Student Highlight: Jay Estes (Air Force Veteran)
At the Chez Veterans Center, we are honored to be able to share the achievements and character of our military-connected students. Jay Estes is no exception to this. the C-U Sunrise Rotary invited some of our military-connected students to a Veterans Day dinner and was praised for his concepts of service and networking. Jay immediately took opportunities to serve the community as a volunteer with some of the rotary members at the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen. We asked Jay to share a little more about himself and his journey to the University of Illinois.
Jay writes:
When I first separated from the Air Force in January 2021, I knew I wanted to go back to school but I had no clue on where I should go. I served 8 ½ years of active duty in the Air Force where I was stationed in Charleston, SC and Boston, MA. I served as a Security Forces member for 5 years than switched over to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations for my last 3 years. I never could imagine all the great things I would see and accomplish in the Air Force. I got to travel the world and be a part of some great teams and missions. I’m originally from Chicago, IL so attending The University of Illinois (U of I) was one of my top choices. As I conducted my research on U of I, I discovered they had a high rating for a veteran friendly institution. However, I know some things can be exaggerated so I decided to reach out to the Chez Veterans Center (CVC) months before I made my final decision to attend the university.
Before making my final decision, I had to chance to speak to a handful of staff members who were welcoming and very helpful with answering all my questions about attending the University. When I took my first visit to U of I, I met with Jason and Garret who both had down to earth personalities and a wealth of information to share that helped me prepared for my transition. When I finally decided to attend U of I, one of the first things I did was connect with the CVC to help me navigate this new journey. From day one, the CVC made it clear that their main mission was to help support and guide me as I embarked on this new journey. I think one of the most important things I have benefited from interacting with the CVC is connecting with other military connected students. I know at some point I would have connected with other military connected students, but the Chez made this process easier. This was very important to me because I was bit overwhelmed with the size of the school when I first arrived. From hosting learning workshops to social events, I was able to meet other military connected students that have helped me personally and academically during my transition.
This is my first semester of being a residence at the CVC and I can’t explain how living at the CVC has helped me tremendously during my transition. Sometimes I can’t believe how fortunate I am to live in a place like this. Living at the CVC has given me a piece of mind and has provided me with all the resources I need to be successful during my time here. The CVC also aided in introducing me to the C-U Rotary club this semester. The C-U rotary club performs a lot of service work in the community, which is something I was looking to get into to interact more with the C-U community and give back.
I am currently a sophomore studying Accounting + Data Science. This semester has been challenging but also rewarding and I’m looking forward to finishing this semester strong. With the help of the CVC, I was able to secure an internship for this upcoming summer with Deloitte working as a discovery intern in their Chicago office. I’m still early in my academic career and I’m still deciding on exactly what route I want to take regarding my degree path. However, I know with the help and support of the CVC I have a good chance of finding the right path for me. knowing I have the support from the CVC is a weight lifted off my shoulders. I know every student does not have this privilege, so I am greatly thankful.