Tonda Navarrete is on the military outreach team at American Military University (AMU). In that role, she works with veterans and active duty military to help guide them through the enrollment and engagement process. “I’m in a unique position because I definitely know what it’s like to transition from the service member side to the civilian side,” she says. She’s been an active duty service member; a veteran using veteran’s benefits; and a military spouse raising children and supporting her active duty husband. “I’ve been through every single wicket of every type of scenario.”

That experience informs Tonda’s work. She understands that college can seem foreign or even scary for men and woman who have served in combat zones. And she can anticipate questions they may not even realize they have. In fact, many of the AMU staff were in the military and are now veterans, so they can share what they’ve learned through their own experiences and help guide AMU students based on each one’s individual needs. “Helping our military students with their transition to civilian life is very fulfilling for me,” she says, “because I remember what it was like taking that first step — and if you keep reaching for something new, you’ll never be stagnant.”

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