Liam Crawford faced an unexpected challenge when he left the Army for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: loneliness.
The transition from military service to college left the student struggling to connect with younger classmates after leaving a place he loved. Volunteering and joining organizations, including the Bass Fishing Club, eventually helped him build friendships and find his footing.
“Being able to connect with some of those younger students helped me out a lot,” Crawford said.
His experience was among those shared during the Chez Veterans Center’s Veterans Day panel on November 11, 2026, titled “Voices of Service.” Students discussed military service, education, and the search for purpose beyond the uniform. The conversation highlighted how differently that transition can unfold, even among students who share a military background.
Panelists described bringing leadership and technical experience to campus while learning to manage unfamiliar expectations and relationships. In addition to taking part in Army ROTC, Crawford is an Illinois Army National Guard member and a sophomore pursuing history with an art minor. He described serving in the Army’s 1st Infantry Division as his proudest military accomplishment.
For Mikayel Sardaryan, a transmission systems operator and former Marine sergeant, his academic trajectory was shaped by his time in the military. Now enrolled in electrical engineering, Sardaryan explained that his struggles with military radios inspired him to figure out how to enhance communications equipment for future personnel.
College also required an adjustment. At 22, he faced working alongside classmates several years younger after having supervised people their age. He found a way to connect by helping other students and sharing what he knew.
Cordelia Grob, an Illinois Army National Guard captain and company commander who is pursuing technology management, came back to Illinois following a demanding deployment that raised questions about what lay ahead.
“How do I make sense of the world? What is my purpose?” Grob recalled asking herself.
Her academic work benefits from the enhanced analytical capacity and deeper consideration of decision outcomes she developed during her military career. Meanwhile, information science senior and Navy Veteran Krissean Brown encountered a distinct turning point while stationed in Japan. The former gunner’s mate decided he was ready for higher education and another stage of life.
“I think I was ready to move on and branch into a different part of my life,” Brown said.
Natalie Koldenhoven, a communication student who works at the Chez Veterans Center, brought the perspective of a military family member. Her ambitions for both school and career were shaped by observing her parents’ work ethic alongside their respective civilian and military backgrounds.
Keynote speaker Master Sgt. Joseph Bateman said those individual journeys require coordinated support. Bateman, who serves as a first sergeant at U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base and works as a Veterans service officer for the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, attended Illinois after leaving active duty in 2014 and joining the Air Force Reserve.
“Veterans don’t stop being veterans when they become students,” Bateman said. “They simply begin adding another chapter to their identity.”
Managing benefits, housing, academic requirements, and health care can mean dealing with several offices, he said. Sometimes, the barrier is knowing where to start. He urged campus offices to communicate and personally connect students with people who can help.
“Asking for help is not weakness,” he said. “It’s a way of accomplishing the mission.”
Chez Veterans Center operations and services director Andy Bender said that the facility signifies a lasting pledge of inclusion for Veterans and individuals tied to the armed forces.
“It’s really a commitment to ensuring that those who have served and those who are connected to that service know that they belong,” Bender said.
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