Trident University Strengthens Its Military & Veteran Outreach Initiatives

August 19, 2015 - Cypress, CA - Trident University International (Trident) is happy to announce a reorganization of its Outreach & Partnerships department, which includes shifting roles and responsibilities for four key staff members who work closely with the University's active duty military, veteran, and corporate populations. The University has an unwavering commitment to the United States Armed Forces, counting more than 22,000 former or current members of the military among its alumni.

Esmeralda Silva, who has worked at Trident for 15 years, steps in as the Vice President of Outreach and Strategic Alliances, overseeing the Outreach & Partnerships department. Previously, Silva served as the Associate Vice President of Compliance.

Silva, a proponent of education for all, has built strong ties across all branches of the United Stated Armed Forces, currently serves as President of California's Advisory Council on Military Education (CA-ACME), an organization dedicated to increasing the access to support services, benefits, and support services in the military community.

Additionally, she is a member of the LA Veteran Collaboration - Higher Education Working Group, serves on the Military Friendly^® Advisory Board, and actively participates in national education consortiums.

Retired Command Sgt. Major Philip F. Johndrow, who has been at Trident since 2012, is now the National Director of Strategic Military and Veteran Alliances. During his time at Trident CSM(R) Johndrow has been a key member of the Outreach & Partnerships team, securing key agreements across the military community and continuing his efforts to help active duty military and veterans in the Trident community make a successful transition to civilian life. Johndrow earned both a bachelor's and master's degree from Trident.

Johndrow is a 33-year veteran of the United States Army, retiring as the Command Sergeant Major for the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth. Johndrow also served as the Command Sergeant Major for the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Senior Enlisted Advisor for the Joint Center for International Security Force Assistance.

Steven Hall, U.S. Air Force (Retired), currently serves as Trident's Senior Director of Military and Veteran Relations. Hall has been at Trident since 2012 working closely with both the military and business communities to secure educational opportunities for active duty service members and veterans. Hall is currently working on a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at Trident.

Hall retired in 2006 and is a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He spent his final seven years in the service in Air Education and Training Command, a post that helped demonstrate the positive impact of education. Since then he has worked in the Arizona and California post-secondary education systems, serving in a number of different roles including advising and consulting with senior leadership at the Department of Defense Voluntary Education Program (DOD-VolED), President of the Centurion Military Alliance, the Council of College Military Educators (CCME), and Senior Military Affairs Advisor to the California Advisory Council on Military Education (CA-ACME).

Caterina Larucci has been promoted to Senior Manager of Strategic University Alliances, overseeing all corporate accounts. She joined Trident in 2013 and has been instrumental in building and growing the university's corporate outreach functions within the Outreach & Partnerships department. Larucci, who is a self-described lifelong learner, actively participates in national education consortiums and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix.