Serving those who served and their families

By Noe Magana

Veterans Resource Center Hours of Operation

Monday: 8 a.m – 4 p.m Tuesday-Thursday: 8 a.m- 5 p.m

Friday: 8 a.m – 4 p.m Saturday & Sunday: Closed

There are no visible signs that it exists, but the San Jose City College Veterans Resource Center is located in one of the many “hidden” rooms on the second floor of the Student Center.

Gary Ledesma, veterans, general transfer and career counselor, said the VRC was founded about three years ago, however SJCC has provided assistance,

academically and with referrals, to veterans long before he arrived at SJCC in the late 1980s.

Ledesma said he estimates the Veteran Affairs in SJCC assists 200 students per semester. Most students tied to the VA are either veterans or immediateadmin | TIMES STAFF family members of veterans.

“It’s open to anyone,” Ledesma said. “We have students whose parent has been a veteran and they can come in and we can definitely support them and help.”

Student Robert leow Uses one of the computers at the SJCC Veterans Resource Center located in the Student Center on Dec. 15.

Kathy Araki, VRC program assistant and Robert Leow, 28, business, emphasized the program’s three Cs: community, commodity and connection.

“We have four computers here that (veteran students) can use for school work,” Araki said. “We have a refrigerator where they can store their food that they want to bring in.”

Araki also said veteran students are always welcome to use the center to work on their homework, relax, eat or just gather to interact with each other.

“It provides me access to computers, people, privileges, relaxation, a place to come between classes just to study (and) talk to people,” Robert Leow said.

The VRC also offer tutors, if requested by its students.

“If they come in here and ask if there is somebody available (to tutor), I can find out,” Araki said.

Veterans are also offered an opportunity to consult Dr. Gonzalez, a VA Psychologist, confidentially every other Thursday.

“A lot of veterans come back with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and they have issues they like to discuss with a person that is knowledgeable about their types of mental health problems,” Ledesma said.

Ledesma also said Veterans are among four groups that are offered priority registration in California along with CalWorks, EOP&S and disabled students.

“Any of the questions I have about finances or anything else, there is somebody here that can figure it out,” Leow said.

Ledesma said there are one or two veterans that can “informally” help with tutoring in math or English along with professionals that can help in other areas veterans need help with.

“We have an employment person come in and talk about what jobs are there for veterans,” Ledesma said. “(We) try to get veterans employed.”

A complete list of the services offered by the VRC and VA are available on the SJCC website under Support Programs.

The VRC is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in room SC 215.