Armed with 20 years of service to veterans with the goal of training them for academic and employment success, James Robbins is working to help advance Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center’s Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) program participants.
“Veterans Upward Bound prepares veterans of all eras for postsecondary education, by providing counseling, advisement, basic skills review/enhancement and referral to a variety of services and resources,” said Robbins, VUB program director.
“We will provide veterans with the skills and motivation necessary to be successful in education beyond high school,” continued Robbins, who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1971-75. “We ensure this by utilizing all the resources at our disposal for exceptional service to veterans.”
Robbins received a bachelor’s in business administration/management from SIUE in 1984. He earned a master’s in education, majoring in guidance counseling from Eastern Illinois University in 1995.
“As conflicts draw to an end, an increasing number of military personnel will be released from active duty,” he noted. “Services like ours need to be available to assist veterans in navigating an almost overwhelming number of educational opportunities and choices.”
Some of VUB’s services include:
- Academic, financial and personal counseling to improve participants’ educational, economic and life skills
- Information on postsecondary education opportunities
- Assistance in completing college entrance and financial aid applications
- Information on federal student financial aid programs and benefits
VUB’s goal is to serve 125 low/first-generation college student veterans from the Illinois counties of Madison, St. Clair and Monroe, the Missouri counties of St. Louis City and St. Charles, and St. Louis City.
With a focus on empowering people and strengthening communities, the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals—from pre-school through adult—in the Metro East region. The Center offers programs that give the community renewed hope and an opportunity to reach educational, career and life goals. It does so by providing comprehensive programs, services and training in the areas of education, health, social services and the arts.
Photo: James Robbins is SIUE East St. Louis Center’s Veterans Upward Bound Program Director.