When Starr Amar, a Finance major in the Army National Guard, first arrived at Bellarmine University last year, she felt a little lonely, but joining the new Valor Learning Community helped her make friends and get comfortable calling campus home.
Bellarmine鈥檚 Office of Military and Veteran Services launched the learning community last year to help first year and transfer military-affiliated students transition to life at Bellarmine. The Learning Community鈥檚 specialized curricular and co-curricular activities center on establishing community and translating the鈥痵kills students gained from their military experience鈥痠nto鈥痑 successful academic鈥痑nd鈥痗areer鈥痯ath.鈥�
鈥淢ilitary affiliated students often have specific challenges, whether it鈥檚 navigating a complex array of federal assistance or balancing their military career with class work,鈥� said Lindsay Gargotto, Director of Bellarmine鈥檚 Office of Military and Veteran Student Services and an Air Force veteran. 鈥淥ur goal with the Valor Learning Community is to create a sense of community and support, so our students can thrive and work progressively to graduation and their career goals.鈥�
The Valor Learning Community includes the same components as the five other Bellarmine Learning Communities, such as taking classes together, participating in programming that aligns with classes, getting support and guidance from faculty, and gaining peer mentorship.
Members of the Valor LC are enrolled together in BU 200 and PHIL 101鈥痠n the鈥痜all semester and鈥疎NG 200 (Veteran Literature) their鈥痵pring semester.鈥疧ther courses may be added in the future, such as an adult learner portfolio course.鈥�
鈥淭hese courses incorporate the theme of community and鈥痯rovide the鈥痵pecific鈥痶ools and support military students need to be successful,鈥� Gargotto said.鈥�淔aculty and mentors facilitate鈥痑ctivities鈥痮utside the classroom that enhance their classes to鈥痜oster鈥痙eeper learning and鈥痚ngagement, while鈥痓uilding鈥痗ommunity and鈥痵ocial connections.鈥濃��
There were six participates plus two mentors last year, who gave highly positive feedback of the experience.鈥�
"I felt that being in the Valor Learning Community helped me connect with veterans on campus,鈥� Amar said. 鈥淕etting a chance to connect to people I can relate to helped me. I am very thankful for being in the Valor LC鈥痓ecause it held a safe space for me to be able to express myself.鈥�
Amar said her favorite aspects of the Valor Learning Community were the biweekly lunches, talking and catching up with everyone and receiving/offering advice with one another. She also enjoyed events like Trivia Night.
Orlando R. Exposito Nunez, an Exercise Science major, also in the National Guard, agreed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great community for great people who make you feel welcome regardless of your background,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he OMVS has been nothing short of great for me and they're always there for me when I need them. It鈥檚 a very helpful resource students have access to.鈥�