As UW-Milwaukee celebrates its annual Veterans Week, U.S. Navy veteran John Rizzo is particularly thankful for the on-campus services that are helping him to be successful.
A junior majoring in social work, the Racine native enrolled at UWM 18 months ago. By attending classes during summer and over winter break, he has already completed much of the work toward his degree. He receives assistance in paying for classes through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program – without which he said he would not be able to afford college.
Rizzo chose UWM after seeing an advertisement that featured the support services available to the more than 1,000 veterans and active-duty military personnel already enrolled, the most in a six-state region.
Despite years of work experience in the Navy and as a claims adjuster for an insurance company, dealing with numbers as a student still proved daunting.
“I knew I would need help passing any math class I had to take,” Rizzo said. “I didn’t want to start a class and then fall behind.”
He found the help he needed after a conversation with Charles Allen, director of Veterans Upward Bound – a federally funded project that provides basic skills instruction and educational and career advising to veterans.
“Dr. Allen told me about a program called ALEKS, and I’ve been working on that a little bit every day to get ready for my first math class,” Rizzo said.
ALEKS, which stands for Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces, is an online program that assesses students’ knowledge and any gaps in their education. It’s helping Rizzo, 52, prepare for college classes that would intimidate any student.
Rizzo also found what he calls “a home” among the other veterans and military service members on campus.
He is a support specialist at the Military Affairs and Veterans Resource Center, is vice president of the Milwaukee chapter of the Student Veterans of America, and is helping with activities during Veterans Week.
“When you’re with other veterans, your age doesn’t matter. Even if your military experience was 20 or 30 years ago, there’s a special bond that comes with being a veteran,” Rizzo said.
His goal is to eventually become a counselor with the Veterans Administration, working with veterans who have drug and alcohol problems.
“I want to be able to help people,” he said simply.
