Porscha Rice spent nine years as a U.S. Navy hospital corpsman prior to enrolling at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
It’s her first time in college.
“It feels really good to be in college. One of my main reasons for going to the Navy was to go to college,” said Rice, who is studying to become a social worker. “There was not a lot of time to attend while in the Navy, so I’m happy to finally be able to attend full time.”
Rice is one of a handful of military veterans who signed up for a new class designed to help veterans acclimate as first-year college students.
UTSA recently rolled out the new Academic Introduction and Strategies course that is part of the university’s First-Year Experience program.
The latter initiative supports beginning students in their efforts to maneuver early challenges in their academic careers.
The Academic Introduction and Strategies program features core curriculum classes required for all first-time freshmen and newly arriving students at UTSA who have fewer than 30 hours of classes.
According to UTSA officials, the creation of a course crafted specifically for military veterans is reaction to feedback from current veteran students who said they have trouble relating to younger classmates.
Brian Rendell, senior director of academic credentialing, leadership development and marketable skills at UTSA’s University College, teaches the new course for veterans on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He said five to 10 veterans have enrolled in his class.
Rendell spent 24 years in the U.S. Air Force before retiring as a colonel. He said he looks forward to applying his life experiences toward helping first-time college students in their transition from a military career.
“UTSA’s focus on veterans is expanding, so we thought this new course was a great opportunity to create something tailored to their needs,” Rendell said.
Rendell said military veterans have unique life experiences, but some veterans do not fully realize how their talents can translate into post-military success.
“The military shows you not only how to be a leader, but to be able to get things done,” Rendell said. “But some veterans don’t know how to easily transition out of the military.”
Rice said her transition from the Navy into college has been challenging, but she is adjusting.
“I was admitted to honors college, and I’m hoping to eventually get more involved in the student body and immerse myself in the whole campus experience,” she added.
Rice said she feels the new class will make her a better student by fostering ways to incorporate reading, writing, public speaking, critical thinking and other tools to help her to succeed in college.
“I feel it will help me be more conscious of the world around me while also giving me resources on how to educate myself on what is happening in the world,” she said.
Seth Davidson is another veteran attending the newly created class. He served four years as an aerial gunner on an AC-130 gunship.
While Davidson had attended college before the Air Force, he said he lacked the discipline and work ethic that was needed to be successful.
“Now that I am picking my education back up after the military, I can see the values and discipline instilled in me every day in class,” Davidson said. “My goals are to exceed my own expectations and complete this semester maintaining a 4.0 grade point average.”
Davidson agreed with Rice that the new class being exclusively veterans will help him with his goals. He hopes to earn a bachelor’s degree in science and return to the military as a nurse.
“Since I’m almost exclusively surrounded by students right out of high school, this amazing opportunity affords me the chance to just talk with someone with shared experiences that understands the military way of life,” he said.
Rendell said UTSA keeps finding ways to improve support for veterans-turned-students, and complement San Antonio’s reputation as “Military City, USA.” He also said he felt “blessed” to live and work in a city where locals have long revered the military’s presence and its socioeconomic impact on the community.
UTSA already has Army and Air Force JROTC programs that collectively number more than 400 cadets, and several local service members have children who attend classes at UTSA, Rendell said.
“UTSA continues to make all sorts of connections to the military,” he added.
