PAVE Program
Peer Advisors for Veterans Education (PAVE) is a peer support program that connects incoming student veterans on college campuses with student veterans who are trained as Peer Advisors who can help students navigate college life, address challenges they may face, refer them to appropriate resources on and off campus and provide ongoing college support.
UIW was selected as one of 18 schools in the nation to join the PAVE program in Fall 2020.
Meet the PAVE Team
Phillip J. Rangel
Pave Team Leader
Phillip is a retired Air Force veteran. He is currently a student at the University of Incarnate Word in the Ph.D. program studying Organizational Leadership and Adult Education. He's a two-time graduate of UIW having earned a B.A. in Criminal Justice/minor Sociology in 2017 and M.S. Organizational Development and Leadership in 2018. During his last ten years in the USAF he was assigned to the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command Inspector General (NORAD/USNORTHCOM). Phillip is the UIW Student Veterans of America (SVA) Chapter President and a past member of UIW Alumni Association Board.
Elizabeth Rios
Peer Advisor
Elizabeth Rios was born and raised in Illinois. After high school she attended community college in Missouri earning an Associates Degree in Health Administration. Following college she entered the Army in 2004 and served for 9 years. Elizabeth has attended three other colleges before settling here at UIW where she is seeking a BFA in Interior Design, with a concentration in Sustainability Studies. Elizabeth is a member of Student Veterans of America (SVA) and also serves as a peer advisor on the PAVE Team. Elizabeth is passionate about mental health and education and is looking forward to her time here at UIW.
Isabella Olivares
Peer Advisor
Isabella Olivares is the child of a Marine Corps Veteran. She was raised in the Rio Grande Valley, and graduated high school in 2022. Isabella is attending UIW to major in Healthcare Sciences with a concentration in Physical Therapy and a minor in Psychology. She is excited to work with her classmates to maintain a safe and productive learning environment.