Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges Expand Services for Veterans

Grossmont visits up 25%; Cuyamaca nears first-of-its-kind partnership to boost veteran transfers to top universities

El Cajon, CA — As Veterans Day approaches, veteran services at the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District are celebrating a series of accomplishments. So far this year, the veterans’ centers at both Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges have served a combined total of more than 1,500 veterans and military-affiliated students, and offered additional programs, services, and partnerships to support students.

After Marine Corps veteran Gregory Pace took the helm of the Grossmont College Veteran’s Resource Center last fall, and began increased promotions for expanded services, the center has seen a surge in activity: visits are up 25% and counseling sessions are up 16% since the beginning of 2026, compared with the same period last year. Veterans Affairs (VA) certifications, which students need to receive the GI Bill and related education benefits, are up more than 18%.

Meanwhile, Cuyamaca College veterans services supervisor Robert Davis has also been increasing access to opportunities at their Veterans Center, and Cuyamaca College is on the verge of becoming the first community college in the country to enter into a formal partnership with Service2Schools, a nonprofit that provides free college and graduate school application counseling to veterans and service members. Davis is confident the partnership will boost veteran enrollment at the Rancho San Diego campus, while opening additional pathways for student veterans to transfer to more of the nation’s top universities.

“We’re aiming to become a feeder school not only to San Diego State and UC San Diego, but to several Ivy League campuses as well,” Davis said. “It’s pretty exciting.”

Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges have been excelling at serving veterans and military-affiliated students since they first opened their doors in 1961 and 1978, respectively. Grossmont College celebrated the grand opening of its expanded, state-of-the-art Veteran’s Resource Center in 2024, thanks to funding through voter-approved Proposition V, which also financed a major overhaul of the Veterans Center at Cuyamaca College.

In 2024, the East County Economic Development Council (EDC) honored the District with its “Partnership of the Decade” award, in part for its work advancing veteran services and workforce training. Military Times in 2024 ranked Cuyamaca No. 10 in California on its listing of Best for Vets colleges. In 2023, it was ranked No. 8 in the West, and in 2022 it was ranked No 15 in the West.

Cuyamaca and Grossmont colleges partner with the Veterans East County Alliance (VECA), a collaboration that connects student veterans with business and employment opportunities throughout the region. As a result of their outreach and in-reach efforts, both Davis and Pace have each been nominated for a 2026 VECA Rise Up Award for their work supporting student veterans. Based on collective long-standing efforts to support veterans and military-affiliated students in East County, the District has also been nominated.

“From the District level, to our college presidents, administrators, faculty, classified professionals, and student workers, we are all committed to our military-affiliated students,” Davis said. “They don’t just pay lip service to what they do; they put their money where their mouth is.”

Pace noted such efforts are vital in serving a population dealing with unique challenges in transitioning from military to civilian life.

“You are no longer focused on a single mission,” stated Pace. “You’re no longer following orders or clear objectives. Much of what we do is aimed at providing some level of structure, some level of creating a mission, to help ease that transition. It’s a unique need that is not readily apparent unless you’ve been in that world.”

A growing number of events and services at both campuses are aimed at easing that transition. Pace said his goal is to bring more veteran-focused organizations to campus and connect them with students. One of those organizations is Courage to Call, a San Diego-based nonprofit that links veterans with more than 1,200 local providers of mental health care, housing, job placement, legal services, benefits assistance, and emergency financial aid. Pace is also planning more networking lunches, a speaker series, and expanded outreach.

During Veterans Appreciation Week, November 9-13, the Grossmont College Veteran’s Resource Center will offer lunches, along with a LinkedIn profile and resume-writing workshop, that includes professional headshots.

Similar events, such as an Open House, are planned at the Cuyamaca College Veterans Center, where Davis is also developing a partnership with the Warrior-Scholar Project, an Alexandria, Virginia-based nonprofit that offers academic boot camps, college success workshops and career development pathways. Davis also plans to launch seminars on VA home loans, retirement planning, and building and maintaining strong credit.

“We’re offering our students a future,” he said.

About the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (the District) includes Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, which offer hundreds of degree and certificate programs, including Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Advanced/Basic Certificates. The District is the largest provider of higher education and job training in East County, and is a top transfer pathway to San Diego State University. The colleges lead the way in developing educational programs, classes, and services that meet the needs of the community of learners, and prepare students to meet changing community and workforce needs, while advancing social justice and economic mobility. Learn more at www.gcccd.edu.

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