From the Front of the Classroom

I'm a community college professor in a big military town (San Diego). My classes are full of students who are active military or veterans, and I have taught several classes at a nearby naval station. The college serves a largely urban population, comprised primarily of people coming back to school, some after a few years and some after decades. The median age of students at the college is close to thirty. The diversity on campus is staggering, but one thing the students have in common is the belief that getting an education can change their lives. It's great to teach students like these, and I truly love my job.

I got to thinking about the veterans in my classes when I read this article about college scholarships for children of soldiers killed in action or training. I know from talking to my students that a big factor in why they enrolled in college was the chance to provide a better life for their children. When military men and women die in service, they lose that opportunity. That's why it is so important to think about what these individuals wanted for their own lives, and what they might have been able to accomplish through their own efforts. We can't change what happened, but there's a lot we can do to help their dreams for their children be realized.