In honor of Veterans Day, the Community College of Vermont is extending gratitude to the many veterans and military members in our community for their service. Each semester, CCV serves more than 400 veteran and military-connected students in our 12 academic centers and online. The College recognizes the unique needs of these students, and is proud to offer robust and specialized support services, including tutoring, scholarships, transfer support, and career services. The Veteran & Military Services team at CCV, many of whom are veterans themselves, bring their own experience and expertise to their relationships with students, helping to bridge the gap between service and education.
One way that CCV recognizes and honors our student veterans for their scholastic achievements is through the SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society. To be eligible, students must be veterans or active military, have a minimum GPA of 3.0, have completed at least 12 hours of coursework, and demonstrate the values of SALUTE (Service, Academics, Leadership, Unity, Tribute, and Excellence).
Nikolaus Dorfner was inducted into CCV’s SALUTE chapter this fall. A born-and-raised Vermonter, he graduated from Essex High School and briefly attended college out of state before joining the armed forces. He joined the Army in 2012, saying he wanted “to get an early start at job experience.” While serving, he saw new parts of the world, gained experience, and learned more about what his interests were, including computers and technology.
Nikolaus started taking classes at CCV in 2022, pursuing an associate degree in Information Technology. “I think I had a good working knowledge of IT systems going in,” Nikolaus said. “And I’ve been able to expand my general understanding into a greater technical proficiency.” He currently works at Global Foundries as a dispatcher for the emergency response team while taking classes. His plan is to graduate in 2024 and pursue a job in cyber security, system administration or networking.
Read on for a brief Q&A with Nikolaus about his experience as a veteran and CCV student.
Did you always know you wanted to go to college?
Yes, I always thought I would get my degree. It just took some time to figure out what I wanted to learn and what was interesting to me personally.
Why did you choose CCV?
CCV’s location was extremely convenient for me, and the IT program seemed like a good fit.
What support has CCV offered you as a veteran student?
CCV made it very simple to use my benefits when I needed them. The whole process was streamlined. Staff, advisors and educators were all helpful and available when I needed to speak to them.
Do you think these supports have had a positive impact on your education and experience at CCV?
Yes, I think that it’s important to receive recognition and support with your personal background in focus. I don’t think that I have the same struggles as many veterans, but I can appreciate that the small amount of support I’ve needed has always been there.
What’s your favorite part about being a CCV student?
The flexibility to continue learning while also working full time. I’m not sure I’d have been able to make progress at the rate I have without the ability to set my own deadlines and manage my workload personally.
What does it mean to you to be inducted into CCV’s SALUTE chapter?
To me it means a lot to be recognized for academic achievements. Especially since I’ve felt like I’ve been putting a lot of effort into the work I’ve been doing at CCV.
Congratulations, Nikolaus, and thank you for your service. To learn more about veterans services at CCV visit ccv.edu/veterans.
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