Page 5 - VEP Stories of Success

Justin Jacobson’s MESSAGE TO FRESNO STATE
BY SCOTT MOORE
Justin Jacobson grew up with four siblings on a ranch in Oakdale California. Several of his family members served in the Army, with the notable exceptions of his father and oldest brother who served in the Marines. Jacobson grew up listening to his father describe his deployment in Desert Storm; stories which greatly influenced his decision to join the Marines. During his junior year in High School, and after just turning 17, Justin enlisted in the Marine Corps with consent of his parents.
Justin explains, “I joined the Marine Corps Infantry because it fully embodies the highest degree of professionalism, selflessness, and service to this country.”
Jacobson was discharged from the Marine Corps at the rank of Sergeant. When he got out, he knew he had challenges ahead if he wanted to pursue higher education, as he did not complete all needed prerequisites in high school necessary for university admission.
He says , “I saw how well Fresno State took care of my family during their pursuit of higher education, so I reached out for guidance on applying. This is where my journey with the Veterans Educational Program began.”
Jacobson’s family has a long history at Fresno State. Two of his brothers, one being a Marine Veteran as well, and two cousins went to Fresno State. Jacobson’s brother, Joshua, played on Fresno State’s Men’s Rugby Team, which won the National Championship Title.
Jacobson is a Junior at Fresno State pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. Following is the speech he delivered at the Cohort Completion ceremony.
"WITHOUT THE VETERANS EDUCATION PROGRAM, I'D STILL BE TRYING TO GET INTO THE UNIVERSITY."
In 2016, Gilbuena transitioned to the Army
National Guard in Fresno and started to ex-
plore getting a college degree. He originally
believed he’d have to return to community
college and improve his grade point average before attending a uni- versity. Then he connected with the Veterans Education Program at Fresno State.
“It was surreal,” Gilbuena says. “They said, ‘You’re automatically in the program. Here are your books. This is your classroom. All the instructors will come to you.’ It was totally unexpected and very much appreciated."
Like all students, Gilbuena brought individual needs to the classroom. He has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which made concentrated reading difficult in high school and community college. “But the instructors in the Veterans Education Program helped me to cope by figuring out my best learning method.” The program also helped Gilbuena transition from his communication style with sol- diers – forceful and intense – to more low-key interaction with younger students at Fresno State. “They taught us how we needed to act and how to be successful in the college environment,” he says.
Gilbuena became more efficient as he juggled many responsibilities. While in the program, he worked full time for the Army National Guard and managed a
busy home life. Gilbuena and his wife, Miranda (he joined the Army for her) have twins, Luke and Leia. “Our ‘Star Wars’ babies,” Gilbuena jokes. “Trying to carve out time to do everything was tricky, but I was able to by organizing and prioritizing properly.”
The juggling act continued after Gilbuena finished the Veterans Education Program and pursued a bachelor of science degree in recreation administration with an emphasis in adventure/tourism. One weekend a month for 18 months, he went to Officer Candidate School, which led to his commissioning as a second lieutenant in August of 2021. “Oh yeah, I was busy,” Gilbuena says, smiling. After graduating this May, his next step is a full-time position with the U.S. Forest Service, where he interned in the spring 2022 semester. Gilbuena remains active in the Army National Guard. And, no matter where his career takes him, he will draw from the Speech class in the Veterans Education Program. “It was pretty profound for me. It helped me become a better communicator and more of a leader.”
Gilbuena communicates clearly when asked if he would have ac- complished so much without the Veterans Education Program. “Oh, absolutely not. I’d still be trying to get into the university.”
"
Having the opportunity to get into Fresno State – it was always a dream of mine.”
CHAD-MICHAEL GILBUENA
Chad-Michael Gilbuena partied his way through four community colleges before joining the U.S. Army in 2009. He enlisted to get a focus in life and prove himself worthy for the woman he loved. What followed were four years as a mechanic attached to an infantry unit – including deployment to Afghanistan. He then served three years as a paratrooper with the famed 82nd Airborne Division.
BY DOUGLAS HOAGLAND