After much anticipation, the new offices of Adult Learner and Veteran Services are open at the Lory Student Center.

The redesign and expansion of the ALVS space is part of the recently completed North End Renovation at the LSC, and features an additional level, 6,200 extra square feet, a foothills-facing patio, new offices and gathering spaces, and an upgraded food pantry and kitchenette.

“We’re so excited to be in this wonderful space, to welcome new students and to be able to expand our services,” Lisa Chandler, assistant director of ALVS, said.

ALVS, which offers academic and social support to non-traditional students such as parents, adults, caregivers, and veterans, has long been a welcoming place for students and staff of all kinds to gather and build community. The expansion, bringing the total space to more than 8,000 square feet, will support increased interaction and collaboration among students and peer advisors, and will allow the ALVS staff to conduct more workshops and trainings in their own space.

“The new space feels more intentional,” Chandler said. “We were able from the beginning to plan it according to our programming needs. There are five community spaces and huddle rooms – quieter spaces, where students can meet, get tutoring help, or just hang out.”

MAKING CONNECTIONS

For students who don’t live on campus, and who might be juggling other responsibilities, just having a spot to land during the day is huge. Familiar faces, easy conversations, and shared laughs help them feel as if they belong. Making these connections can be key to their success at school and in other aspects of their lives, Chandler said.

It’s not unusual to see students and staff gather, sipping coffee and sharing stories, gearing up for the demands of the day or easing out of a busy afternoon. Approximately 7,000 students find support through ALVS, three thousand of whom are undergraduates.

Kevin Melchior, a 31-year-old student in his fourth year, came back to college after service in the Navy. After his discharge in July of 2022, he said he came straight to CSU to study political science and sociology.

“I was worried, though, about coming back at 30,” he said. “I wasn’t sure I’d fit in. I met Bri (ALVS Program Coordinator Brianna Ridenour) at RamWelcome, and she convinced me to sign up for a student seminar. Having people who had different life experiences here, it was really great to engage with them and feel like I had a place to go, to be part of things,” Melchior said.

Since then, Melchior has found his place at ALVS, and is now working in the office as a peer advisor. “I knew I wanted to be part of the staff to help students transition back to college,” he said. When he graduates, he said he’s hoping to transform his passion for mental health advocacy into a professional position.

BRIDGING THE GAPS

Students unsure of their way forward can meet with peer advisors to learn about resources, find tutors, and explore career opportunities with liaisons from departments across campus. They also can navigate the intricacies of student aid with the help of the Office of Financial Aid, or work with the Veterans Education Benefits Office (VEBO) to learn about veteran benefits. Staff peer advisors (all former students) interact with the student community daily to suggest resources and to support their interests, whether it’s applying for scholarships or finding other connections on campus.

This richness in programming is not an accident at ALVS. A key objective of the office is to support the social and academic growth of this community, with an eye toward personal and professional success, ALVS Director Ben Schrader said.

“The thing ALVS strives for most is success, that adult learners and veterans have the same opportunities as traditional students. We help bridge the gaps, the challenges they face, so they’re able to use the amazing skills they have coming in to be able to act as leaders on campus,” Schrader said.

For example, student parents, who often find it challenging to balance family life, parenting tasks and college coursework, can take part in ALVS’s Ram Kidz Village, which provides drop-in educational activities at Morgan Library during the fall and spring semesters. ALVS also provides students with one-on-one tutoring sessions, foundational classes in mathematics and science, help with scholarship applications and career counseling.

Moreover, ALVS strives to help non-traditional students find their niche at CSU by providing a connection to various student groups or through partner liaisons. Acting as a starting spot or hub, they encourage students to branch out to find other communities to engage with, to feel an additional sense of belonging.

“Helping all of our student population succeed at the University might look different for everyone,” Chandler said. “We’re helping students connect so they can advocate for themselves to maximize their experiences here.”

REALIZING A DREAM

The idea to expand the ALVS space with the goal of providing expanded services was first was suggested in 2015 by former ALVS Director and Army veteran, Marc Barker. He and others on the ALVS team, including Asst. Director Lisa Chandler, wondered what it might look like if they broadened their outreach to appeal to all non-traditional students who might be looking for a place to belong on campus.

“The space was fairly underutilized,” Chandler said. “Since then, we’ve done a lot to make it more inclusive. We’re hiring a more diverse staff, creating diverse programming, and increasing our collaboration with campus partners. We’ve also worked to enrich our passive programming that includes our newsletter and social outreach.

“We worked hard to change, and to show the needs of our students as well as their value,” she said.

In the Spring of 2018, the Student Fee Review Board approved an increase in student fees to support the project, and design and construction plans were under way. Chandler said they “dreamed big,” and the final iteration of the space matched those dreams.

Barker, who was asked in 2020 to co-chair the university’s pandemic response team and now works in University Operations as Assistant Vice President of Safety and Risk Services, said he couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.

“It is very satisfying to see this project and the original vision being completed,” Barker said. “The expansion of ALVS demonstrates the on-going commitment to serve non-traditional students and student veterans. The physical space itself will now align with the value the University has always placed on having this student population on campus. The student population that will call ALVS home brings diverse life experiences to our campus and classrooms that frankly are immeasurable.”

Schrader, who was hired in 2021 as the new shepherd of the program, said this position is “a dream job” for him.

“This work is very personal to me as it has all aspects of my life tied to it,” he said. “I’m a veteran and an adult learner, my mother was a student parent when I was growing up, and my PhD work was focused on veteran issues. I find it very rewarding to help give back to others and see them succeed.”

 

By Jill Jones

LSC Marketing