College of the Canyons has successfully completed the first year of its five-year Veterans Upward Bound grant program. This transformative initiative aims to provide comprehensive support services to eligible student veterans in the Santa Clarita Valley, Antelope Valley and parts of the San Fernando Valley.

“The Veterans Upward Bound program at College of the Canyons empowers student veterans with tailored academic and career resources, fostering success in higher education and beyond,” said Renard Thomas, director of the Veterans Resource Center at COC. “In its first year, many veterans have gained essential support through advisement on veteran education benefits, academic counseling, need-based referrals to resources on and off campus, and more building on the proven strength of COC’s Veterans Resource Center.”

In 2023, COC received a $1.437 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education in support of a Veterans Upward Bound program designed to help student veterans succeed in pursuing postsecondary education by addressing gaps in support services.

Through the Veterans Upward Bound program, student veterans gain access to an array of academic and career-focused resources.

During the first year of this grant, through the collaborative efforts of the Moving Veterans Forward Network, Veterans Upward Bound has connected over 70 veteran students with tailored academic and non-academic services designed to address their unique needs.

Notably, approximately 90 percent of these veterans have successfully enrolled in classes at COC during the previous and current academic years, highlighting the program’s effectiveness in facilitating their transition to higher education and ensuring access to critical resources.

The program’s partnership with on-campus and off-campus organizations, including VPAN, the Vet Center and Cal Vet, has enhanced access to critical resources to ensure veterans receive comprehensive support that promotes their academic, personal, and professional success.

Student veterans have benefited from the following services:

Academic advising and counseling

Basic skills development and short-term refresher coursed

Career awareness and career planning

Life skills and decision-making workshops

Family activities and peer mentoring

College admissions and financial aid assistance

Employment, mental health, and basic needs referrals

These services build upon the strong foundation of COC’s Veterans Resource Center, which has been serving veterans since 2010. The center is well-known for providing student services advisement, academic counseling, VA benefits information, and veteran peer support.

As the Veterans Upward Bound program moves into its second year, COC remains committed to empowering student veterans with the tools and resources they need to enter and succeed in higher education and beyond.

Since 2010, COC has successfully operated a Veterans Resource Center at its Valencia campus, offering a wide range of services such as student services advisement, academic counseling, VA benefits information, and veteran peer support.

In 2016, a Veterans Resource Center was opened at the college’s Canyon Country campus.

For more information about the Veterans Upward Bound program or the Veterans Resource Center at College of the Canyons, please click here or call (661) 362-3469.