Pasadena Leads Nation With Innovative Veteran Transition Programs, Bridging Military-Civilian Divide

A groundbreaking trinity of veteran support programs in Pasadena is reshaping how former service members transition to civilian life and academic pursuits.

At Caltech, a new Defense Innovation for Veteran Education (DIVE) program focusing on synthetic biology and bioengineering research joins two established veteran support pillars in the city.

Pasadena City College’s Veterans Resource Center, ranked first among California community colleges for 12 consecutive years, provides comprehensive support through case management services.

“It’s an honor to be part of a Veterans Resource Center that has celebrated 12 consecutive years as the #1 Veterans Resource Center for Community Colleges in California and is ranked #3 in the nation!” says Carol M. Calandra, PCC Interim Dean.

The college’s Veterans Resource Center participates in the selective “VetSuccess on Campus” program and offers specialized “Outside the Wire” health counseling for combat veterans.

“Pasadena City College’s Veterans Resource Center has established a proactive case management model that goes beyond traditional services by supporting the ‘total veteran,'” Calandra explained.

Leadership Pasadena’s Community Leadership Course for Veterans, only the second such program nationally, addressed unique challenges in civilian workplace transition through community partnerships.

“Organizations that simply think veterans should fit into their culture with no specific assistance and understanding are being arrogant and unrealistic,” says Cindy Bengston, former Executive Director of Leadership Pasadena.

Leadership Pasadena said the course has reported perfect success rates in teaching civilian work culture concepts, with all participants gaining new leadership insights and 88 percent reporting transformed perspectives on collaboration.

“It is imperative we are honest with military vets about the great differences between military leadership and civilian leadership and the vast differences between the military culture and the civilian corporate culture,” Bengston said.

Caltech’s DIVE program introduces veterans to bioengineering through a 10-week summer research initiative. 

“I had no plan to follow this path, but there were a lot of people along the way who were really important mentors to me,” says program founder Alex Johnson.

“Unless you’ve experienced the military lifestyle, it’s hard to understand,” says Christopher Lam, a DIVE participant.

For Clarisa Torres, another DIVE participant, the program opened unexpected possibilities: “If I hadn’t had a chance to see it with my own eyes, I probably wouldn’t have thought I could belong in the field of bioengineering.”

Program graduates across all three initiatives have achieved significant educational and community involvement milestones, establishing Pasadena as a national model for veteran support.