BY MICHELLE MANN
Dothan Eagle’s article: Veterans Center reopens at Enterprise State Community College

The Veterans Resource Center officially re-opened on the Enterprise State Community College campus here Tuesday.

An enclosed space in the campus library is now designated as the Veterans Resource Center, providing a quiet place for studying and a kiosk stocked with information about resources available to military members, said Sarah Marusich, ESCC Financial Aid and Veteran Affairs coordinator.

A previous veterans resource center on campus closed during the COVID 19 Pandemic, but college personnel worked to reopen this new space in time for Veterans Day, said ESCC President Danny Long.

“I am the son of a veteran so I certainly understand their sacrifices,” Long said. “Opening this center reinforces our commitment to those serving and who have served, especially with Fort Rucker so close to us.”

Marusich called the new center “a building block.

“We hope to keep building on this space because there is nothing too much that we can do to show our appreciation to those who serve and who have served.”

Micheal Sutterfield and Bill Baker, both retired Army command sergeant majors active in Veteran Service Organizations, joined those celebrating the center reopening Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s important that the community college is reaching out to our veterans and educating them about what their benefits are,” Sutterfield said. “A lot of veterans, especially the younger generation, don’t realize the scope of all their benefits and having a resource like this at the college will help them realize the resources they have available to them and their families.”

Baker agreed. “This will be a great place, not just for veterans, but their families,” he said. “This is going to be a real catalyst for getting service members and their families the best education possible.”

For more information, contact Marusich at escc.edu/veterans-affairs.