Questions for Student Veterans: Current and Former.

Sgt Junyer Knight — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 19:42:06 -0400

What degree did you choose to pursue and why?

Did you complete that degree? If not, why?

Were you able to find internships? Were you able to take part in them based on your schedule/pay/family needs?

Would you be, or would you have been, interested in a summer internship at a company in your targeted field if it were provided by a nonprofit venture?

Response by SFC Scott Crouch made Aug 6 at 2014 6:33 AM

SFC Scott Crouch — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 06:33:42 -0400

What degree did you choose to pursue and why?

Political Science, because there needs to be more veterans which hold office. I believe this is one of the primary issues with our government today. Twenty years ago, there was about 55% of Congress men and women were veterans, compared to less than 25% today.

Did you complete that degree? If not, why?

Working on it.

Were you able to find internships? Were you able to take part in them based on your schedule/pay/family needs?

Not interested in internship. However, I have stood up and volunteered for certain political campaigns recently.

Would you be, or would you have been, interested in a summer internship at a company in your targeted field if it were provided by a nonprofit venture?

No. Because I already have a good paying job and do not necessarily need an internship to get me in the door.

Response by CAPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 6 at 2014 10:38 AM

CAPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 10:38:47 -0400

Highly suggest doing internships as so many employers look for experience in a field when you're fresh out of school. Hard to afford many times, but you can always offer your time in days off or off hours to enable you to add that to your resume.

Response by Sgt Junyer Knight made Aug 6 at 2014 3:37 PM

Sgt Junyer Knight — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 15:37:01 -0400

My reason for posing these questions is I am going to create a nonprofit focused on aiding student veterans find internships that otherwise would be out of their reach. Student veterans face many challenges in heading back to school and the summer months usually require they work between their last Spring and first Fall GI Bill payments. I want to give them more flexibility.

I also want to put student veterans on more companies' radars. Paying for their internship at a Fortune 500 company will allow a company to "try veterans out" in different positions, that the veteran is interested in, at little to no cost to the host company.

I'm still in the planning stages but I'm hoping to have something officially started by the end of Spring semester 2015.

Response by Cpl Miguel Chirinos made Aug 6 at 2014 6:07 PM

Cpl Miguel Chirinos — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 18:07:17 -0400

I used my reserve go bill towards by bachelor in education. I had to intern for a semester as part of my undergrad requirements. I am using my post 9-11 gi bill to pay for my masters in educational administration again, an internship is required in as part of the course work. I would be interested in a summer internship with non profits as I already volunteer with other non profits during my summers now.

Response by SPC Rachel Broadway made Aug 8 at 2014 9:35 PM

SPC Rachel Broadway — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 21:35:49 -0400

I am getting a Bachelors degree in Health and Human performance with a minor in pre professional health. Fortunately for me, my internship is included in my degree as the last semester. Unfortunately, I will be taking it in the summer which means all 3 of my kids will be out of school and my GI bill doesn't even cover the cost of daycare for 3 kids full time. Once I graduate, I plan to use what's left of my GI bill to cover a portion of my cost for graduate school in occupational therapy.

Response by SPC Robert Wagner made Aug 9 at 2014 1:05 PM

SPC Robert Wagner — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 13:05:24 -0400

What degree did you choose to pursue and why?

-Currently majoring in Geology B.S., formerly a Chemistry major, I switched majors because Geology interested me more than Chemistry.

Did you complete that degree? If not, why?

-Not yet. The only remaining classes I have to take are Calculus III and classes which require that as a prerequisite. The process is slower now that I have to maintain full employment to keep up with living expenses. One of the barriers I've had is that being unable to use any kind of assistance to retake earlier math classes, my math skills had atrophied, making the classes I've taken so far more difficult than they need to be. Working on it.

Were you able to find internships? Were you able to take part in them based on your schedule/pay/family needs?

- Didn't look, didn't know where to look. Honestly, I still have no idea.

Would you be, or would you have been, interested in a summer internship at a company in your targeted field if it were provided by a nonprofit venture?

- I would, because I'm using Hazelwood Exemption, have to accept a position within the State of Texas. Additionally, the living expenses issue, it would have to be paid.

Response by MSgt Jason Hill made Aug 9 at 2014 7:28 PM

MSgt Jason Hill — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 19:28:55 -0400

After completing my associate of applied science in construction technology through the community college of the Air Force, I started my BS in technology majoring in Quality Systems at Bowling Green State University. BGSU offers a "2+2" degree program where you bring your associate degree in and they guarantee you can graduate in 2 years. This major also allowed me to complete my courses online so i could work full time.

Yes I finished

BGSU has a very good Co-Op and internship program, so yes I could find them I just choose not to.

If there was an internship or Co-Op that paid more than what I was making then i would have taken it.