The California State University is home to nearly 7,000
servicemembers and veterans, as well as more than 11,000 dependents, whose diverse perspectives and leadership skills contribute to the rich fabric of their universities.
To support the personal and professional goals of these students, each of the CSU's 23 universities has a
Veterans Success Center that serves to help military-connected students successfully navigate their college experiences. These centers provide mentoring, counseling and community, and connect students to professional development opportunities tailored to veterans that leverage their military experience and prepare them for a variety of careers.
Student veterans receive special admissions consideration and priority registration, as well as academic credit for military courses and experience. They also have access to financial assistance.
To mark the occasion of Veterans Day, meet some of the servicemembers who pursued their academic dreams at the CSU and discover how their university has helped them achieve greatness.
Eder Tavera
CSU Bakersfield
U.S. Army
Whether it has been as a parent, an infantry squad leader in the U.S. Army, a researcher or even president of the Veterans Club at CSU Bakersfield, senior Eder Tavera is always thinking about what he can do for others.
Tavera says serving his country as a soldier had always been important to him and when he exited the service after six years, he explored various jobs in search of a career that would be as fulfilling as his time in the Army, including as a police officer and in the petroleum industry. An unexpected layoff led him to begin a bachelor's degree program in a subject he'd always been interested in—geology.
Thanks to tenacity and accountability Tavera says he learned while in the Army, he quickly earned an associate's degree at Bakersfield College and enrolled at CSUB where he has taken advantage of myriad educational opportunities and experiences to support his career aspirations. These include participating in internships, research conferences and networking events and taking advantage of services offered by CSUB's
Center for Career Education and Community Engagement, among other activities.
In summer 2023, Tavera became one of the first CSUB students
selected as a Carbon Fellow to conduct research on direct air capture of carbon dioxide at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). He is also participating in a
new CSUB class that aims to provide guidance for incoming student veterans in which he is learning how to mentor other veterans.
“There are so many programs [at CSUB] that are really helpful, and the professors in the geology department are so well-connected," he says. “They also schedule additional activities, like field outings, so we can get some real hands-on experience instead of just learning abstract ideas from the textbooks."
Tavera says he has found community and a sense of purpose by getting involved with the CSUB veteran community. In his role as Veterans Club president, Tavera has organized several efforts to support the CSUB and surrounding community, like raising money for CSUB's
Guardian Scholars Program and organizing a shoe drive for local underprivileged youth in Kern County. And he is working to expand CSUB's
Veterans Success Center into a standalone center.
“We're trying to leave this place better than we found it," he says.
Tavera will graduate this spring and plans to enter a master's program at CSUB and then work in his field for a time before pursuing his Ph.D. and a career in the laboratory.
“I'm really excited [to graduate] because this degree will open up so many doors for me," Tavera says. “I feel like I still have a lot more to give to my country, and I can do that in a scientific capacity now."
Louis Raprager
CSU Dominguez Hills
U.S. Navy
Louis Raprager comes from a long line of servicemembers, and when he finished high school, he chose to keep the tradition alive. Raprager served four years in the U.S. Navy as a culinary specialist—during which he had the opportunity to cook for a U.S. president—and when he returned to his SoCal hometown, he decided to pursue a bachelor's degree. He attended community college before transferring to CSU Dominguez Hills in spring 2023 where he is majoring in business administration and human resources management.
Raprager has been able to get his education paid for thanks to the GI Bill—a benefit offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs that helps veterans pay for college or job training—but the transition to university life after several years in the military wasn't entirely smooth.
“Being able to utilize the benefits that I have now is amazing but adjusting to the pace and the expectations of civilian life, especially in the academic setting, was challenging," Raprager says. “I had to learn better time management skills, for example, and developing that was a work in progress, but there are a lot of faculty and staff [at CSU Dominguez Hills] who understand [veterans' needs] and are very supportive. That's been crucial to my success."
Raprager says he leaned on other veterans for support, too, and got involved with the
CSUDH Veterans Resource Center (VRC) where he is working with staff and faculty to improve life for veterans at the university. He has also volunteered with Veterans for Peace, a global network dedicated to promoting peace and advocating for veterans' rights, and organized computer donations from the CSUDH
Workforce Integration Network to the VRC, among other efforts.
He is also conducting research that explores the complexities of how veterans navigate identity formation while grappling with societal perceptions under the mentorship of Thomas Norman, a professor in CSUDH's Management and Marketing Department. Raprager submitted his most recent research paper to the 2025 Western Decision Sciences Institute (WDSI) Conference—one of several professional development activities for students—thanks to encouragement from Norman.
“Veterans bring a unique set of skills and perspectives to society, and understanding the nuances of their identity is crucial for creating a more inclusive and supportive environment," he says.
Raprager plans to become certified with the Society of Human Resources Management after he receives his bachelor's degree in spring 2025, and says he looks forward to contributing to the ongoing dialogue around veterans' experiences and the social stigmas they face.
Thomas Porter
Cal Maritime
U.S. Marine Corps
One of the most impactful experiences in Thomas Porter's life was joining the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) in 2017. The USMC taught him that personal growth should be a continuous endeavor, and that true leadership is more than just giving orders and asserting authority. It requires empathy, active listening and a genuine commitment to the well-being of those under your command.
Porter trained to be a financial management resource analyst as his military occupation specialty and graduated at the top of his class—an academic achievement that gave him a sense of focus and purpose he says he'd never had before.
The active-duty Marine was selected for the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP)—in which participants pursue a baccalaureate degree at a partner university and, upon completion, receive a commission/appointment as a second lieutenant—and is now majoring in international business and logistics at Cal Maritime.
“The leadership at the Marine Corps Training and Education Command, and other Marines I have met during my service, helped guide me and mentor me into the man I am today," Porter says. “Now that I'm at Cal Maritime, I'm pretty much a straight-A student, and I like to contribute that to the discipline and perseverance the Marine Corps instilled in me."
In recognition of his superior academic performance, Porter was chosen to receive a
2024 CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement in September, the highest honor bestowed upon a CSU student.
“I'm not a typical student, and Cal Maritime has been very helpful to me and the other MECEP student on campus," Porter says. “And since I've been here, the veteran presence has grown more and more. I think they've really put a focus on taking care of their veterans and helping them with special challenges that may come up."
Following his graduation from Cal Maritime in the spring, Porter will attend additional officer training in Quantico, Virginia, in preparation for his commission as second lieutenant.
“I am trying to set a good example for my two little girls," he says. “I want them to see their mom and dad being successful and trying hard, and for them to know that they can accomplish anything they put their mind to."
Porter's advice to other military-connected students? “Remember your military background and use it, but don't underestimate getting to know your classmates," he says. “Your peers are very smart, and they can contribute a lot to your success, whether it's in the classroom or after graduation."
Nikole Sauter
Cal Poly Pomona
U.S. Navy
Now an applications engineer for Lockheed Martin, a global security, defense and aerospace contractor, Cal Poly Pomona alumna Nikole Sauter ('24) remembers her time at the university fondly.
“I had a great time at CPP and couldn't imagine going to any other university," she says. “I will always enjoy the time I spent working and passing the time at the Veterans Resource Center as well as the projects and conferences I was able to attend through the Associated Manufacturing Societies (AMS) club within my major."
Following her four years of service with the U.S. Navy as an aviation electronics technician working on F-18 fighter jets, Sauter enrolled at CPP where she studied manufacturing engineering. She says the university, especially the
CPP Veterans Resource Center (VRC), connected her with personal, academic and professional development opportunities that were vital to her success as a student.
“Being involved at the VRC was great exposure to the resources they offered," Sauter says. “For example, they have a partnership with CPP's counseling services, which I was able to use when I was having a hard time, and a
Horses for Heroes program, which promotes mental health and allows veterans to work with CPP's Arabian Horses."
Sauter says she also participated in VRC-hosted workshops geared toward helping students get ready to graduate and find employment, including one on resume advising and another on mock interviews, and attended a VRC-hosted job fair,
Future Forward, which is where she met the recruiter for Lockheed Martin.
In her current role as an applications engineer, Sauter performs research and development for manufacturing, working on a wide variety of projects that require modeling, 3D-printing, AI and other tools and techniques she learned during her time in the Navy and honed at CPP.
“The Navy taught me to have a strong work ethic and gave me leadership and communication skills I use every day while working in the aeronautics division of Lockheed Martin," she says.
“I encourage student veterans to take advantage of the resources provided to you [by your university] and get involved on campus," she continues. “I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for the Veterans Resource Center's events and the experience I gained from the projects I did through AMS."
Malia Teres-Gonzales Creech
San José State
U.S. Navy
San José State senior Malia Teres-Gonzales Creech says she joined the U.S. Navy as a way to fund her education but found that it was a pivotal chapter in her life that shaped who she is today.
During her six years in the service, Creech served as a nuclear reactor technician on the USS Nimitz in Washington State where she gained hands-on experience that deepened her understanding of electrical systems and helped her develop a practical approach to problem-solving. She also served in supervisory roles that taught her leadership and troubleshooting skills.
When she finished her contract with the military in 2021, she returned to California to be closer to her family and chose to attend SJSU to study electrical engineering because of its location in the Silicon Valley, and for its strong veteran community.
“What sold it for me was meeting
San José State Veterans Resource Center staff member Michelle Hayes Ocampo—who at that time was an SJSU student," Creech says. “The VRC organizes online meetings between current and prospective veteran students, and Michelle was one of the ones I met. It helped so much to have a real student answer my questions about transitioning to the university."
Creech eventually joined the SJSU Veterans Resource Center (VRC) as a work-study assistant where she runs the front desk and serves to support her fellow veterans. She also participates in team building, bowling and tailgating events that she says have made her feel like part of a community.
“The VRC has been a great resource, both for helping me understand my benefits and for my professional development," she says. “They even connected me with the
Veterans Career Readiness Program, which pairs students with a career counselor to get tips on resume building, networking and interviewing that are tailored toward veterans."
Creech has also participated in internships that prepared her for a career as an electrical engineer including as a defense technologies engineer with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and as a research engineer with the Naval Postgraduate School. And, in addition to her coursework and internships, she volunteers with the Veteran Student Organization and the Society of Women Engineers on campus, which has allowed her to blend her technical interests with community and leadership roles.
“Attending SJSU has been an exciting continuation of my professional journey," she says.
Creech expects to graduate this fall with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and has already accepted a position with Lockheed Martin, a global security, defense and aerospace contractor. She will move to Texas where her husband will join her when he finishes his contract with the Navy next year.
Jason Gray
CSU San Marcos
U.S. Navy
San Diego-area native Jason Gray was accepted into college straight out of high school for electrical engineering, but says he lacked the drive necessary to persist to earn a degree and eventually dropped out. He joined the U.S. Navy in 2013, which provided structure and hands-on training that both piqued his interest and kept his attention.
Gray completed two years of training in South Carolina to become a nuclear electrician on submarines and spent four years stationed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii before being transferred back to San Diego to serve on a submarine trainer. And while he took pride in the work he did as a nuclear operator—which he says helped him mature as an individual and prepared him for stressful situations—serving in the Navy was not a lifelong career for him.
But the experiences he had while in the military taught him time management and team building skills, among others, that would come in handy when he eventually returned to college to pursue a bachelor's degree in computer science.
With the support of his wife and family, Gray enrolled in a local community college and took classes while he completed the last three years of his contract with the military. Gray enrolled at CSU San Marcos in fall 2023 and got involved with CSUSM's
Epstein Family Veterans Center.
“The veterans center [at CSUSM] is just absolutely fantastic—they've got all sorts of free resources there for students, and all of the staff is absolutely incredible," he says.
Through his involvement with the center, Gray met center staff member Moses Maddox who connected him with
Veterans to Naval Careers (VNC)—formerly called Veterans to Energy Careers—a CSUSM-based program funded by the Office of Naval Research that helps student veterans translate their military experience into sustainable energy careers through internships and professional development.
Gray has been placed with the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, where he is working (remotely) on an autonomous sailing vessel as part of a research project.
“It's a paid, year-long internship, which is great, and it's been super helpful for networking, professional development and resume building," Gray says. “[The program] exposes you to potential jobs in the sustainable energy field, which I'm really interested in, or it directly connects you to open jobs."
After he earns his bachelor's degree from CSUSM in the spring, Gray plans to pursue a research-focused career in software development—preferably in the nonprofit sector—and possibly attend graduate school in the future.
Learn more about how the CSU supports
military-connected students and discover how military service prepared these
CSU veteran leaders to serve the university and its students.