Interview with Samuel Kim

March 2022

My name is Samuel Kim.  I’m the VA Certifying Official at Cal Poly Pomona. I am a United States Army veteran and a CPP Alumnus.  I served in the military for 7 years and I have been working at Cal Poly Pomona since 2014.

What services does your department provide?

I am officially assigned to the Registrar’s Office, but I am physically located in the Veterans Resource Center. The Veterans Resource Center was established in 2012 to support the personal and academic success of Cal Poly Pomona's military affiliated students. The Center serves as a central resource for information, support, guidance, and community. The services and resources provided are invaluable to the students that we serve. For more information on the Veterans Resource Center, please check out their webpage:  https://www.cpp.edu/veterans

What are the most common questions students come to you for?

When is priority registration?

Can I apply for financial aid even though I’m receiving VA Education Benefits?  Answer:  YES!

I’m running out of my GI Bill, what do I do?

Advice

Here is some advice for students reading this:

Don’t ever assume. If you don’t know the answer, go get it!

Don’t ever feel entitled, do the work, and earn your results!

Make the effort, stay disciplined, and go after your goals and dreams. Being lazy or procrastinating is the worst thing you can do for yourself and for others around you.

Check your e-mails! Weed out the spam and junk from your inbox and pay attention to the important e-mails that you receive from your professors and important departments such as Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid, and the Veterans Resource Center.