Program matches veterans with business professionals

It's been six years since Christina Dorris left the U.S. Air Force and entered college. As she prepares to leave the educational world for the work world, uncertainty about civilian life is creeping in.

"Coming out of the military, I really don't know what I should do,- she said. Dorris is a

She hopes to get some answers through a new mentoring program organized by Veterans Resource Central, a Harrisburgbased nonprofit group that provides support services to military personnel, veterans and their families. The program matches veterans attending local colleges with business professionals who can help them prepare for careers, land internships and find jobs.

"We're trying to help (the veterans) accelerate that process, said John Carrigan, VRC president. He also is director of sales and marketing with Rose Consulting Inc.

As of early February, about 20 students and 45 business professionals had decided to participate in the mentoring program, Carrigan said. Mentors and students will meet to discuss things such as preparing resumes, interviewing and networking.

The program started when a veteran who is a college student approached VRC's board about a lack of resources to help veterans transition into the business world, said Barbara Groce, business development officer with Sovereign Bank. She is one of the professionals participating in the mentoring program.

"It became clear to us that this was one of the things we needed to do, to reach these students," Groce said.

Many veterans believe their time out of civilian life puts them at a disadvantage when pursuing jobs and careers, Carrigan said. They often fail to recognize that the military instills in them many qualities that employers find attractive, such as punctuality, loyalty and the ability to overcome challenges.

"We want to show them that they have more positive attributes than many of the other people coming out of school," Carrigan said.

Dorris wants her mentor to provide guidance about what career path she should choose. She has a bachelor's degree in organizational management from Eastern University and is pursuing a master's degree in leadership and business ethics from Duquesne.

"At this point, I don't know what career to go into," Dorris said. "There's a million and one ways I could go."

Professionals who mentor students will benefit from the partnership, Groce said. Groce, who is not a veteran, is looking forward to learning more about the experience and perspective of people who have served in the military.

Veterans Resource Central initially is focusing its mentoring program on Central Pennsylvania but eventually wants to expand it statewide. The organization continues to look for businesspeople to serve as mentors. Areas of need include teachers and medical professionals. For more information, call Carrigan at 796-6093.