Humans of LBCC

Humans of LBCC





Justin Curtis
Veterans Service Officer

“What do you do here at LBCC?” I asked “Well I am a Veteran’s Service Officer. I help Veteran’s apply for the GI Bill and then we certify them so that GI Bill pays for their courses.” “Oh! so you’re in training for her job?” Justin responded quickly with a “yes”. I went on to ask a few more questions. “how long have you been here?” “oh this is my third week here, the beginning of my third week” “how’s that going so far?” “It’s going alright, still getting used to everything” “yeah, it’s a lot of stuff. Alright, so why did you choose to work for LBCC?” “I’ve had a passion to work with veteran’s for a very long time, I am a veteran myself…” “nice! Same!” Mr. Curtis continued, “ and so I wanted to help veteran’s out with going back to school and doing something positive.” “Yeah, it’s pretty difficult when you don’t know anything. Aright, and then so far working with LBCC have you gotten one of those moments where you are just like “wow! This is really why I do this!”? “yeah, I have worked with some brand new students, veterans, who have no idea how to use their GI Bill or what the program is about and being able to educate them and making it so it’s not so scary of a process.” “Well that’s awesome!”






Andrew Sorensen
Student Veteran- AAOT

“So you’re a student here at LBCC, I am assuming?” I asked as I saw him doing Physics homework in the Veteran’s lounge. “yes.” “Do you work for LBCC too?” “No not at the moment” “cool, what is your major?” “AAOT- just trying to get an associates to transfer somewhere” “OH Same!, I am doing the same thing, well because I am going to OSU.” “And how long have you been at LBCC?” “probably like my third or fourth term.” “oh okay so you’re about to graduate, hopefully? In the Spring?” “yeah, hopefully!” “Nice. So clearly you’re a veteran…” “Yes.”

 “So with that being said, experiencing different stuff, what has your experience or how has your experience changed your world view on different perspectives?” “So my experience, I was in the Coast Guard, which is a little bit different than most branches because it is homeland security and state based. My service was spent in the Presidential Ceremonial Honor Guard in D.C. so I was doing like President Reagan’s funeral, doing tomb guard-things like that. Mine was very ceremonial and very solemn, sacred in that sense. Not combat based like most of the other branches. So mine was a little more in public light, because I was essentially a “model” for my branch so we were public affairs, I was dealing a lot more with the public and appearance than a certain nitty-gritty.” “Yeah, I have a friend that I know and she is in the National Guard and she just got a job working at the Pentagon and I was like “wow you are so cool!” “I tried to apply there was a post open as a tour guide and I was like second or third choice!” “ dang that would’ve been so cool! I’ve been to D.C. because I was stationed in Virginia... “ “OH where at?” “In Norfolk.” “oh yeah I was in Alexandria.” “Okay, nicer than Norfolk!” “yeah parts” we both laughed about it knowing Virginia was the worst place to be stationed. I continued “and we would go up to D.C. often and it’s just like every time you go it’s still a surreal experience you’re just looking at all the monuments and stuff and you’re just like “this is so cool.” “Did you go to the museums while you were there?” “mhmm.” “yeah the Smithsonian…” “yeah and I’m not a big museum person but I just thought it was totally cool. Maybe it was the sense of pride…” “Well the history, there was so much that went on there.”

“Being that you’re an Oregon Transfer, where do you plan to transfer to?” “One of the two Universities, well maybe one of the three. Maybe Portland State, maybe. I’ll apply to all three just to see because I’ve recently considered Architecture. I know U of O is the top program for architecture, like number three in the nation, but Portland State also has an architecture program that coincides with U of O, I believe, but I have a friend that he is the secretary for the Dean of Engineering for OSU and apparently I did not notice that OSU has an architectural engineering program.” “oh! So do you want to try and get into OSU because of that ?” “Either one. I think with U of O it focuses more on the design process and OSU focuses more on the engineering and scientific application part of it rather than the design. So it focuses more on how the materials work than the application of materials. I am watching a Netflix series called “Abstract” that talks a little about both of the science and engineering rather than design.” “That would be pretty interesting. I have a few friends that did architecture and they love it. I had a good childhood friend, that his dad made this business where he builds houses and stuff, and they are massive; he went to school for architecture so he could take over his dad’s company. So now he’s like the onsite architect. And you’ll look at some of their houses and you’re just like “I don't know how the heck you designed that but that is totally neat!” “ Yeah, because usually in the field engineers and architects are on opposite sides, so the designer is always saying to the engineer “I want you to do this” and the engineer is like “well we can’t do that so we are doing it this way.” “ yeah, cool stuff.

So last question, let me see, So what has been the greatest moment of our life and why?” “Having kids. Yeah that has been the greatest.” “Cool, how many do you have?” “I have three. I have identical twins that are turning four and then a boy who will be turning a year I guess soon, October.” “OH cool."