Student veteran speaks at White House symposium
While he may no longer wear a uniform, William Keller still fights for fellow soldiers just like him.
Keller, 35, a former U.S. Army sergeant and a junior at Montgomery County Community College, recently spoke on behalf of student veterans at a symposium hosted by the White House and the U.S. Department of Education. The program, held at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., was called “Sustaining the Momentum for Innovation in Higher Education: Increasing Equity and Strengthening Quality.” Some 200 education leaders were in attendance.
The symposium, held Nov. 17, highlighted inno- vations in higher education, which lead to greater equity and student success, and translate into sustainable permanent programs. Keller was joined on the symposium’s student experience panel by students from the University of Maryland and Georgetown University. Moderator Mike Marriner, cofounder of Roadtrip Nation, asked the panelists to describe their educational experiences and the changes they would like to see within the education system.
“I went back to school because of the fact I am a veteran, which affordedme the opportunity to get an education debt free,” Keller said.
A business management major, Keller served in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2010-11. He joined the military in 2008, and has served in the Army Re- serves for eight years and in the National Guard for six years. He and his wife Alissa and their two sons, Cole, 10, and Ethan, 6, live in Collegeville.
During the panel, Keller focused on ways higher education institutions can support veterans in and out of the classroom. He touted the various programs and organizations on campus at MCCC that provide resources to veterans.
“It made me feel good,” Keller said when asked about the positive reaction to the panel. “I was honored to be able to speak at any event of such caliber but also have the opportunity to speak for veteran students like myself and also how the college takes student veterans into consideration.”
As a part-time administrative assistant in the school’s Veterans Resource Center and president of its Student Veterans Organization, Keller is very familiar with the college’s efforts to help veterans transition to collegiate life. At the center, located on the central campus in Blue Bell, veterans, active duty service members, and their spouses/dependents can access work study opportunities, enrollment counseling, tutoring, and assistance with educational benefits. Student Veterans Organization, with chapters at the central campus and west campus in Pottstown, organizes programs and events that raise awareness about veterans at the college and in the community.
“Even if I could just reach one person, I walked away successfully,” Keller said afterward.
MCCC has been nationally recognized for its support of student veterans, recently receiving Victory Media’sMilitary Friendly® School designation for the seventh time. The college was also ranked by Military Times in the top 25 two-year colleges nationwide for veterans — the only community college in Pennsylvania to make the list, according to a press release.
“We are proud that The White House invited Bill to represent the college and student veterans around the country this week,” says Dr. Kevin Pollock, MCCC’s president, in a press release. “As veterans enter college after serving our country, higher education institutions need to return their service by giving them the support and resources they need to succeed.”
After graduation, Keller plans to continue his education at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School or at Villanova University.