Peachtree City resident Tina Lake was recently appointed the first permanent Coordinator of Clayton State University’s Veterans Resource Center (VRC), a move that Dr. Angelyn Hayes, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, characterizes as, “another significant milestone for the University.”
As VRC coordinator, Lake is primarily tasked with communicating and collaborating with the University community to promote and implement military and veteran student retention and success efforts and to advocate for military/veteran student population. She will also be leading initiatives to identify specific needs of military and veteran students including additional support service needs, and to collaborate with and advise the University’s Student Veterans Association (SVA). In conjunction with SVA, Lake will also be organizing, marketing and implementing targeted programs and events for active-duty military and veterans.
Lake will also serve as a resource for Clayton State’s student veterans, referring students to University departments and resources and developing and maintaining relationships with local and state military and veteran’s organizations and University System of Georgia.
The Clayton State VRC officially opened in March 2012, with Shiraz Karaa, associate director of Counseling and Psychological Services, as interim coordinator. In announcing Lake’s appointment, Hayes also recognized Karaa’s long-term commitment and efforts on behalf of Clayton State’s student veterans.
“For the past four years, Shiraz Karaa has led initiatives from a coffee social for student veterans to the establishment of a Veterans Task Force to the opening of the Veterans Resource Center,” says Hayes. “Her leadership has been invaluable.”
“Tina Lake will lead efforts to reach out to student veterans and active military students to assist in their successful transition from military to college to graduation, while providing outreach and programming to strengthen the University’s status as a Veteran Friendly Campus,” Hayes adds. “Ms. Lake brings a strong background in serving active military and veterans along with a positive attitude about providing services and enhancing the VCR.”
Lake holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications Studies from the University of Maryland, and a Masters in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma. Immediately prior to coming to Clayton State, she served as communication specialist for the Dorchester School District Two in Summerville, S.C. Prior to that, she served in operations for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Tacoma, Wash., RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, and Lajes Field on Portugal’s Azores Islands. She also served as an Office Automation Assistant for the 65th Civil Engineer Squadron at Lajes Field.
A unit of the University System of Georgia where dreams are made real, Clayton State University is located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
