Luis Padilla

Luis Padilla - CSM Veterans Services

After high school, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, completed a tour in Iraq, and after six years, I transitioned out of the military to pursue a college education with my G.I. Bill. When I left the military, I did not know how to use the G.I. Bill, and the institutions I attended did not have a dedicated office for student veterans. That experience sparked some curiosity, and I asked myself, “Hmm, If I ran a veteran center on a college campus, how would I run it?”

I knew after completing my bachelor's and master's degree programs that I wanted to work with students at the community college level. My passion and what drives me every day is having the opportunity to create a welcoming and informative space for veterans here at CSM. I do see spaces like our Veterans Resource & Opportunity Center (VROC) as a positive and transformative space for our veterans where they can get connected with the college and not just a transactional office where students drop off paperwork. 

As the program coordinator, I feel that I’m in a very privileged position where I can use my military experience and my passion for student affairs to develop the best possible veterans’ program for our students and contribute to our vibrant CSM community.  The best part of my job is coming to this beautiful campus every day and having the opportunity not just to build a program but to interact and work with our student veterans daily.

Professional Accomplishments/Achievements

• Bachelor of Arts, History, UC Santa Cruz
• Master of Arts, International Studies, University of San Francisco
• NASPA Escaleras Leadership Institute
• United States Marine Corps (2003-2009)