About VET NET Ally
The VET NET Ally program is an education and awareness program that develops a network
of faculty, staff, and administrators committed to creating a welcoming and supportive
campus environment for military service members and veterans that study at Santa Monica
College.
Created by Dr. Marshall Thomas, VET NET Ally has given presentations to staff and faculty of major community colleges and universities nationwide.
The VET NET Ally program supports the academic and professional, personal, and social success of service members and veterans, respects the right to privacy and confidentiality of veterans and service members in accordance with the Confidentiality Statement in the VET NET Ally Handbook, and creates a welcoming environment for service members and veterans at Santa Monica College by having allies across campus display their VET NET Ally symbols at their workstations.
VET NET Ally Seminar
VET NET Ally seminars are events focused on the needs and concerns of military service members and veterans studying at Santa Monica College. The seminar includes:
- VET NET Ally program mission and SMC's approach to assisting veterans in their academic pursuits
- Veterans' experiences in the classroom
- Military and post-service culture
- Why I joined? An experiential activity addressing the reasons why men and women join the military
- Veterans issues in higher education
- Student veteran panel
- Becoming an Ally
At the end of the seminar participants are given a decal to display in their workplace to show that they are allies to SMC's student veterans.
Special thanks to Dr. Marshall Thomas, for allowing SMC to utilize the VET NET Ally program to educate the SMC campus about veteran-specific experiences.