Norco, CA – The $2 million dollar proposal to fund a new Veterans Resource Center at Norco College, led by Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona), was signed by the governor on Tuesday as part of the $125 billion state budget.

“The appropriation is the only one of its kind statewide,” said President Bryan Reece, Ph.D. “We owe a great deal of thanks to Assemblywoman Cervantes and her team for shaping the proposal and ushering it through the process. Our goal is to build the best Veterans Resource Center in the country and increase the number of veterans we serve from 300 to 3,000 over the next six years.”

The budget allocates $1.75 million for a new facility and $250,000 to establish detailed articulation agreements between Norco College’s academic programs and veterans military training and experience.

“Building a new Veterans Resource Center is amazing and demonstrates how supportive our Norco College community is. The new budget shows our veterans how serious this community is in helping us get through this step of our journey,” said Zachary Emorey, student veteran. “We all appreciate the support tremendously and it brings good faith that our countrymen have our backs just as we have theirs.”

The current Veterans Resource Center offers assistance with financial aid, military benefits, counseling, and academic support. It was voted Best for Vets two out of the last three years by the Military Times, one of only two California community colleges to make the ranking. The Veterans Club is one of the most active student clubs on campus, building community among veterans and extending the leadership skills they bring with them to the college.

“I am excited to take part in the college-wide effort to expand our commitment to veterans and their dependents,” said Eric Betancourt, veterans services specialist. “We want to help our veterans make more successful transitions to civilian life through education.”

Find out more about Norco College’s award winning Veterans Resource Center at:www.norcocollege.edu/services/admissions/veterans

Read budget request statement from Cervantes: https://a60.asmdc.org/press-releases/cervantes-statement-passage-state-budget

View detailed budget at: http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/