New SUNY Internship Program Focused On Serving Student Veterans

Jake Proctor's career goal is to help fellow Veterans figure out what comes after they complete their military service. So when he heard about the State University of New York's (SUNY) new Veterans Enrollment and Support Internship Program which would be implemented at Onondaga Community College, he thought he was the perfect person for the job. "I can articulate the benefits of OCC as a Veteran, what we have going on here, how they can succeed, share my experiences, and give them that encouragement which was what I needed to start. It's important for Veterans to find the next step in their life and find their way forward."

Proctor is a 29-year-old native of Plant City, Florida. After graduating high school, he spent a year working at a window factory while he studied for his military aptitude test. He passed it with flying colors, enlisted in the United States Army, and became a Chemical Biological Radiological Specialist at Fort Drum in northern New York. While serving, he met a Syracuse woman who would become his wife. Proctor relocated to Syracuse and spent the final months of his service commuting daily before medically retiring after nearly 5 years.

Proctor knew his next step would be going to college somewhere in the Syracuse area. When he visited OCC's Office of Veterans and Military Services and met Assistant Director Steve White, everything fell into place. "I sat down with Steve and realized my best chance to succeed and figure out the path forward was here. It was very clear I wasn't just going to be forgotten about. Someone would be with me. It's amazing to have this place here for us."

The great first impression he got on his visit carried over when he enrolled in the fall of 2023. "It had been 10 years since I sat in a classroom. I was very impressed with the amount of support I received. I've had many great professors who have really encouraged me and made it me easier for me to want to put in the effort. When you give them your best, you get all of their best."

When SUNY announced it was creating the new Veterans Enrollment and Support Internship Program, White asked Proctor if he would be interested. "I was all about it. I want to help Veterans figure out what they're going to do after the military, and this internship is that."

As Proctor begins his internship, he'll also continue taking classes this summer in the Communication Studies degree program.

OCC is recognized nationally annually for its service to Student Veterans as "Military Friendly" and "Best For Vets." The College has a dedicated space, the Office of Veterans and Military Services, on the second floor of Coulter Hall.