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Courtney Swoboda, who received the 2024 HigherEdMilitary Spotlight Award, describes her career path as “random.” But during a recent interview with HigherEdJobs podcast co-hosts Andy Hibel and Monika Sziron, we learned that she is a determined and forward-thinking leader making strides in veteran education.
Sziron, assistant director of editorial strategy for HigherEdMilitary, acknowledged that Swoboda’s peers nominated and selected her for the HigherEdMilitary award. “You do so many amazing things in higher education,” she said.
As the director of Military and Veteran Services at the University of Central Missouri (UCM), Swoboda and her team spend their days processing educational benefits for students through the U.S. Department of Veterans. They also oversee state and federal military tuition assistance and process military transcripts.”I always respond with, ‘What do we not do?” she said when asked to describe her day-to-day duties.
Swoboda said her background in the U.S. Air Force – she recently hit 11 years of service as a reservist — plays an ongoing and key role in her career.
“I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without my service,” she said.
Before landing a role in academia while pursuing a bachelor’s degree at UCM, Swoboda worked at the Missouri Veterans Commission and the Missouri Veterans Home in Warrensburg, Missouri. She loves serving people and helping peers in the military.
Sziron, assistant director of editorial strategy for HigherEdMilitary, asked Swoboda about her approach to targeting student services.
“We listen to our students,” she said matter-of-factly.
They purchased a golf cart to help disabled veterans on campus, which led to Swoboda’s team partnering with admissions and hosting veteran-led tours so prospective students get an individualized experience. In addition, they now have a popcorn machine in the center, better furniture, and laptops for students to use. Students can check out textbooks or meet with a counselor or a veteran service officer who is onsite once a month.
“Those are just some examples of us listening to our students to meet the needs of our current base,” she said.
In recent years, Swoboda launched a statewide organization, MOVES (Missouri Organization of Veteran Education Specialists), by reaching out to peers. The aim was to help each other solve common issues and learn from each other. The group recently met for a training event, welcoming professionals from 15 schools across the state.
On the podcast, Swoboda described the group’s role in shaping state Senate Bill 912 to boost educational assistance for Missouri National Guard members.
She works closely with UCM’s head of government relations, former Missouri Senator David Pearce, who gave her a heads-up about the state measure. Swoboda shared details from the legislation on a listserv and held a quick meeting with MOVES members. They created a two-page list of questions and sent them to the bill’s sponsor.
“They were kind of shocked because I don’t think they realized that all of us were talking,” she said.
Hibel, co-founder of HigherEdJobs and the organization’s chief operating officer, applauded these efforts.
Establishing the statewide coalition and helping to improve legislation provides “shining examples of how we can be more inclusive of veterans and military-connected people on campus,” he said.
What advice does she have for professionals in other states who want to establish this type of camaraderie with peers?
Swoboda said she started MOVES by making cold calls and introducing herself. She let her peers know she was new to her director role but had been working as a school certifying official for years and wanted their opinion on things like streamlining everyday processes.
She also asked what issues they could bring to leadership on campuses and potentially address at the state level.
“Just reaching out and talking to people” was effective, said Swoboda. “We’re there to support each other,” she added, in a “very informal” way.
In the coming years, Swoboda said she’d like to see more transparency from the federal government when processes are changed so that she and her colleagues can better help students.
If “students are getting better help, that means they’re more likely to stay in college and be more successful,” she said. “That would be my hope for the next five years, transparency and building awareness for campuses on what these positions do” to support veterans and military-related students.
Swoboda encouraged listeners in Missouri to reach out if they are also working in this realm and are not connected with MOVES. She said she’s also happy to help peers in other states launch a similar statewide coalition.
Learn more about Swoboda and the HigherEdMilitary Spotlight Award on our sister site.
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