Your Transition
Reflecting back...
Image courtesy of JP Diroll Photography
Moving Forward… Reasons to consider the Chez Family Foundation Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education
If you are looking for a world class university with cutting edge opportunities to grow academically and personally, then look no further. Why should you consider the University of Illinois, and more specifically, the support services from the Chez Family Foundation Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education?
- The U of I is among the nation's best in serving the needs of college students with disabilities
- The U of I is a leader in the production of alternative accessible media including converting print-based course information to formats such as e-text, Braille, enlarged print and MP3, and in captioning multimedia
- Interpreter and Computer Assisted Real-time Transcription (CART) services are available to those students needing accommodations within the classroom as well as University-sponsored events
- Accommodation assistance such as priority registration, note-taking services, and a distraction-reduced testing environment
- Career development counseling and guidance regarding disability disclosure and employment accommodations, and recruitment visits by both private and public employers who are looking to hire persons with disabilities for internships and/or employment opportunities
- The best accessible transportation system for students with disabilities of any college campus in the United States with fixed route and a call-in service as needed
- 87% of registered graduating seniors with disabilities who responded to the 2010 Chancellor’s Senior Survey reported that they experienced "no unmet disability-related needs" while enrolled at Illinois
- 87% of supported students with a disability earn Illinois degrees and over 84% obtain employment or enter graduate / professional school within a year of graduation
Reflecting back to the bus ride to basic training and boot camp, most of us felt haunted with self-doubt but soon realized that the process of transitioning from a civilian to a member of the armed forces was within our grasp. Similarly, although the prospect of being a student with a disability can be overwhelming in the beginning, the Chez Family Foundation Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education was designed to provide you with the comprehensive resources and services that will successfully guide you toward fulfilling your academic and career goals.
Student Veteran Profile: Eric Swenson
"After my medical discharge from the Army, earning a degree became my new mission. I knew finding success as a student after years away from the classroom would be challenging, but I wasn’t prepared for the additional obstacles of accessing my disability and GI Bill benefits, relocating my family, and integrating into campus life. I needed a team to achieve success, and I found it in the dedicated staff at the Center for Wounded Veterans ."
--Eric Swenson
Veterans Pathway Program
This bridge program is for veterans who do not meet the initial minimum requirements to enroll at the University of Illinois. The program will allow qualified student veterans to enroll at Parkland College and attend up to 5-credit hours each semester at the UIUC while participating in many student and campus-based activities. Upon successfully meeting the transfer requirements, student veterans will be admitted to the UIUC in good standing.
