September 2025 – Maximizing Dependent Education Benefits

Posted on: October 1, 2025  |  Posted in: Community Blog

Convening Topic 

College and Beyond:  Maximizing Dependent Education Benefits

Missed our September Convening or want a refresher?  Below are the bios of the speakers and great tools that were shared during the convening!

Our amazing speakers were:

Wil Dieck, Site Lead for VA Benefits and Services at MCAS Miramar.  Wil has been helping service members, family members, veterans and caregivers learn about and understand their VA benefits since 2017. Before that Wil was a business owner and college professor. He is also a proud Vietnam era veteran.

Jennifer Santis, Associate Director at National University.  Jennifer Santis was a military spouse for 16 years.  She is the Associate Director at National University where she leads the Veteran & Military Community Center. Her projects include the Veteran & Spouse Transition Assistance Grant Program, (VSTAGP) in which military affiliated students gain access to specialized career services, wellness resources, and education support. Jennifer is coauthor on a paper about How Strong & Healthy Relationships Can Support Military Kids (2025). With 11 years of work experience supporting Military, Veterans, and their families, she specializes in providing a holistic approach in encouraging students to excel professionally, personally, and academically. She enjoys reading, music, and art.

Camille Zombro, Special Projects Coordinator, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.  Camille Zombro is the Special Projects Coordinator for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community District and daughter of a retired Marine Corps First Sergeant. Her projects focus on building new pipelines for adult learners to the colleges by building long-term, structural relationships with trusted community partners. In coordination with staff at both colleges, Camille’s work focuses on removing barriers and supporting adults as they transition into or back into college and career training.

RESOURCES

• Maximizing Education Benefits for Servicemembers and Dependents One Sheet
• Flyers from the convening
• Operation Homefront’s Military Child of the Year Awards are open now for military children ages 13-18!  The winner receives $10,000 cash, a laptop, other donated goodies, and a 3 day trip to Washington DC for him and their families!  Open to Active Duty, Reserves, and retired military children.  Nominations are open until 2 December!

Please share this knowledge with families that would like to know more about both civilian and military education benefits!