College of the Canyons has 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 and infrastructure.

The five-year grant partnership will provide intensive services to 125 eligible student veterans in the Santa Clarita Valley, Antelope Valley, and parts of the San Fernando Valley.

“The target region is home to large numbers of low-income and first-generation veterans, many from underrepresented groups with no more than a high school education and who lack college readiness,” said Renard Thomas, director of the Veterans Resource Center at the college. “We are very excited about how we will be able to expand our support services through this grant to ensure student veterans have the resources they need to thrive academically.”

The VUB program will provide student veterans with academic advisement, career counseling, academic and career preparation, rigorous core curriculum, workshops, cohort-based learning, tutoring, summer enrichment, mentoring and peer support, professional development, college tours and enrichment, and an annual recognition event.

“There are no comparable VUB services in the region,” said Thomas.

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.

A VRC was opened at the college’s Canyon Country campus in 2016.

For more information about the Veterans Resource Center at College of the Canyons, please click here.