Last updated on December 3, 2020
By Kayla Osborne
Volunteer State Community College student, LaDarius Cortez Roberts, received the inaugural Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor’s Commendation for Military Veterans.
The commendation comes in the form of a special Challenge Coin presented on behalf of the chancellor, Flora Tydings. Challenge coins are a rich tradition in all branches of the military and signify special achievement, excellence, hard work, unit pride, respect and esprit de corps.
“Roberts served in the United States Army for more than eight years as a Health Care Specialist. He began his college career at Vol State in the Fall 2019 semester with an aspiration to become a Medical Lab Technician,” said Eric Melcher, Coordinator of Public Relations and Marketing.
“I plan to work as a lab tech for two years then apply for medical laboratory science/ medical technologist program at either Vanderbilt University or Austin Peay University,” said Roberts.
The Chancellor’s Commendation for Military Veterans is the first school award Roberts has received.
Roberts is serving as a Pioneer Connections Peer Mentor, a group organized by the Office of Adult Learners and Veterans Affairs at Vol State.
“There are many adult learners who are not computer savvy that could use help with basic online course navigation and usage. With there being limited instructors, and a great number of students with a plethora of skills and experiences from various backgrounds, that could lighten the load,” said Roberts.
Roberts is involved with groups and organizations at Vol State. He serves as vice president of the Black Student Association and is a member of Men of Color Achieving Success (MOCAS).
“One should not measure their progress by another person’s goals, and one should not measure their timing in life by another person’s watch. I returned to school at 28, it is never too late,” said Roberts.
Microbiology is his favorite class.
Roberts has a wife, Cheyanne, and a stepson, Jordan.
For more information about opportunities for adult learners at Vol State visit www.volstate.edu/adult-learners
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