The Veteran & Military Student Center opened its door to students on August 21 in the Lightsey Center Basement, Suite B24 (where Auxiliary Services was previously located). The new center serves as a place for veteran and military students to connect, relax, or study. It offers a large lounge area with couches, a television, and coffee makers with free coffee, as well as a separate computer lab and study area with six new computers.
The Veteran & Military Student Center is fully staffed and houses Jessica Wilkes, Program Director of Veteran & Military Student Services, Mat Garrison, Coordinator for Veteran, Military and ROTC Recruitment and Admissions, and Charles West, VA VITAL Coordinator. Jessica is the veteran and military student central point of contact. She can assist students with any questions they have, in addition to locating the appropriate resources and services they may need. Not only does she assist veteran/military students but she also assists faculty/staff with questions or concerns they may have regarding students. Mat is the first stop in the application process for veteran and military students that wish to attend the College of Charleston. He evaluates previous college credits and is the on-campus Joint Services Transcripts (JST) expert. In addition to admissions, he also works in conjunction with Jessica assisting students with any issues, questions, or concerns they have. He is now located in the Veteran & Military Student Center in Room B25. Charles West is the campus VA VITAL Coordinator and his office is located in B26 within the new center. He assists students with signing up for VA healthcare, contacting providers, obtaining referrals, and provides counseling to veteran students. Charles West’s office hours vary so contact the VMSS office regarding for his availability.
You can reach Jessica Wilkes at WilkesJJ@cofc.edu if you have any questions.