning to community colleges to prepare for new careers and
transfer military skills to the workplace because they are affordable, careerfocused, and successfully serve working students with families. Two-year
college employees are fundamentally committed to helping students overcome
obstacles. On-campus services like counseling, peer mentoring, housing, and
childcare have proven to have a huge impact on student success.
As veterans navigate college and the labor market, they face a
whole new set of challenges: understanding transcripts and benefits,
selecting the right career path, translating military experience into credits, and
accessing the appropriate resources and services. Making the transition from
a very structured environment and navigating this complex system can be
overwhelming.
Making ends meet while attending school can add to the burden. The post9/11 GI Bill often falls short in covering the full cost of education and
living expenses, especially for those juggling jobs, school, and families. “Gap”
pay is not available between quarters and online learners are not eligible for full
benefits. Veterans cannot afford to take any wrong turns in their educational
pathway without negatively impacting their education benefits.
However, when appropriate programs and services are provided,
college graduation and retention rates are higher for veterans than
the general student population. Edmonds Community College — the
largest institution of higher education in Snohomish County — recognizes the
important role it can play in supporting our veterans and their families through
the educational journey. The college is committed to providing the critical
services and resources needed to meet the unique needs of this
growing student population.
A surge in enrollment is expected over the next five years as Joint Base LewisMcChord, the nation’s third largest Army out-processing base, transitions
400-800 service members each month. Many of those returning will live
in Snohomish County, largely due to its proximity to veteran resources and
regional employment opportunities, as well as its lower cost of living compared
to neighboring King County.
Edmonds Community College Foundation
Invest With Us to Increase Veteran Success
Living Allowance Funding Gap for
Veteran Students
The chart below shows the gap in living expense funding for full-time veteran
students (and part-time student veterans receive even less). The blue portion of
each bar represents the GI
$6,000
Bill monthly living allowance
and the red portion
Snohomish County
represents the unfunded
5,000
monthly living
expenses*
remainder necessary to
$5,208
reach the standard living
4,000
expenses in Snohomish
County.
1,000
GI Bill monthly
living allowance
$1,179
Single
2,000
Snohomish County
monthly living
expenses*
$1,482
Family of Four
3,000
0
GI Bill monthly
living allowance
$2,152
*Based on the monthly
self-sufficiency standard for
families with preschool children
in Snohomish County (housing,
utilities, childcare, food,
transportation, and taxes)
Key Challenges Facing Our
Returning Veterans
•• Finding employment — 20 percent of veterans aged 18 to 24
are unemployed and female veterans face an even higher risk of
unemployment;
•• Dealing with feelings of isolation and disconnectedness with loved ones and
others after having been part of a close team;
•• Restoring their physical and mental health — 45 percent of veterans of Iraq
and Afghanistan have sought disability benefits;
•• Coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury
(TBI) and/or major depression that are prevalent among post 9/11 veterans
— every 65 minutes, a U.S. military veteran commits suicide;
“While serving in Afghanistan, I
was injured on various missions
and now suffer from back pain,
PTSD, and hearing loss. My
deployment taught me to never
take anything for granted. When
I returned, Edmonds Community
College helped ground me
and opened up numerous
opportunities. Today, I have my
own business and am the first
community college student in
the nation to serve on Student
Veterans of America’s national
Student Council. Edmonds
Community College changed
my life and taught me that one
person, one group of people,
one college campus, can make a
difference.”
— Chester Curtis, current Edmonds
Community College student, U.S. Army
Veteran, Afghanistan
•• Navigating the complex and confusing network of benefits, services, and
support (including educational) that is available to veterans — and then
waiting four months to a year to have such benefits start; and
•• Dealing with housing and financial instability, especially while attending
college and/or supporting families; female veterans have a higher rate of
homelessness than their male counterparts.
www.edcc.edu/foundation
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Boots to Books and Beyond Campaign
We All Benefit by Investing in Success
for Veterans
An Edmonds Community College education will provide veterans with skills
for a lifetime. It will also create a stabilizing force for individual veterans,
their families, employers, and the broader community. Our campus and our
community will see the long-term benefits from having these leaders as alumni,
employees, and citizens.
“I was homeless prior to joining
the military and was not able to go
active until I completed my GED
at Edmonds Community College.
After my military service, I felt
lost and not sure about what I
wanted to go to college for, and
I didn’t even really know what
my strengths were. Attending
Edmonds CC was fulfilling and
made me feel good about myself.
If it wasn’t for financial help with
child care and money to take care
of my kids, I would have never
been able to go to school.”
— Lovey Ray, former Edmonds
Community College student,
National Guard, Everett
Supporting Edmonds Community College is a good investment. The
accumulated credits of former students contribute $166 million in added
income to the regional economy each year. The college also has a solid track
record of innovation and responsiveness to community need. In fact, we lead
the state’s 34 community colleges in the Washington state system in
securing funding through grants and contracts.
Our Vision for the Future
Student
Veterans
•• Individual and team-based support will help smooth veterans’
transition into civilian life and increase graduation rates.
•• Services will offer reliable relationships that provide emotional
and academic support from peers with similar experiences.
•• Veterans will be supported in identifying career paths,
translating experience to credits, and job-seeking assistance.
Families of
Student
Veterans
•• Veteran families will benefit from the psychological and
economic stability resulting from veterans’ education and
career successes.
•• With all the challenges returning veterans and their families
face, knowing there is support will ease their burdens.
•• GI Bill-eligible family members will be supported.
Campus
Community
•• Veterans bring a new level of diversity, leadership, and spirit
of service to our campus culture.
•• Student success rates will be improved. When appropriate
programs and services are provided, graduation and retention
rates are higher for veterans than the general population.
Broader
Community
•• Local employers will have a stronger pool of experienced,
educated veterans to draw from to address workforce needs.
•• Higher employment rates among veterans will increase
Snohomish County’s economic prosperity and reduce the
demand on taxpayer-funded programs.
•• A hub for elevated community conversations about veteran
issues led by students, alumni, and community partners will
be created.
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Edmonds Community College Foundation
Invest With Us to Increase Veteran Success
The Boots to Books and Beyond
Campaign Will Raise Public and Private
Funds Through December 2014 to:
•• Provide on-campus support services to meet the distinct needs of each
student veteran, including counseling and disability services;
•• Ensure student veterans and their families are not forced to drop out of
college by offering emergency and “gap” funds;
•• Create inviting and centralized space for veterans to access specialized
services and connect with other veterans;
•• Provide access to a career adviser who is knowledgeable about military
transcripts and credit for prior learning experience, and who can help
translate service experience into meaningful career paths;
•• Support coordination of services for veterans and their families, as well
as student access to on-campus and community resources;
•• Provide accessible counseling for those facing “invisible” wounds;
•• Provide peer mentoring and case management services to offer a
reliable relationship that provides emotional and academic support from
those with similar experiences;
•• Offer employee training to enhance sensitivity to military culture and an
understanding of veteran reintegration challenges;
•• Create stronger partnerships with other organizations serving veterans to
improve student veteran access to services and organizational efficiencies;
and
•• Sustain the services and programs for future student veterans by seeding
an endowment for scholarships.
Join Us!
You can help make the difference for veteran students at Edmonds Community
College. To ensure an unbroken path from military service to college and
then on to a fulfilling career and life, the college will partner with donors like
you to invest in a comprehensive veteran friendly educational experience.
“I found myself leaving the military
with lots of questions. Edmonds
Community College was a lifeline
and really helped me learn how to
live and breathe again. It helped
me focus on things I needed to
pay attention to — like that I
needed to find housing closer
to school, that I’d need health
insurance, and that life, for the
most part, isn’t about life and
death. I think many veterans find
themselves in a world that they
feel doesn’t appreciate them and,
in turn, they may not appreciate it
back.”
— Timm Lovitt, former Edmonds
Community College student, U.S. Army
Veteran, Afghanistan and Iraq
Learn More:
Pamela Wanser, CFRE
Director of Development
Edmonds Community College Foundation
425.640.1884 | [email protected]
www.edcc.edu/foundation
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Edmonds Community College Foundation
20000 68th Ave. W | Lynnwood, WA 98036
www.edcc.edu/foundation
Edmonds Community College Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization. Gifts made to the Foundation are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Financial information is available from the Foundation or by contacting the Washington Secretary of State Office at 800.322.4483.
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