Sauk Valley Community College provides services to veteran students and their families to help them use their federal and state benefits and connect to area resources.

Eric Valdez, coordinator of veterans services at SVCC, meets with veterans attending the college to find out what they qualify for through the Department of Veterans Affairs and the state of Illinois. Typically, their benefits pay for tuition, course fees and textbooks along with a monthly housing allowance, Valdez told Shaw Local.

“A lot of veterans, when they are separating from the military, aren’t aware of what is covered or what they can use their benefits for,” Valdez said.

He said that’s why he “always encourages students” to come talk to him – because it’s important they know “they can get paid to go to school.”

It “helps them focus more on their education rather than work, but it [also] gives them the time to spend time with their families,” Valdez said.

Valdez works with veterans attending certificate and degree programs along with those in the police academy. In total, he said, there are 45 to 50 veterans currently enrolled.

Valdez also is a veteran.

He served five years as an active member of the U.S. Army and was stationed in Afghanistan, Fort Drum and Germany before retiring. After that, he did a work study at SVCC while using his benefits to earn an associate degree, Valdez said.

Then, he began working at SVCC as a front desk financial aid specialist, Valdez said.

He worked his way up to his current position, in which he also is a financial assistance adviser; he’s held the position for the past 6½ years.

Even to those who don’t plan on going to SVCC, Valdez said, “Please come talk to me. We can see what other options are out there, other schools are out there or just other resources.”

“It’s not just for schooling. It’s to get other resources out to the veterans,” which is a big part of what Valdez does, he said.

One of those is the Veteran Career Resource Program at Sterling’s Goodwill, 2216 E. Fourth St., which was spearheaded by veterans employment readiness specialist Elisabeth Henson in early 2023. The program helps veterans find employment by providing one-on-one job readiness training; comprehensive support services; and employment referrals in Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties, Valdez said.

“Our program is designed to assist U.S. military veterans, and that can mean a variety of things. I can help them make a resume, do mock interviews, assist with job searches and more,” Henson said in a previous interview with Shaw Local.

The program is free and also offers several free skills trainings and workshops for veterans throughout the year. Other support services include case management, transportation assistance, clothing for interviews and jobs, help obtaining a driver’s license or DD214, and more, Henson said.

Training events and an annual job and resource fair are typically held on the SVCC campus, Henson said.

The campus, Valdez said, has monthly workshops for veterans, and other veteran community partners hold presentations on various topics and meetings to discuss how the school can better help veterans in the area.

Another thing the school has is a student veterans organization that’s led by Valdez as president, but “we don’t have any members yet, and it’s just not up and running,” he said.

It was started in 2017 and shut down when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. Valdez tried to start it up again in 2023 with some interest, but “it kind of dwindled out again,” he said.

“It’s just hard because we are a small community college, and especially being in the area, veterans want to come to school and go home,” Valdez said.

Every semester, Valdez reaches out to the school’s veteran population to see if anyone is interested in joining the organization – or even if they just need someone to talk to.

He said as a veteran himself, “I feel like they kind of relate to me a little bit more than” those at the school who haven’t served, he said.

The organization also holds fundraisers, including one coming up: the Freedom 5K run/walk.

The event starts at 9 a.m. Nov. 15 on the campus at 173 Route 2 in Dixon. The registration fee is $30, and all proceeds will support SVCC student veterans in need.

For information about SVCC resources or the Freedom 5K, call 815-835-6315.

For information on Goodwill’s veterans program, call 815-632-3908.