HACC is the only college in Pennsylvania chosen for the federally funded program for veterans and their families

HARRISBURG, Pa. – HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, is the only college in Pennsylvania chosen to participate in VetSuccess on Campus, a federally funded program aimed at easing the transition to academic life for military veterans and their families.

Starting Nov. 4, 2013, Veterans Administration vocational rehabilitation counselors will be housed at HACC and 93 other colleges across the country as a liaison between the student-veteran and any department in the Veterans Administration.

“VetSuccess on Campus will provide a comprehensive, one-stop service for educational and employment needs as well as help with the Post 9/11 GI Bill and other education benefits for veterans and their families,” said Adam Walter, director of HACC director of military and veterans affairs.

“Ed Daschbach, the VA vocational rehabilitation counselor assigned to HACC, will be the ‘boots on the ground’ where service members are concerned,” said Walter. “He will be stationed in the Military and Veterans Affairs Office (MVAO) at HACC’s Harrisburg Campus.”

Veterans do not have to be HACC students to participate, Walter added.

“This is a significant opportunity for HACC to enhance services to our growing veteran population,” said HACC President John J. “Ski” Sygielski, Ed.D. “This fall 2013 term, 828 veterans and 135 of their dependents are enrolled in the College.”

In a statement issued by the White House, Allison A. Hickey, VA’s undersecretary for benefits, said, “Placing experienced VA counselors directly on college campuses strengthens VA’s partnership with institutions of higher learning and creates myriad opportunities to help veterans succeed.”

VetSuccess on Campus began in 2009 with a pilot at the University of South Florida. It continued to grow to 24 college locations in 2012 and expanded this fall to 94 college locations. Partner schools are selected for the size of their student veteran population and proximity to a VA regional office or medical center, among other factors, according to the White House statement.

Since the inception of the Post-9/11 GI Bill four years ago, VA has issued about $30 billion in payments to help nearly 1 million service members, veterans and family members pursue their education, the statement said.

About HACC
HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, offers nearly 200 career and transfer associate degree, certificate and diploma programs to more than 20,000 students at five campuses in Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York and through virtual learning. In addition, HACC serves more than 29,000 students in noncredit workforce development, public safety, adult basic education and continuing education programs offered at all campuses and off-site locations in many communities in Central Pennsylvania. For more information about what HACC has to offer, visit www.hacc.edu.
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