UC Merced adds Veterans Upward Bound program to support veteran students through college

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- This Veterans Day, UC Merced has another way to thank former military members for their service.

The university will now have the 'Veterans Upward Bound' program.

Orquidea Largo, the Chief Outreach Officer at the university, says the program is designed to provide academic support.

"We anticipate providing services around social emotional, academic enrichment, financial guidance, more importantly, how to navigate the GI Bill, the financial aid application." Largo said.

UC Merced is the only one in the UC system to have the program.

Current student Flavio Castro served for eight years in the Army National Guard, which included a deployment to the Middle East.

He says when he first started at UC Merced he struggled to navigate his military benefits.

He thinks this program will help serve other veteran students who find themselves in a similar position.

"I think it will be beneficial because it will give them more confidence in the direction and the classes that they're taking and doing because they know that someone has already worked on it and they have confidence in them and they'll get the classes done sooner."

Julie Bishop is the Coordinator for transfer, returning and veteran students at UC Merced.

A veteran herself, she served nearly 30 years in the Navy while receiving her bachelor's and master's degrees.

She says veterans already have enough to do as they navigate out of the military and into college.

She thinks this program will help reduce some of the stress.

"It can be super intimidating and our goal would be definitely to reduce that fear factor in them to say, hey this is going to help you." Bishop said.

Bishop says the bottom line is she wants veteran students to know they're not alone through college.

"We are here to support you. We want you to get your end goal which is that degree. You've already sacrificed, you've already put forth a lot of the work, so let us help support you while you finish." Bishop said.

On Monday afternoon, UC Merced will host a military flyover as a way to honor veteran staff, students and veteran affiliated staff and students.