Page 16 - Laker Connection Fall 2013

Members of the Student Veteran’s Association. Front Row, L-R: Dennis Brown, Kevin Nguyen, Kevin "Mac" McMullen and Edwin Gomez. Back Row, L-R: Shannon Platts, Jonathan Lopez-Mercado, Natalia Gomez and Kenneth Gray.
AGE IS MORE THAN A NUMBER
By Erin Fender
Diversity is often limited to the idea of race and ethnicity, but true diversity is a much deeper concept. Beyond ethnicity, it is truly about what makes each of us different; age, religious beliefs, and even life experiences bring diversity to the class- room. At Clayton State University, age plays a huge role in the diverse culture of the student population. During the spring 2013 semester, with a total student enrollment of 6,954 stu- dents, non-traditional students comprised 39 percent of the stu- dent body.
The non-traditional student comes to Clayton State at least five years post high school graduation or may have even attended college but earned fewer than 30 semester hours. However, some of those students come to Clayton State after a military career.
“Student veterans offer diversity through their unique life ex- periences. Veterans have experienced intense physical, tech- nical and combat training, often directly after high school.
Many have participated in combat and bear scars, seen and un- seen, from the horrors of war. Through these experiences, stu- dent veterans have gained broader and more global perspectives about the world and about life in general,” says Tina Lake, Clayton State’s Veterans Resource Center coordi- nator.
Kevin Nguyen is a junior biology major and current president of the Student Veterans Association. He also notes that having more life experience coming back to school after nine years of service in the Navy is a real benefit.
“I really have experienced and traveled more than many tra- ditional students, and I believe I can mentor and advise other students,” says Kevin.
The Veterans Resource Center offers a place for student vet- erans to connect and give those students a quiet place to study. It’s a place for like-minded students to connect and support
14 THE LAKER CONNECTION