DCCCD staff honored for work with veterans

Written by Phil Cerroni

They’ve been to Vietnam, the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan. Now those veterans – between 2,800 and 3,000 – are enrolled in classes across the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD), and they receive assistance with their education benefits every day from DCCCD staff members who are helping them obtain the knowledge and skills they need to find jobs and support their families.

Those efforts were recognized this month by the Dallas chapter of the Military Order of World Wars, whose members presented an award and certificates to the district’s administration and veterans coordinators from each campus, including Kim Montes from Richland College.

During the November meeting of the DCCCD board of trustees, Dr. Wright Lassiter Jr., the district’s chancellor and a veteran himself, received the Silver Patrick Henry Award for patriotism from Capt. Lyle Mueller, commander of the Dallas MOWW chapter; Lt. Col. Don Munson, past commander of the chapter; and Lt. Col. King Moss, also a past commander of the chapter.

“The Silver Patrick Henry Award is one of the highest honors given by MOWW,” said Mueller during the presentation. “It recognizes outstanding leadership and support of our men and women in the armed forces. We salute you, Dr. Lassiter, for your devotion and support of these warriors.”

“It is an honor, a privilege and our duty to serve veterans who are enrolled in the Dallas County Community College District,” Lassiter said. “We are committed to their success.”

In addition to Montes from Richland College, other veterans coordinators who received certificates recognizing their efforts to help former service members who are returning to the classroom included: Monique Jameison, Brookhaven College; Ann McCowin, Cedar Valley College; Robert Rosenbalm, Dallas TeleCollege; Ron Rollison, Eastfield College; Robert Burchfield, El Centro College; and Billy Yost and Cory Acevedo, North Lake College. Gregory Williams, district director of transfer services and articulation for DCCCD, also was recognized for his efforts. (The Mountain View College position is temporarily vacant, and Michael Washington from Eastfield College was not able to attend.) 

“We are pleased and proud to know that people care about our veterans and take steps to help them directly. As we get older, someone needs to lead this country, and you are taking that next step,” Mueller said to the coordinators before the board meeting. “No one deserves it more than the people you are helping.”

Source: Dallas County Community College District