From Kendall Burch, Veteran Services Coordinator, University of Washington – Tacoma: “David brings a consistently positive and “get it done” attitude to our PAVE Team. He is proactive, reliable, contributes new ideas during meetings, and takes initiative when faced with a problem. Working on campus at the Disability Resource Office, he makes sure that his assigned PAVE students (or any student in the program) know where to find him. We are fortunate to have him on our team!”

From David Hernandez: “When I was getting out of the military and returning to college I found the experience to be slightly terrifying. I went from a very structured environment with a steady paycheck to navigating the whirlwind involved with applying to schools, financial aid, VA benefits, while worrying about my financial security. I took the orientation for veterans at my school, which helped, but I failed to reach out to my Peer Advisor. I learned how to navigate many obstacles that could have been eased with the help of an advisor. Now that I am a Peer Advisor myself, I work hard to reach out and make sure other veterans are aware of me and of how I can help. It has been extremely cathartic passing on my knowledge about what benefits are available to them and how to go about applying for them. I have assisted students with finances, filling out paperwork, academic guidance, and simply being a friendly face to ease the transition.”