Military-connected campus

Military-connected campus

Supporting active service members, veterans and families on the path to post secondary education.

Maxine Strybos was 16 years old when she joined the 1st Hussars Reserve regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), and was deciding what path she would take after high school.

“I did basic training in Sarnia and applied that to my high school co-op placement,” recalls Maxine. “We did our training on Thursday nights and on weekends, and sometimes did week-long trips to the field.”

After high school, Maxine completed courses in Police Foundations at Fanshawe and enlisted in the Regular Force with CAF. She was posted to the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps School at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown.

After injuring her knee, Maxine was released early from the military. She returned to Fanshawe and enrolled in the Business – Supply Chain and Operations program. Because of her experience, she was tapped to become the Student Ambassador for the College’s MilitaryConnected Campus program. Launched in 2020, Military-Connected Campus provides students, members of the Canadian Armed Forces and veterans with career opportunities and additional supports for transition to civilian life. Fanshawe is one of only a few schools across Canada to recognize past or present military experience with academic credit and specialized military support.

“Getting involved in Military-Connected Campus was a no-brainer for me,” says Maxine. “It makes so much sense for a college to step up to take responsibility for veterans, service members and their families.”

Maxine will graduate in April 2022, and she hopes to pursue a career in procurement for the federal government. Her involvement with Military-Connected Campus is setting her on a path to achieve her dreams.

“It’s amazing that Fanshawe has put this in place to ensure veterans and service members complete their education with supports they need,” says Maxine. “It makes it easy to be proud of Fanshawe.”