Q&A: A One-on-One Conversation with Goldey-Beacom College’s Primary School Certifying Official

The higher education industry continues to change at a blistering pace. One area of financial aid that has seen immense changes over the last decade is Veterans Affairs (VA) and military benefits.

In the context of financial aid, VA and military benefits are often underdiscussed as funding options for students who may qualify. Deb Harbaugh, Goldey-Beacom College’s Primary School Certifying Official, has witnessed many positive changes in VA benefits, including the transition from reporting student enrollments on carbon paper to an electronic interface for reporting.

There are also significant headwinds impacting the VA and associated military benefits programs at any given time. Government shutdowns impede the approval process for VA Benefits, leading to frustrating delays for students. Although the documentation systems are mainly electronic now, there’s still a slew of paperwork students need to complete for themselves or their designated beneficiaries.

The Financial Aid Office recently chatted with Deb to get her thoughts on the current situation with VA and military benefits, as well as the work she does at the College. An edited version of the conversation follows.

Financial Aid Office: Describe your role at the College.

Deb Harbaugh: I primarily work with students as their academic advisor, helping them to understand and plan their path to graduation through scheduling and degree evaluation. As the College’s accommodations coordinator, I work with students to ensure the College meets their disability-related needs in the classroom, in conjunction with their faculty and staff. I also serve as the College’s Primary School Certifying Official, coordinating Veteran Benefits for our Veterans, Servicemembers, and their families, often beginning before they even apply to GBC and continuing through graduation.

How have VA Benefits changed since you first became a School Certifying Official?

When I started at GBC as a Financial Aid Specialist, we were still using a typewriter with carbon copies to submit student enrollments in 2010, no joke! Thankfully, that soon changed to electronic submissions, enabling students to access their educational benefits more easily and quickly.

Are there any changes to VA or military benefits that students should be aware of in 2026?

The most significant change to benefits this year was the approval of programs that allow for classes through the Rize Platform, such as our Digital Marketing degree, Cybersecurity and Esports/Gaming concentrations for undergraduates, and AI, Cybersecurity, and IT for our graduate students. These degree programs are sought-after by Veterans and Servicemembers, as the degree programs offer increasingly needed skills that make students more marketable and valued by employers. 

What is the best way a veteran can maximize their education benefits?

Veterans can maximize their benefits by planning their enrollments to take full-time classes each semester, including summers. It has to be well planned, anticipating when required courses are offered and strategically adding electives to ensure students take the maximum number of credits while maintaining a high level of academic achievement. It’s a balancing act for sure, and one that can take a semester or two to figure out, especially if the student has work, athletics, or family obligations in addition to full-time academics. 

What are some of the challenges active military or veterans are facing in accessing education?

Some of the challenges are getting benefits approved in the first place. As with most government systems, there’s a lot of paperwork! Fortunately, the applications are now all online, making them easier to find, access, and complete. Last year’s shutdown slowed down approvals and adjustments, but we are back to normal now.

What do you enjoy the most about your role at the College?

What I enjoy most is getting to know our exceptional students and then seeing them walk across the stage at graduation while their family and friends cheer their accomplishments. It’s gratifying when first-year students, who were so shy and unsure, find their ideal degree program and, by graduation, have found their voice, gained confidence and clarity about their goals, and landed their perfect job. A lot has changed in just the dozen or so years I’ve been in higher education, like how courses are delivered, where and when you can attend, and the tools needed to be successful; fortunately, so has GBC! We are embracing AI, thanks in no small part to Dr. Mary Wheeling and Rusty Michalak, which is excellent news for our students, enabling them to learn how to maximize their use of AI in a safe and supportive environment. 

What are some ways veterans can connect at Goldey-Beacom College?

Veterans, Servicemembers, and all those interested in the military meet every month on the 4th Thursday at 11 am at our Veterans Resource Group (“VRG”). We bring in speakers to discuss all things VA. For instance, have you heard of the CreatiVeterans Art Project that our own Traci Currie taught in? It’s a totally cool way to support Veterans and encourage them to use their voices! Our students have met Brian Nicholas and Michael Murphy as we work towards bringing ROTC back to GBC, with a goal of Fall 2026 for Air Force ROTC and Fall 2027 for Army ROTC. Every new academic year, our faculty, including Drs. Hoefling and Kelly, discuss the challenges of helping soldiers and first-year students alike make a smooth transition from the military or high school to college. At our monthly meetings, we also plan for the Annual Veteran Appreciation Luncheon, inspired by Dr. Scott Glenn, to show our Veterans and their families how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice. This community outreach brings Delaware Military Academy’s Color Guard, thanks to you, Eric, for getting their commitment two years ago, to open the event. Last year, our own GBC Jazz Band played for us, not to mention the many hands and support from just about every department on Campus! Each year, it just keeps getting better as word spreads and more of our community comes together to give thanks on Veterans Day.  

We had a special event last month:  we took a road trip down to Dover to see the Air Mobility Command Museum on Friday, January 30. The bus trip was open to all GBC students, was FREE, and was a really incredible opportunity to check out Air Force II and all the different planes, helicopters, and air transport units all in one place. If you’ve never been in a command tower before, it’s breathtaking!

Thank you, Deb.