Serving Student Veterans

Transitioning Culture from Help Desk to Customer Service

University of Wisconsin OshkoshVeteran Resource Center

Timber SmithMichelle Munns

Michelle MunnsVeteran Benefit Coordinator

7 years in VRC

Timber SmithVeteran Resource Coordinator

Army VeteranAdmissions Background

Who We Are• University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

• Total enrollment: 10,734• Student to Faculty Ratio: 20:1• 200 Majors, Minors, and Emphasis• 44% First Generation students

• Students using education benefits: • Fall 2018 – 515, Spring 2019 - 464 (lower due to pending

deployments)• Veterans: 364• Dependents/Spouses: 151

Where We Were – Help Desk Culture

• Help with benefits• Excellent at troubleshooting• But only known for troubleshooting and helping with applications

• Work Study student focus/personalities

Changing The Culture

• Shift in demographic

• Veteran Population Shift• Largest population is now National Guard/Reservists• Population with most frequency utilizing VRC

• Adult Non-Traditional

• TEAM Focus• Work Study Team

• New attitude focus/shift in hiring new employees• Stress in providing CUSTOMER SERVICE to all military affiliated

• Office Team Meetings• Stress TEAM atmosphere• Informing team of current events, projects, etc.

• Team Member Project• Everyone chooses a project to manage that benefits VRC or SVA

Changing The Culture

• Exploratory Phase – We didn’t know what we didn’t know• Visited other campuses VRCs• Researched other websites – schools, departments, etc• Collected updated forms, literature, materials• Attended more conferences (Regional, National)

Changing The Culture

• Implementation• Partnership

• Before: Resource Coordinator & Benefit Coordinator functioned as two individual positions with light overlap

• Now: Partners in Crime!• If one of us is there, the other is• Plan together, Lead together, Serve students together

• New Motto:

Changing The Culture

• Community Engagement• Social Media

• Increase activity, contests, interactions, live streams, etc.• Facebook likes increased by 26.3% (July 2017: 255 Current: 366)• First Facebook live stream reach: 1,200 • Facebook live stream of Burn Pit Forum: 9,800

• Collaborate with campus and community organizations• UWO Police – Corn hole Tournament, Softball Game

• Family friendly events• Shamrock Shuffle, Wisconsin Honors, National DAV• Winnebago County Patriotic Council

• Received donations from VFW, Vietnam Veterans of America, and American Legion

• Restructured Veterans Advisory Council• Comprised of Campus departments

• Collaboration with SVA• Candy drive, Polar Plunge, Collection for USS Fitzgerald• Chili Cook Off

Changing The Culture

Burn Pit Forum

Polar Plunge

Cornholin’ For A Cause

UWO PD VS SVA Softball Game

Candy Drive

Chili Cook Off!

Changing The Culture

• VRC Facelift• Rearrangement of VRC

• Make it more open and welcoming• Make appearance a priority

• Fresh Paint• Organization• No clutter• First Impressions Matter

• Rebranding• Free Coffee Bar (Thanks for the idea FVTC!)

• Provided thanks to donors:• VFW Post 1908, Vietnam Veterans of America Post 437, American Legion 234,

UW Oshkosh Student Veteran Association, UW Oshkosh Alumni Board, UW Oshkosh department faculty & staff

Coffee Bar

Changing The Culture

• VRC Facelift• Materials update

• New Student Checklist• Office Brochure• New Student Welcome Folder• Benefit Handouts

Changing The Culture

Changing The Culture

• VRC Facelift• Bring Office and processes into 21st century

• Digitalization of files• Electronic processes• Data tracking & track footsteps

• Person Count January 2018: 167; October 2018: 343• Campus Vision Board• Electronic Surveys

• Paper to Google form• How were we doing? What do we need to do?• Offered bribe (Kwik Trip Gift Card)• Previous Responses: 7 - Digital Responses: 54

Changing The Culture

• VRC Facelift• Redesign of Website

• Took ownership – Manage our own site for the first time• Informing as well as self-serving components

• Forms, instruction sheets• Interactive, Highly informative• Convenient and readily available for those who are online students.

Changing The Culture

• Where Are We Now?• Alpha to Omega Focus

• Application and Benefits through Graduation and beyond• Resume building and translation workshops• Collaboration with campus ad community partners

• CVSO, DVOP, Oshkosh Corp, VA, Writing Center• In house office hours to bring resources to the students

• SALUTE Veteran National Honor Society Chapter

What’s Next?

• Where Are We Going?• Graduation Recognition Reception (Spring 2019)• Opening Centers on UW Fond du lac and UW Fox Valley Campuses• Green Zone Training