From veteran to advocate: Jon Whaley’s journey at St. Scholastica

Within the first few months of his new role, Jon Whaley ’24 has quickly become a pillar of support and direction for veteran students transitioning from military to academic pursuits at The College of St. Scholastica. As the military student specialist for recruitment and support, Whaley’s own journey from student and student employee to a pivotal staff member in the College’s Veterans Resource Center (VRC) showcases his deep commitment to supporting fellow military-affiliated students in their educational paths.

An expected yet unexpected journey

After 12 years of active duty as a medic in the Army, Whaley was required to medically retire due to wounds received in Afghanistan. “I remember sitting down at my last doctor’s appointment where they told me that my career was officially over. At the time, it was expected yet unexpected.”

“Once my career was stripped away from me, I felt defeated,” he continued. “In a soldier’s mind, there’s no such thing as being defeated. You keep pushing; you keep going.” The embedded effects of the military culture, intertwined with aspects of his personality, made it difficult for Whaley to transition out of the military. “I have an alpha personality,” Whaley admitted with a slight chuckle. “Once you tell me that I can’t do something, I’m going to do it and I’m going to do it better than you ever thought was possible.”

“It was hard to leave the military with that [defeated] mindset. It carried with me for a long time,” he said. While at this low point, Whaley also struggled to understand the benefits he was entitled to after his military service: “Quite literally, I didn’t know what I didn’t know.”

We’ve got it from here

After bouncing between four colleges, Whaley landed at St. Scholastica, in part because of the location and the psychology program. “Coming to St. Scholastica felt different,” he admitted. “I was so used to chasing emails, offices and departments looking for someone to help me out. Instead, [at St. Scholastica] there was this centralized department that said, ‘We got it from here.’”

As a student, Whaley worked as a Veteran Affairs work study student, assisting in the Veterans Resource Center (VRC), the very department that supported him in his own journey. After graduating this past May, Whaley decided to continue his work with the VRC in a new role as the military student specialist for recruitment and support. Although Whaley is fairly new to his staff role, his military background has already been instrumental in forging connections with veteran students.

Supporting fellow military students

On a day-to-day basis, Whaley’s role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities aimed at supporting prospective and current military students. From one-on-one admissions meetings to coordinating outreach programs with local military units and bases, Whaley is deeply involved in every step of a veteran student’s journey. “I work with students from their initial inquiry all the way to the time they cross the graduation stage,” he explained. “I want to help them find the right resources and benefits, but more importantly, the right sense of community.”

In this new role, Whaley collaborates with several departments, including Admissions and Student Services. Although he doesn’t have students directly assigned to him, he takes full responsibility for the interactions and connections to the VRC, Veteran Affairs (VA) and other assistance programs. Whaley acknowledges the pressure that comes with such responsibilities but sees it as an opportunity to impact veteran students: “I put pressure on myself for the veterans; I work for the veterans.”

Veterans help veterans

Together with Jessica Johnston, director of Academic Access and Support, Whaley is building on previous iterations of the VRC to create a forward-focused approach that aims to connect students with commonly used and underutilized resources. “Our objective at the VRC is not just to meet the current needs of our veteran students but to anticipate and prepare for their future needs. If I know of a vetted resource, I’m connecting students with it to ensure they receive the best support possible,” he shared.

The results already speak for themselves. Rather than focusing solely on recruitment numbers, Whaley prioritizes the well-being and support of prospective and currently enrolled military-affiliated students. His reports indicate a significant increase in logged interactions with these students. “In just half a semester, we’ve already doubled the number of interactions we would have with students in one semester. It feels really impactful to know that we’re making a difference in the lives of our students,” he reported. As students feel comfortable returning for further assistance or to share successes, Whaley believes there’s already a strong sense of trust and community among military-affiliated students. “Veterans help veterans,” he said, sharing his vision for fostering a supportive environment.

Empathy, not sympathy

Drawing from both his experiences and challenges, Whaley has the ability to support military-affiliated students, no matter where they find themselves in their journey. “Having walked a mile in veterans’ shoes, I can relate to their experiences and challenges on a personal level,” he said. “I don’t have to sympathize with veterans; I can empathize because I’ve been there.”

Whaley utilizes this greater perspective to offer invaluable advice to veterans attending college. For instance, he understands that veterans who come from the structured environment of the military can feel adrift when faced with the autonomy of college life. Because of that, he underscores the importance of pursuing education for meaningful reasons, rather than simply staying busy. “It’s about finding what you want to do with the time that you’re idle, without using college as a means of escaping the stressors from the military,” he said.

Whaley also emphasizes the importance of a college education and how these plans should not be postponed indefinitely. “A bachelor’s degree today is what a high school diploma used to be,” he notes of the changing landscape of education. “If you’re ready, and I mean truly ready, now is the right time to take that next step.”

For those who may find taking the next step daunting, Whaley often reminds students that their military training was also once overwhelming. “It’s important to have some perspective when pursuing a college education,” he said. “I have to remind prospective students that their training in the military was much more intimidating, overwhelming and exhausting than it ever could be to step back inside a classroom.”

A commitment to service and community

Whaley’s dedication to supporting veteran students at The College of St. Scholastica goes beyond his role and reflects his commitment to service and community. Through his efforts, the VRC continues to be a vital resource, helping veteran students navigate their educational journeys and achieve success beyond their service.

“For the rest of my life, I want to work with veterans who feel like they don’t have a voice,” Whaley said of his goals of starting a non-profit for veterans and Gold Star family members. “This is a huge step towards that work.”

The Veterans Resource Center will continue its annual tradition of a Veterans Day event on Monday, Nov. 11, at 7:45 a.m. The event will begin at the flag pole outside of Somers Hall with an invocation by Associate Vice President for Mission Integration Sister Kathleen Del Monte, OSB, PhD. Members of the ROTC will raise the flag, while the St. Scholastica choir performs the national anthem.

The event will then move into Somers Main Lounge for a provided breakfast and a meet and greet opportunity with veteran students, staff and faculty in recognition of those who have contributed to the Veterans Resource Center and those who have sacrificed for our country.