At 17, Darrell Vaughan enlisted in the National Guard. At 48, he retired as a Major in the Army and enrolled in the Project Management Certificate program at KSU’s College of Continuing and Professional Education. Vaughan said the knowledge he received was vital for the start of his new business.
“I have been a mission planner for the Army, a job closely related to project management,” Vaughan said. “The Project Management program has validated my military experiences and helped me apply them to the civilian sector.”
Vaughan learned about the project management course at a Recruit Military Job Fair in Atlanta and took advantage of VA Education Benefits to enroll. Currently, KSU’s Continuing Education unit offer more than 40 programs approved for VA education benefits.
“KSU is a quality institution,” Vaughan said. The continuing education staff was incredibly helpful working with the Veteran’s Administration to coordinate the paperwork I needed to apply my GI Bill benefits.”
With a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees under his belt, Vaughan said returning to the classroom felt fairly natural to him.
In 2011 Edgard Sanchez retired to civilian life after serving a 22-year military career with the Army and Marines. Like many of our veterans returning home, Sanchez went through several jobs trying to find his passion. In 2014, working as a receiving assistant in an Atlanta warehouse, Sanchez encountered a piece of mail that would alter the path of his life. With curiosity, he read through KSU’s Continuing Education Course catalog and came across a story highlighting Veterans in the Culinary Apprenticeship program.
“I was looking for a change, and I’ve always loved cooking,” Sanchez said.
Even though Sanchez transferred his GI Bill benefits to his two daughters, he qualified for additional VA funding through the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) services. This service provided him with nine months of funding which aligned perfectly with the Culinary Apprenticeship offered at the college.
Shortly after graduation, Sanchez launched his own food truck business, “C’est Tout Bon 2 Eat,” which is French for “It’s All Good to Eat.”
There are many benefits available to advance the education and skills of our Veterans and Service members. Some might find they’re eligible for more than one benefit or that one program is more suited to certain education and training goals than another. KSU’s Continuing Education Military education funding, includes VA Education Benefits for active-duty and prior military and MyCAA for spouses.
A total of 47 Service Members used their VA Education Benefits at KSU’s Continuing Education during fiscal year 2016. Some of the programs taken in 2016 include: Human Resources Management, Culinary Apprenticeship, Lean Six Sigma, Project Management, Pharmacy Technician, Web Design and Development, Professional Investigator, Medical Interpreter, EKG Technician, Phlebotomy Technician, Meeting and Event Management and Paralegal.
For more information on Military Education Benefits, visit ccpe.kennesaw.edu or contact Nora Felde, Military Liaison, at 470-578-6765.
