LYNNWOOD — Edmonds Community College decided after seeing a spike in the number of veterans-turned-students to start what it calls the Boots to Books campaign.
The idea was to add on-campus resources, services and activities for veterans attending the college. The hope was to raise $1 million by Veterans Day.
The college will fall short of that goal. The campaign has raised about $900,000, including a $25,000 gift received in late October.
“Our efforts will continue,” said Tonya Drake, vice president college relations and advancement, at Edmonds Community College. “We have to support the influx of vets and establish an endowment for long-term funding. There may not always be this need, but right now the need is significant.”
On average the college has 325 veterans attending per quarter and 700 annually. In the past that average was 400 veteran students annually.
One student veteran, Andrew Smolen, 34, of Everett, specifically sought out attending Edmonds Community College because of the support the college gives those returning from active duty.
“It is a one-of-a-kind program,” said Smolen, who wants to pursue a career designing sports and athletic equipment.
“Going back to school is not easy,” he said. “But talking to other vets who have done it before makes it easier to take that first step and use our educational benefits. You can’t try to do it on your own.”
Smolen has particularly taken advantage of the mental health counseling the Veterans Resource Center offers. He was medically retired from the Navy after a head injury. He finds it hard to navigate in situations where many people are in a small space.
“It is important to be with other vets, just to talk,” he said. “We have the same struggles and difficulties. The center is also a great place to get away and study, relax and decompress from the hustle bustle of campus.”
The Boots to Books and Beyond campaign is all about meeting the needs of the growing numbers of veterans who are returning home, Drake said.
Where the campaign’s donations have come from is humbling, she said.
“We have received gifts from local families and foundation members, a federal match grant, $100,000 from the Associated Students of Edmonds and a gift from the Girl Scouts.”
A roundtable discussion pinpointed the needs and challenges of these students who returned from active duty to pursue higher education.
“Veterans have access to tuition assistance but funding for housing, food and transportation is lacking,” Drake said.
“Moving from military life to civilian life is abrupt,” Drake said. “The social structure is different and simply having to choose what to wear and when to eat can be daunting.”
To track the campaign, visit www.edcc.edu/foundation/veterans.
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