Kaileigh Carter’s childhood was far from stable. As the daughter of a U.S. Marine, she and her family had to relocate every few years to military bases around the country, spanning from New York to San Diego, before she graduated from high school in San Clemente.
The constant upheaval profoundly impacted Kaileigh starting early on in life, especially when it came to school. Moving so often made fitting in and forming new friendships difficult. As a result, Kaileigh faced bullying and isolation, which affected her self-esteem and caused her grades to suffer.
But everything began to change when Kaileigh arrived at Saddleback College, although she admits the transition from high school to college life wasn’t easy at first.
“Stepping onto campus for the first time felt like I was walking into a world where everyone already had their own lives and found their circle of friends except for me,” she said.
Just when she was starting to feel like she didn’t belong yet again, she found a lifeline in the Saddleback Student Veterans Club—a place where military veterans, active-duty members, and their families can build community around planned events like dinner, bowling, and attending baseball or hockey games.
Members also swap personal stories, facilitate educational and professional connections, and offer support to one another. The club has helped Kaileigh find people with similar backgrounds who understand the challenges associated with a military upbringing. For the first time in her life, she experienced a sense of community.
“I didn’t just find friends, I found a family,” she said.
Beyond the social aspects of the club, weekly roundtable discussions encourage open dialogues around service-connected mental and emotional health challenges. These honest conversations have empowered Kaileigh to confront her military life struggles that previously seemed insurmountable.
“The club is where you can talk about all the things you feel like no one else understands except for you. But then you realize there’s so many other people who have gone through the same exact things, and that’s really comforting,” Kaleigh said.
Kaileigh’s involvement in the Student Veterans Club has extended well past attending events and meetings: She is now a key member of the club’s executive media team, managing its social media accounts, creating posters, taking photos, and helping organize club activities. This experience is personally fulfilling to her and aligns with her educational and career goals as a marketing major.
“Not only am I surrounded by super supportive people, but I’m also gaining real-world experience that I can use to boost my resume,” Kaileigh said.
The Student Veterans Club at Saddleback provides students with invaluable references and special-consideration connections to other colleges at the community college and university levels. It also helps members build their networks, find job opportunities, and earn community service hours through activities like sponsored beach clean-ups.
With this extra support and community, Kaileigh also began to thrive in the classroom, especially in her English class with Professor Zemaneck. She values the flexibility of both online and in-person sessions and appreciates how Professor Zemaneck answers her questions with patience and clarity. Kaileigh describes Professor Zemaneck as genuinely committed to student success, making each lesson challenging and rewarding.
Her advice to students considering joining the Saddleback Student Veterans Club is straightforward: “Talk to people and see what’s going on. You don’t necessarily have to join right away, but just feel it out. The connections and opportunities within the club are incredible, and they can really help you grow both personally and professionally.”
From a childhood marked by constantly feeling like an outsider to now thriving in an environment filled with acceptance and support, the club has given Kaileigh a sense of belonging and confidence. Kaileigh is now passionate about sharing that same encouragement with other students who may be feeling lost and isolated.
“When you feel supported, it changes everything,” she said. “You feel like you can venture out and try new things and, most importantly, know that you're not alone. At the Saddleback Student Veterans Club, there’s always a place where you belong,” she said.