As a student worker, Elaine Harris knows what being busy means.
The Air Force veteran recently earned her Master's of Business Administration from University of Maryland Global Campus while she worked part-time at the university, helping her fellow military veterans pursue their educational dreams -- at the same time she was raising her two children.
Harris served in the Air Force for 20 years in the security forces as a military security enforcement.
“I turned 50 two weeks before I got my MBA in December of 2020,” she said.
Harris, who works part-time at UMGC’s student veteran Hildebrand Lounge called the working environment at UMGC both welcoming and friendly. She said her co-workers constantly encouraged her as she pursued her degrees.
“The main purpose of the whole job here is just to be there for the vets and let them know what resources they have, what programs are there, what scholarships are available,” she said. “There are so many resources we have at UMGC. We are military-centric.”
As a veteran student worker, it has been a pleasure for Harris to help students at various times while working in UMGC’S Vessey Veteran Resource Center. LFrom assistance with Microsoft applications, UMGC Learning Experience Online (lEO) platform, guidance on using VA benefits and much more.
While a student at UMGC, Harris said she was privileged to utilize her VA benefits to finish her degree Harris added that she was thankful to know there are so many scholarships available at UMGC for veterans to help them complete their degrees.
Harris said UMGC’s professors -- many of whom have military experience themselves - also understand the unique challenges that both active duty and veteran students face when attending college.
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And, Harris isn’t quite finished with school just yet. She’s currently taking a leadership and management course at UMGC.
To learn more about UMGC, visit here.
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Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
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