In this interview, Mr. Ronald Blanco, an exceptional veteran scholar, shares his experiences and motivation for attending the honors college program at Florida International University (FIU). He believes that collaborative efforts between honors college programs and military-affiliated departments are important. Furthermore, it could increase student veteran enrollment into honors college programs.

Mr. Ronald Blanco is a computer science student at Florida International University and Honors College. He is a senior, maintains a 3.98 GPA, and works as a student ambassador and customer service representative at the Office of Veterans and Military Affairs (VMA) at Florida International University. Ronald, a United States Marine Corps veteran, transitioned from electrical engineering to software development to pursue new challenges and growth opportunities. He is passionate about problem-solving and innovation. He is eager to contribute his technical expertise to meaningful projects. He loves being outdoors, adrenaline-pumping activities, and spending quality time with his wife and two dogs.

Travis Dozier, HigherEdMilitary: What inspired you to attend the honors college program at your school?

Ronald Blanco:

Well, besides the mentors that told me more about it, I think it was just something, another challenge, to add to school. It was something that would also let me explore some other fields, besides what I am already majoring in. So, I took some courses in environmental sciences—mainly about global warming. It opened me up to all the different global issues. Like hunger and water shortages, which generated an interest in progressing humanity. Even though my major is in computer science, everything is related in the end, environmentally speaking. So, I guess attending honors college has expanded my knowledge, which allowed me to synthesize new information. Which allowed me to generate new inquiries regarding my scholarly interests.

Dozier: What were the benefits you’ve obtained from attending honors college?

Blanco:

I guess the main thing is setting yourself apart. It looks good on a resume, but more than anything, you have something going on. As a veteran, you're already a part of the small percentage of the general population that served. Being an honors college student and student veteran, you’ll become an even smaller percentage of the student population. Also, it opens you up to a lot of job opportunities, which I found out when I was in honors college. My honors college sponsors events that provide more access to recruiters that are specifically looking for honors college students—to apply for their jobs and positions. It's accessibility to new opportunities that will propel your competitiveness to the workforce.

Dozier: Why should veteran scholars attend an honors college program?

Blanco:

Overall attending honors college has provided me with extra tools for my toolkit—both personally and professionally.

Dozier: How can institutions encourage veteran scholars to apply to their honors college program?

Blanco:

That's a good question! Honestly, what motivated me to apply and attend honors college was a mentor. The mentor I am talking about is you (Travis) that generated my interest in honor college. You provided me with all the insights about the program; additionally, you provided me with your experience. Regarding institutions, let's say, how can they do it? Honors college programs can develop scholarships for student veterans inside honors college. Maybe they can make student veteran-oriented programs involved in their program. So, I think a program directed toward veterans through the honors college would bring in a bigger community or at least reach out to student veterans. Because in the FIU VMA office, student-veterans constantly ask me, what is honors college like? Most of these students have excellent GPAs. I guess the word ‘honors’ gives them the notion that the program is something hard to get into, and it really isn't. So, I would say, if honors college programs target the military-affiliated student community and attend specific military-affiliated student events, like the ones we sponsor here in the FIU VMA. Honors college programs could be there for exposure—it would attract more veteran students.

This dialogue with Ronald reveals the efficacy of community support and mentorship. For Ronald, this directly enhanced his personal and professional growth. Experiential campus approaches and collaboration can develop pipelines for honors colleges. This will provide access for underrepresented scholars, like student-veterans, in honors college programs. Moreover, this interview with Ronald reveals how an honors college education impacted him. It uncovered hidden academic interests, which empowered him to employ an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving. Additionally, in this discussion, Ronald highlights how attending an honors college program enhances competitiveness for career advancement. During his tenure with honors college, Ronald attended special events held by the program—which increased his network base. To increase student-veterans' admissions into an honors college program. The student success coaches in the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs at Florida International University are exposing all incoming military-affiliated personnel to this opportunity.

Article Topics

Military Friendly Institutions Serving Military in HigherEd Veterans Academic Success Women Veterans

Republish this article for free. We want to make it easier for you to share knowledge and creativity, and encourage you to reuse our articles under a Creative Commons license.