Page 5-Fourth Issue August 2017

Photo courtesy of Yahoo Images

Meet Tammy Steckler-Veteran Services Program Coordinator

By Joy Y Kostka
Joy.Wiggins@mail.umhelena.edu

     

Tammy Steckler is the Veteran Services Program Coordinator located in Room 119 which houses TRiO-Student Support Services and Disability Services as well. Read below to find out more about Tammy.

Q. What is your current job description? 

Veteran Services Program Coordinator, Helena College has averaged around 100 veterans for the past couple of years.  Her office maintains a Veteran's Advisory Council and a mentor program which provides incoming veterans with assistance in transitioning to college life.  Tammy is also the adviser to the Helena College Veterans Club.

Q. Have you held other positions at this school? 

Tammy started working here at Helena College 13 1/2 years ago as an administrative aide.  In 2004 there were only 30 students who had some form of G.I. Bill benefits.  Since then, with the increase of new chapters of veteran benefits (including Post 9/11), the number of veterans increased a few years ago to 130.  With the increase, her title evolved into the Veteran Services Program Coordinator.

Q.  Where did you go to college? 

Tammy attended both UM and MSU (Go Griz, Go Cats!) and studied Liberal Arts, then graduated with a BA from Carroll College (Go Saints!).

Q. What is the most fun part of your job? 

Tammy enjoys working with veterans and/or their dependents.  She believes that they are a hardworking, disciplined group of people, and it shows up at the end of every semester when the Institutional Researcher at Helena College compares the GPA of veterans versus their non-veteran counterparts.  Most every semester the veteran students obtain higher GPAs than their non-veteran counterparts.  She also enjoys running the veteran mentor program where she looks for veterans who have completed at least one semester to match up with a new veteran student so they can help with the transition to college life.  She said its like match making without the romance.

Q. Hobbies? 

Her hobbies include reading, crossword and jigsaw puzzles, watching sports, and chigirie.  Chigirie is a Japanese art form using paper that is torn to create images.

Q. Kids? 

She has two children, a daughter Myia, age 28, and a son Eric, age 20, who are the delights of her life.

Q. Pets? 

She is a black lab lover and has owned two of them named Jazz and Buddy, and plans to own one in the future named Diggedy.

Q. Favorite Restaurant in Town?

Tammy's favorite place to eat in town is at her sister Jeanne's house.  Jeanne makes a German food that they grew up with called groombeta schmitzen knip (phonetically).  It's fried dough topped with sour cream and peaches.

Q. Favorite Place to Visit?

She loves to visit the ocean, but her favorite place to be in here in the beautiful Big Sky Country Montana.

Photo courtesy of Angela Lunda

Student Life-Meet Your Fellow Classmate

Angela Lunda

Are you a full-time student? How many credits? Field of study?

Yes, I am a full-time student.  I am taking fifteen credits total.   I am enrolled in the Social Work program through the U of Montana online.  I am doing classes at Helena College and the University of Montana.

Current GPA?  3.7

Age:  34

Born: January 18, 1983

How long lived in Helena? 

I moved here in 6th grade.  I have lived here for about 24 years.

Kids?  Names, Ages?  

I have four beautiful daughters.  They are Miranda (13), Elizabeth (11), Desiree (8) and Katelyn (8).

Jobs?

Mom, Student, Employee

Biggest Challenge? 

Time-there never seems to be enough of it.

Support Network? 

My family and a few close friends.

Hobbies? 

Reading and travelling.  I can’t forget playing with my new kitten.  He is so cute.

School programs you are using? 

Trio

Most interesting subject? 

Psychology

Favorite Instructor? 

Dr. Munn

Dream Vacation?

I have always wanted to go to Germany.

Clubs?

Newspaper