From Complexity to Clarity: Modernizing Veteran Certification at The Citadel

Rethinking Certification in a Changing Landscape

Over the past two decades, veteran education benefits have undergone significant transformation. From the introduction of the Post-9/11 GI Bill to increasing regulatory complexity, institutions have faced mounting pressure to manage enrollment and certification processes with greater precision, speed, and accountability.

For institutions like The Citadel, a military college serving a large population of veteran and military-connected students, this challenge is not theoretical. It’s operational, daily, and high-stakes.

“I’ve been doing this for 22 years… I’ve seen how easy it was to how difficult it can be for a school certifying official,” shared Sally Levitt, Director of the Veterans Program at The Citadel.

Her perspective reflects a broader reality across higher education: what was once manageable manually has evolved into a complex, compliance-driven ecosystem.

The Breaking Point: When Legacy Processes No Longer Scale

As veteran enrollment increased, particularly following the expansion of federal education benefits manual processes began to show their limits.

Growing volumes of certifications

• Increasing compliance requirements

• Greater risk of human error

• Rising administrative burden on staff

  
  

For School Certifying Officials (SCOs), the role itself has become more demanding.

“I started as a school certifying official… and still am to this day,” Levitt noted,

underscoring both the continuity and evolution of the role.

At the same time, institutions like The Citadel were no longer operating with small, manageable cohorts they were supporting a high volume of military-connected students, each requiring accurate and timely certification.

Enter VA Works: Building Structure in a Complex System

Recognizing the need for a more scalable and structured approach, The Citadel adopted VA Works to modernize its certification processes.

Implementation wasn’t just about adopting new software—it was about redefining workflows.

Sarah McCuiston, a School Certifying Official who became the internal lead on the platform, played a key role in this transition:

“Sarah’s been our VA Works guru… she’s been the one putting things together and setting things up,” Levitt explained.

This highlights a critical success factor often overlooked in digital transformation: ownership.

Technology alone doesn’t drive outcomes empowered teams do.

From Fragmentation to Visibility

One of the most significant shifts institutions experience when moving to a purpose-built system is visibility.

Where processes were once fragmented across spreadsheets, emails, and manual tracking systems, VA Works enables:

• Centralized certification workflows

• Real-time tracking of student status

• Standardized processes across teams

• Reduced reliance on institutional memory

For teams managing hundreds or even thousands of certifications, this shift is transformational.

Operational Impact: Efficiency, Accuracy, Confidence

While the conversation around digital transformation often focuses on efficiency, the deeper impact is confidence.

Confidence that:

• Certifications are accurate

• Deadlines are met

• Compliance requirements are satisfied

• Students are supported without delays

For institutions like The Citadel, this is critical not just for internal operations, but for the student experience.

A Broader Shift in Higher Education

The Citadel’s experience reflects a broader trend across higher education:

Institutions are moving away from reactive, manual processes toward proactive, system-driven operations.

This shift is being driven by:

• Increased regulatory scrutiny

• Higher student expectations

• Staffing constraints

• The need for scalable systems

In this environment, enrollment and certification are no longer back-office functions—they are strategic capabilities.

The Takeaway: Transformation Is No Longer Optional

The evolution of veteran education benefits has fundamentally changed the role of certification teams.

What worked 10–15 years ago is no longer sustainable today.

Institutions that continue to rely on manual systems risk:

• Operational bottlenecks

• Compliance vulnerabilities

• Staff burnout

• Poor student experiences

Those that invest in purpose-built solutions position themselves for:

• Scalable growth

• Stronger compliance posture

• More efficient teams

• Better outcomes for students

Looking Ahead

As higher education continues to evolve, the institutions that succeed will be those that embrace not just new tools but new ways of working.

The Citadel’s journey is a clear example: transformation doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right systems and internal champions, it becomes not only possible but powerful.

Want to see how VA Works can transform your certification process? Explore how your institution can move from manual complexity to operational clarity.

Book your demo today : https://tinyurl.com/y8cdy585