Veterans Resource Center

America Barroso, Veteran Counselor, has taken a position in the Educational Assistance Center (EAC).

If you are service-connected--disability rating and need to see America as your counselor, please contact the EAC office at 805-678-5830 to make an appointment. All other veterans (active duty and dependents) please contact General Counseling at 805-678-5816 to make an appointment with a counselor.

We are in the process of hiring a new Veteran Counselor and should have one very shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience. America will see veterans on Fridays for a limited time until a new Veteran Counselor is hired. To make a Friday appointment, please call 805-678-5845.

The Oxnard College Veterans Resource Center is your compass from application to graduation.

It is a place to decompress and network with your fellow veterans, active duty service members, and reservists.

We will support you on your educational journey, yet we do not process your VA Education Benefits. For this service go to the Veterans Window, Admissions and Records, first floor of the Student Services Building (SSB).

The Veterans Resource Center team will support you in the following ways:

Academic Counseling and VA education-related documents
Applying for VA educational benefits
Campus/Community Referrals
Outreach & Early College Preparation
Mentorship & Networking Opportunities
Veterans Club
Much, much, more…

The Veterans Resource Center has computers and free printing available for student veterans to use. Employment opportunities and information are readily available.

Q & A with America Barroso

We asked America Barroso, a Veterans Resource Center Counselor, about the Veterans Resource Center at Oxnard College. Here’s what she had to say.

The Veterans Resource Center serves students associated with the military and their families. Approximately 300-400 students seek services from the VRC on an average per year.

The Center is a welcoming environment that focuses on the inclusivity of veterans. Our primary goal is to ensure success for our veteran students.

The VRC is about building trust. I am not a veteran, so I focus on helping veterans build trust with civilians. The veteran student workers focus on helping students in the VRC by providing a shared perspective, a perspective they can relate to. The VRC tries to understand and help its veterans by examining the many factors that impact veterans’ health. They work to identify the issues and concerns felt by its members so the VRC can meet their needs effectively.

The spectrum of issues faced by veterans is complicated and vast and includes factors like mental health, assimilation into civilian life, and employment. The VRC, with its robust and wide-ranging services, is determined to ensure equal opportunity for its student vets despite the difficult disadvantages they face.

I think it’s the best opportunity for any student and for veterans, in particular, who are transitioning from a rigid regiment to civilian-hood. The VRC provides the opportunity for a close relationship with faculty, other student veterans, members of military families, and the general student population which one may not find at a larger university.

Students network and create a sense of comradery; they ensure that the VRC environment is welcoming and inclusive.

The VRC is a great place for any student to visit. The staff is wonderful; we have a great team that cares about students. The VRC is not just looking to follow the status quo, rather we are constantly finding ways to improve veteran life on campus and at home. The VRC accomplishes this by ensuring that our faculty and staff are trained to look through the equity lens and from the veterans’ perspective.

The VRC is constantly finding ways to improve the program, which is a valuable skill to practice in these times. We have quickly adapted to remote work, and our student workers help with the new workload. Additionally, we have implemented an app called myVRC that allows us to better communicate with our students through new updates, referrals to academic and student support services and access to our team.

Meet Leo Orange

Leo heads up our Educational Assistance Center (EAC), which supports students who have a wide range of disabilities (visible or not) by providing reasonable learning accommodations, exam space, and other services. He also heads up our Veterans Resource Center, which helps student veterans navigate our educational programs and provides them a space to relax, study, and hang out on campus. For over two decades, Leo has helped democratize Oxnard College’s services so that all students can access our high-quality education and achieve their full potential.

After earning his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Rehabilitation Counseling from CSU Los Angeles, he began teaching at his alma mater. Later on, after running our EAC program for many years, Leo was tasked with running our District’s first Veterans Resource Center right here at Oxnard College in order to serve our community’s servicemembers, veterans, and military families. Leo is one of the many unsung champions for students here at Oxnard College and we are indebted to him for his years of service.

“I feel extremely fortunate to work with my colleagues at the EAC and Veterans Resource Center because the work we do to help students achieve their goals is so vital and rewarding,” shared Leo. “In all of our work, I like to embrace the philosophy of 'There can be no excuses. If one is to be happy and successful in life, never follow a dollar, always follow your dreams.’” We’re proud of the hardworking men and women doing just that while working alongside Leo. They include Della Newlow, Candice Wittkins, Colleen Gladden, Jennifer Ruppert, John Elmer, Patricia Cowen, Joanne Chang, Jose Torres, and America Barroso. Thanks for all that you do!

Please stop by

If you’re a student with a disability or you’re a military veteran, be sure to stop by the EAC or Veterans Resource Center. And please remember that many injuries are invisible. For example, if you have hearing impairments, autism, learning disabilities, mental health, or intellectual challenges, the EAC is here to support you as well. You can reach the EAC at 805-678-5830 or oceac@vcccd.edu and you can contact our Veterans Resource Center at 805-678-5845 or america_barroso1@vcccd.edu.

America Barroso, Veteran Counselor, has taken a position in the Educational Assistance Center (EAC).

Q & A with America Barroso

Why should veterans come to the Veterans Resource Center?

What impact does the VRC have on students’ success?

What does the opportunity for veterans to go to a community college mean to you?

What else should we know about the program?

How are you serving your student veterans during COVID-19?

Meet Leo Orange

Please stop by

Oxnard College Veterans Resource Center

Leo Orange

Office Hours

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