VMC Student Champion Program
“We are each other’s champions.”
To champion someone is to fight for them. To become a VMC Student Champion is to accept the responsibility of becoming an advocate for our student veterans and military-connected students.
Learning Outcomes
The process of becoming a VMC Student Champion requires the completion of four connected trainings offered by the VMC itself, the Office of Public Safety, and the Mental Health Task Force. Grounded with a mental health orientation, the learning objectives for this series of trainings are as follows:
Individuals will be able to:
- Develop a basic understanding of military culture, training, and different types of military educational benefits.
- Assess and engage student veterans and military-connected individuals in appropriate and productive conversations about their military service and/or family connections.
- Engage and refer student veteran and military-connected students to the appropriate student services based on the student’s stated academic or personal issue.
- Assess potential mental health issues and refer students to the appropriate mental health services.
- Question, persuade, and refer individuals expressing suicidal ideation to the appropriate resources.
- Formulate appropriate strategies to support student veterans and military-connected students in pursuit of their educational, vocational, and personal goals.
The Curriculum
To earn the VMC Student Champion certification and badge, individuals must complete the following:
- Attend the full VMC Ally Training offered
- Attend a VMC-sponsored Green Zone Training.
- Green Zone Training describes in detail the mental health challenges of a specific subset of the Veteran and Military-Connected population.
- Complete and share proof of completing a Mental Health First Aid Training and Certification.
- Complete and share proof of completing QPR (Question. Persuade. Refer) Training and Certification.
This is an internal co-curricular Wright State-based certification. At present, it does not count for CEUs or academic credit.
How to Participate?
Individuals interested in pursuing this series of training should email the VMC and request to be added to the VMC Student Champion Path located in Engage.
Once added to the “Path,” individuals will be able to track their progress toward completion of the four elements.
Completion
Those individuals who complete the four trainings will receive a certificate of completion and a door magnet. Since progress will be tracked within the Engage system, individuals will be able to “prove” their completion with the Engage Co-Curricular Transcript.
Questions
This program is launching in the Fall of 2023. If you have questions or comments, please reach out to Seth Gordon, Director of the Veteran and Military Center, at seth.gordon@wright.edu
Training for the 2023-2034 Academic Year
VMC Ally Training – All Ally Training in the VMC
- Veteran Ally Training
Friday, February 23, 2024, 9:30 a.m. to noon - Veteran Ally Training
Monday, February 26, 2024. noon to 2:30 p.m. - Veteran Ally Training
Monday, March 18, 2024, 9:30 a.m. to noon - Veteran Ally Training
Friday, March 29, 2024. noon to 2:30 p.m. - Veteran Ally Training
Friday, April 12, 2024, 9:30 a.m. to noon - Veteran Ally Training
Monday, April 15, 2024. noon to 2:30 p.m.
VMC Green Zone Trainings – Please pay close attention to the location
- Serving our Current Active, Guard, and Reserve
Tuesday, February 13, 2024, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 131 Allyn Hall - Suicide Prevention in the Veteran and Military Connected Space
Thursday, March 14, 2024, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Student Union Discovery Room - Understanding Resilience
Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., 131 Allyn Hall
QPR Trainings
This requirement can be fulfilled by providing a certificate of completion from the QPR Institute to seth.gordon@wright.edu. Wright State University’s Office of Public Safety offers this one-hour-long training on a regular basis. You can RSVP to one of their trainings through Engage.
Mental Health First Aid Training
Most Mental Health First Aid Training is offered in single-day or multi-day training over the course of 8 to 10 hours. Wright State University frequently offers this training for free on campus. You can access free virtual training at ohiomhfa.org if you live in Ohio and work with a College-aged population. Once you have received your certificate of completion, please forward it to Seth Gordon at seth.gordon@wright.edu to have this requirement fulfilled.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.