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 Veterans Affairs Professional, 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; M.Div.
Veterans Affairs Professional
B.F.A., Shenandoah University; M.R.E., Liberty Theological Seminary
M.Div., Liberty Theological Seminary
Currently serving as the 2/238th Aviation Battalion Chaplain in Shelbyville, IN, Scott Shaffer has a working knowledge of the lifestyle and educational needs of United States service members. He is a 12-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 13 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 VASST with the desire to improve and further develop the services that Grace offers to the veteran population.
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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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Alison Butler
Student Veteran Organization President
Alison is a sophomore at Grace studying Elementary and Special Education. Both of Alison's parents were in the Army, mom for 6 years and dad for 24 years. Both parents are Desert Storm Veterans and her dad is an Iraq War veteran of 05-06 and retired as a SGM in 2007. Alison is a great asset to the Student Veteran Organization because of her life experience and her enthusiasm for the program.
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Sarah Ahern
Student Veteran Organization Coordinator
Sarah currently serves as the VA work study at Grace College and has a passion for serving military students and hopes to make Grace welcoming to those searching for a new life after military. She hopes to provide resources and benefits for veterans and dependents here at Grace to make their time enjoyable. She grew up in a military family with her father in the reserves and deploying to Iraq while she was in fifth grade. Currently her oldest brother is an officer in the army and has been deployed numerous times. She understands what it is like to be left behind on the home front and what those family members need. She hopes to provide this type of community here at Grace for military members and dependents.
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Kim Huntsman
B.S. Mechanical Engineering Tri-State University. M.Ed. with distinction from Liberty University
Kim is an Adjunct Mathematics Professor and Financial Aid Coordinator. She loves the Christian Community here at Grace College and enjoys working with the SVO. She worked on the Tomahawk missile program, F15s, AV8B Harriers, F18 Hornets and even some old F4s back in the day. She also worked on the now forgotten A12 stealth aircraft. (no yard darts!) Her father was in the Air Force during the Korean conflict, her brother-in-law was chosen in the lottery days before the Vietnam conflict ended and her grandfather fought in World War I. She is honored to be able to serve the military student body here at Grace College. These men and women answered the call of duty to fight for and maintain our freedom and she is so thankful for them!
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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. in Communication, Grace College
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.
