Marine Corps veteran Gilberto Gonzalez has simple for veterans thinking about returning to college after service: start your life right where you left off.
“For anybody who’s just getting off deployment and thinks that their mind is not ready, your mind is always ready,” he said. “You just have to set yourself up and focus and go back to college. Don’t take a break. There’s always time to take a break later on!”
He also advises veterans to take advantage of the GI Bill and other tuition resources for military members, which gave him the financial support he needed for his education at Peirce.
A self-described carefree kid, Gonzalez started out on the traditional path of an 18-year-old as a college freshman in the fall of 2000. He soon decided to enlist in the Marines, with plans to complete summer boot camp in 2001 and then resume classes in the fall.
After Sept. 11, his plans changed. Gonzalez completed two tours of duty in a combat zone and spent time in nine different countries.
Upon returning home in 2009, he looked for an institution geared towards working adult learners to finish his college education. He found that environment at Peirce College, where he said his fellow classmates had a similar sense of purpose.
“At Peirce, the professors and the students have been great,” he said. “Everybody is respectful, they’re mature, they know what they want and they’re not wasting anybody’s time.”
In 2012, he completed his BS in Business Administration
“My life has come full circle,” he said. “I have been privileged to experience so many different cultures and personalities that the world has to offer.”