Military veterans and transitioning active-duty students bring valuable skills and life experience to the college environment. At Saint Martin’s University, the Veterans Center serves as a vital resource for these hardworking soldiers and their families, offering support that spans academic advising, peer connection, career development, mentorship and assistance with VA benefits and financial aid.
This commitment to military-affiliated students earned Saint Martin’s the Gold designation as a 2025-2026 Military Friendly School, awarded by VIQTORY. The distinction honors institutions that demonstrate exceptional commitment to supporting military and veteran communities, and complements Saint Martin’s recent recognition as a 2025–2026 Military Support College of Distinction.
A culture of support rooted in experience for the community’s dedicated servicemembers
Jorge Castillon-Sierra is the program manager for Saint Martin’s Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS). He, like the CEVSS support team and many members of Saint Martin’s faculty and staff, is a veteran. With this shared experience, Castillon-Sierra offers students a deeply personal level of support during the often-complex transition to civilian and college life.
Castillon-Sierra explains that sometimes students enroll with a joint services transcript, which provides college credit for military occupational experience and training. Saint Martin’s works to accept these credits in the most productive way for their degree path. The school’s financial aid department is also equally equipped to help students navigate the intricacies of VA and GI Bill funding.
Saint Martin’s is Washington’s first Purple Heart University and a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which helps fund tuition costs not covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. For many students, this combination means zero out-of-pocket costs for their education.
Washington Vets to Tech Program Provides Education, Training and Career Development
Active-duty servicemembers, transitioning servicemembers and spouses can also choose to enroll in the Washington Vets to Tech (WaV2T) certificate program. Directed by Adam Takata, this 16-week program provides 18 college credits in computer sciences and information technology, covering such topics as servers and cloud applications, cybersecurity, Kali Linux and software development. These standalone certificates are in great need in the business world and position students to move directly into the tech field or use the credits as a stepping stone toward a degree at Saint Martin’s University.
WaV2T classes also include professional development training, resume building, mock interviews and instruction on building a virtual presence through job sites like LinkedIn. Support continues beyond graduation, if needed, until the student gains employment. Sessions run three times a year – in starting in January, May and August – with no out-of-pocket costs for those using VA funding.
Helping Veterans Experience College for the First Time, or the First Time in a Long Time
For some veterans, stepping onto a college campus is an entirely new experience. For others, it’s a return after years away due to deployments or military careers. The Veterans Center staff provides personalized campus tours and one-on-one guidance from the start, including a meeting with a veteran success coach even before they are assigned a faculty advisor.
There are also opportunities for scholarships, five of which are military-based at Saint Martin’s. Winners are celebrated at the school’s festive annual Gala. David Olwell is Interim Director of JBLM Operations, a college dean and a veteran himself, emphasizes that Saint Martin’s many offerings for military families really show their caring heart and service to our country’s veterans.
Building Community through the Veterans Club
Outside the classroom, military students and their families are encouraged take part in the Veterans Club, which organizes events such as deep-sea fishing trips, snowboarding outings, community services and communal meals. The club also facilitates mentorship opportunities and encourages engagement with traditional students to help ease the transition to civilian life.
“We try to integrate traditional students with the vets to break the stigma about military service and reintroduce soldiers to the civilian world,” says Olwell.
Transitioning to Civilian Life with Saint Martin’s University
Saint Martin’s military commitment runs deep. Even their namesake, Saint Martin of Tours, was a veteran of the Roman Army. During World War II, five of the Abbey’s priests served as chaplains stateside and overseas in the U.S. Army or Army Air Force and the school offered aviation ground school classes in late 1939. Whatever their background or military service, Saint Martin’s welcomes students from all walks of life.
Today, veterans are active across campus, including in student government, on the University’s staff and in the monastic community. Saint Martin’s also operates a dedicated branch campus at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
If you or a loved one is considering the next step after military service, Saint Martin’s is ready to support the journey. To learn more about veterans’ offerings and the Veterans Club’s support, contact Jorge Castillon-Sierra. For info about WaV2T, email wav2t@stmartin.edu or reach out to Adam Takata. Mike Doyle is the military-affiliated admissions counselor and he’s happy to assist new and prospective students.
Military families shoulder tremendous responsibility throughout their service. At Saint Martin’s University, supporting those who have served isn’t just a promise – it’s a priority.
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