Contact: Marcia Shottenkirk, Communications Liaison
Communications@redlandscc.edu /405-422-6237
New Collaboration Creates New Opportunities for Veterans
EL RENO, Okla.— Oklahoma veterans will now have access to more services with a new collaboration between the Veterans Upward Bound program at Redlands Community College and the Oklahoma Works Center in Lawton, Okla.
“This collaboration could not have come at a more perfect time for our program,” said Kelsey Heggy, academic specialist for the Veterans Upward Bound program. “We were looking for a central location in Lawton where we could offer personalized math tutoring and career counseling to our veteran-participants.”
As a free college-prep program of the U.S. Department of Education, Veterans Upward Bound is designed to motivate and assist veterans in the development of academic and other skills necessary for acceptance and success in college. The program provides counseling, mentoring, tutoring and academic instruction in core subject areas. The Redlands Veterans Upward Bound program helps veteran-participants in 14 Oklahoma counties.
The Oklahoma Works Center, located in the Lawton Workforce Center at 1711 S.W. 11th Street in Lawton, is providing the Redlands program team with access to a full-service computer lab. These computers will allow veteran-participants the ability to take assessments in reading, writing or math, as well as use online tutorials such as Comfit and Tutor.com to prepare themselves for college.
“It’s our goal to have all of our veterans be successful in choosing a program of study and enrolling in classes,” Heggy said. “We also want them to be aware of the multitude of financial aid resources that are available to them.”
With this collaboration, veterans will not be limited to only the services provided by Redlands, they will also be able to use all the workforce services available through Oklahoma Works.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our participants in the Veterans Upward Bound program,” said Redlands President Jack Bryant. “It’s exciting to see this new collaboration form to help those who have served us so honorably.”
For more information on the Redlands Veterans Upward Bound program, please contact 405-422-1451 or visit www.redlandscc.edu. To learn more about veterans’ resources regarding job search skills, barriers to employment, and career services, contact Oklahoma Works at 580-357-3500.
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