Honoring Veterans at Otis College

Programs, Blog, Veterans, Students, Featured, Faculty | November 10, 2025 | BY Aaron Cedolia

Where Service, Purpose, and Community Come Together

Joffery Black speaks at the 2024 Veterans Day Luncheon at Otis College. Photograph by Matthew Parish/Otis College of Art and Design.

Each Veterans Day, Otis College of Art and Design honors the service and dedication of our veteran community and recognizes the valuable perspectives they bring to campus. Among the many veterans who have turned their discipline, teamwork, and problem-solving skills toward art and design is Joffery Black, chair of the Game and Entertainment Design program. His journey from the U.S. Army to higher education reflects how military experience can shape creative leadership.

From the 101st Airborne to the Arts

Black served with the 101st Airborne Division, known as the Screaming Eagles, from 1992 to 1995, shortly after graduating from high school. His initial motivation was practical—to earn money for college—but the experience gave him much more than financial support. It provided valuable life lessons that continue to inform his work today.

“The military gave me a strong foundation,” Black says. “It was a great experience fresh out of high school.”

After completing his service, Black transitioned into a BFA in Digital Arts program at Arizona State University, supported by the GI Bill. Entering college at a time when films like Toy Story, Jurassic Park, and Terminator 2 were defining a new era of 3D animation and visual effects, he found himself in the middle of a creative and technological transformation. The segue from military life to art school presented challenges, but his time in the Army had equipped him with a sense of discipline and persistence that carried him through.

Being in the military made me feel there was no challenge too big,” Black reflects.

Leadership Through Service

That mindset continues to shape his leadership at Otis College. As Chair of the Game and Entertainment Design program, Black sees his role as one of service, supporting both students and faculty as they push the department forward.

“Being a veteran is an identity for the kind of person I need to be in this role,” he explains. “My job is to make sure the department has what it needs to grow in its mission.”

His approach emphasizes collaboration, structure, and adaptability—values familiar to anyone with military experience but especially important in today’s market where technology and storytelling are constantly evolving.

Current Student Veterans

For student veterans considering Otis College, Black’s advice is to stay open and connected. “Veteran students do very well in academia because of their military experience,” he says. “It’s important to keep an open mind and lend your skills to the new opportunity.” He also encourages veterans to build community wherever they are. “Always tap into your veteran community, local and citywide.”

This sentiment is echoed by Luis Quinones, a student in the BFA Animation program, who served as a Marine at Camp Pendleton from 2015 to 2020. When asked what he’d say to prospective students considering Otis College, Luis offers, “This is nothing you haven’t faced before. Get to know the students. They don’t bite, I swear.”

Available Resources

At Otis College, veterans find a welcoming environment where their experience and perspective are recognized as assets to their creative practice. The College supports veterans through participation in the GI Bill and the Yellow Ribbon program, which help eligible students receive up to 100% coverage of qualified tuition and fees.

Veterans can access guidance through Otis’s One Stop, a centralized hub that assists with educational benefits, financial aid, and academic planning. Otis also offers scholarships and resources specifically for service members and their dependents while fostering an inclusive campus culture that values their contributions both inside and outside the classroom.

For example, Otis receives support from The Ahmanson Foundation for student veteran scholarships and has a separate Armed Services scholarship for veterans and veteran dependents. Students can apply for these scholarships starting in their second year through the Continuing Student Scholarship application.

As the College observes Veterans Day 2025, the stories of veterans like Joffery Black remind the community of the many paths that lead to art and design—and how service, leadership, and creativity can intersect in powerful ways.

More information on veteran resources and scholarships.