Keystone College is going above and beyond in its efforts to serve our nation’s veterans.

The college is now the East Coast headquarters for Veterans Stand Together (VST), a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing a wide-range of critical services to people who have served our nation so well.

VST will maintain a presence at Keystone’s Veterans Center in Alumni  Hall on campus and plans to extend its outreach to the Northeastern Pennsylvania community. Based in Torrance, Cal., VST serves as a type of clearinghouse to help veterans obtain important services as they adjust to life outside of the military.

“Military veterans have so many needs as they transition to civilian life but sometimes they don’t know where to turn to get answers to their questions,” said VST Chief  Academic Officer Mark Treston, a 1993 Keystone College graduate. “Those needs are varied and are often unique to each individual. They could involve medical or psychological assistance, career training, educational advice, or a combination of all those and more. Our goal is to talk to each person and find out exactly what they are seeking, put them in contact with the right groups or organizations, and then work with them to see that their specific situation is addressed.”

VST was created in 2020 at the height of COVID-19 pandemic by Mr. Treston, a veteran of the Israeli military, and the organization’s Executive Director George Casillas, a U.S. Marine veteran. Both men operate a security firm in California and have employees who are veterans.

“We noticed several of them needed assistance in some way but really didn’t know where to go or who to speak with. Being former military members, George and I tried to provide our assistance and put them in contact with people or organizations that could help,” Mr. Treston said. “That’s how we began and we’ve continued to expand our outreach in the past couple of  years.”

Now, the affiliation with his alma mater will enable VST to expand its presence even further.  

“As a Keystone alumnus, I’m so thrilled to begin operations on campus. Keystone has a long and proud history of service to veterans dating back over 150 years,” Mr. Treston said. “We’re so proud to help veterans and their family members at Keystone and across the nation, anywhere and anytime we can. That’s our mission.” 

For more information on Veterans Stand Together, visit www.usavest.org. Members of the Keystone community may contact Veterans Outreach Coordinator Daron J. Hogan, SSgt/USMC Ret. at daron.hogan@keystone.edu.

Founded in 1868, with a commitment to providing an education to Civil War veterans and their families, Keystone is home to the Elmer Hawk ’48 Veterans Center. The Veterans Center offers a comfortable and convenient meeting place for this special group of Keystone students who have given so much to their country. Students can meet with each other, complete their school assignments, or simply relax, read, visit with friends and family members, or watch television while waiting for their next class.

Keystone was recently listed as one of a select group of colleges that is  “Best for Vets” by Military Times Magazine, a national publication which serves veterans and active military members.  In previous years, Keystone has also been listed as a top school for veterans by other national military and veterans publications.

Recognized as one of the best educational values in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Keystone offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree options in liberal arts and science-based programs in business, communications, education, natural science, environmental science, and social sciences. Located 15 minutes from Scranton, Pa. and two hours from New York City and Philadelphia, Keystone is known for small class sizes and individual attention focused on student success through internships, research, and community involvement.