Meet the Team
VASST (Veterans Affairs Student Service Team) is committed to serving military veterans in any way possible. We view your answered calling to higher education as honorable, and we desire to walk alongside you with any assistance you might need in attaining your degree. As a current Military chaplain, Scott Shaffer, our VA Student Services Officer, will be your go-to point person for any questions you may have or help you may need. To contact him with any questions, comments, or needs, you may call him at 574-372-5100, ext. 6028 or email shaffese@grace.edu.
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Scott Shaffer, MRE
VA Student Services Officer
B.F.A., Shenandoah University; M.R.E., Liberty Theological Seminary
Currently serving as the 38th Division Headquarters & Headquarters Battalion Chaplain in Indianapolis (INNG), Scott Shaffer has a working knowledge of the lifestyle and educational needs of United States service members. He is a 10-year Army veteran with experience as both an active duty enlisted member and an officer in the Army Reserves and Army National Guard. Scott has been married 11 years and has 4 children. Prior to becoming a chaplain, Scott was a mechanic with the first Infantry Division (Schweinfurt, Germany) and then was a vocalist for the United States Army Europe Soldiers Chorus (Schwetzingen Germany). Scott started VAAST with the desire to improve and further develop the services that Grace offers to the veteran population.
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Peter Gano, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor of Music
B.M.E. Pennsylvania State University; M.A. in Music History, Pennsylvania State University; Ph.D. in Historical Musicology, University of California (Santa Barbara)
Former Chairman of Music Department of Grace College, Peter Gano taught music literature and fine arts courses at Grace, and also taught for 25 years at The Ohio State University School of Music, where he was Chairman of the Music History Division. He played Double Bass in the 7th U.S. Army Symphony in Germany and in the Columbus, OH Symphony Orchestra. “My desire is to help the veterans and their dependents get a great Grace education with the support they need,” he said.
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Tom Dunn, MBA
Chief Operations Officer
B.A. in Business Administration, Grove City College; M.B.A. in Marketing, Fox School of Business, Temple University
Tom is interested in helping with VASST because, as a vet himself, he realizes how much it would have meant to him if his grad school had had an organization to come alongside him in support of his calling. Individuals who have been in the military have a special affinity for other servicemen and/or their dependants. He commends Grace for its initiative in this area and recognizes that it is God to whom the glory is due.
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Wayne Thomas
President, Student Veteran Organization
5 years of Submarine Service in the U.S. Navy
Wayne currently serves as the VA work study at Grace College and has a personal interest in seeing every military student receive the most out of their benefits. Having recently left the U.S. Navy, Wayne is currently a student himself, working toward a degree in Management with hopes of one day serving the Lord through chaplaincy.
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Christine French
Coordinator of Academic Support
B.A., RAU, South Africa
Christine is the Coordinator of the Differently Able at Grace College. She has a desire to even the playing field for students of all different ability levels, including those returning from military service. She is aware that veteran students often face a different set of struggles and obstacles than the typical civilian student, and is eager to help meet that need at Grace.
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Cristina Herschberger
Marketing Project Manager
B.S., Grace College, Communication
Cristina is the Marketing Project Manager at Grace College and has a desire to see Grace marketed clearly and effectively to military veterans in hopes that those students will be able to take advantage of the financial, educational, and relational support available for veterans at Grace.
