Michael Campbell - Starkville, MS

What motivated you to enter/return to college after your military service?

As a disabled veteran with a traumatic brain injury, I have found that education is an extremely effective form of mental therapy. If you push yourself, your mind will respond. I refuse to be that injured veteran who has little to offer society.

What did you hope to achieve out of your college experience?

I wanted to help educate and train our nation’s veterans, as education has done so much for me as a disabled veteran.

What do you wish you had done differently throughout your college preparation process?

I wish I had spent more time with other educated veterans.

What was one of the most difficult aspects of entering college after your military experience and why?

The most difficult thing for me was to begin thinking like a professor. You have to remember most professors are not veterans and most veterans are not professors. We are two very different groups.

What have the education benefits of the GI Bill meant to you?

Education benefits are the public’s way of saying we believe enough in you to sacrifice our money and time to ensure you’re educated. So use them!

What is the biggest payoff of attending college after military service?

Knowing that you have the education to continue providing for your family in the future, regardless of the condition of the economy, is a great feeling.

What advice would you give to a service member or veteran who hopes to attend college after completing military service?

As the southeast regional director of the Student Veterans Association, I would say this: get enrolled in one our country’s veteran-friendly campuses, find a student veteran support group, and then get motivated about having a career, not just a job.