Nicholas Stefanovic ’12/’14 joined the Marine Corps in 2002 and returned from two deployments in Afghanistan in 2006. While trying to reassimilate to civilian life, he struggled with substance abuse and was homeless for nearly four years. Eventually, he found himself in trouble with law enforcement and at a pivotal crossroad in his life.
“Had I not been stopped by a judge and law enforcement I doubt I would be alive today,” Stefanovic said. “One of the first things I did to get back on track was come to the building I am in charge of now and applied for disability benefits.”
Nick Stefanovic
Stefanovic now serves as the Director for the Monroe County Veterans Service Agency, managing a staff of 16 people and an annual budget of $2 million. The goal of his agency is to help veterans navigate the bureaucracy of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), ensuring they get the help and benefits that they deserve.
Despite encountering numerous challenges on his journey to becoming Director, Stefanovic attributes much of his success to the experiences and connections he created at SUNY Brockport while pursuing his bachelor’s in health science and Master of Public Administration (MPA).
“The stuff I did at Brockport has changed my life more than anything in my career,” Stefanovic said. “Celia Watt was the director of the MPA program, and she fostered a deep connection with her students. She is the reason I went on to grad school. Every decision I have made about my career I have first bounced it off her.”
Stefanovic knew that he wanted to become a substance abuse counselor to help others that struggled with addiction. Initially, he attended Monroe Community College and then transferred to Brockport. One day, unsure if he had enough money to afford the gas he needed to get to class, Stefanovic logged into his bank account.
“I was hoping to see I had at least $20 for gas. There was a lot more than that in my account,” Stefanovic said. “I was so confused I called my parents to see if a bank could make that kind of mistake. When I went outside to get the mail, I saw a package in the driveway from the VA. It was a letter stating I was awarded 100% disability.”
Stefanovic transferred to SUNY Brockport where he earned his bachelor’s in health science with a focus on substance abuse counseling. After graduating and working as a substance abuse counselor, he became increasingly frustrated in the field, unable to make the impact he had hoped for in his clients’ lives.
“The stuff I did at Brockport has changed my life more than anything in my career.”
Nick Stefanovic
“I wanted to help others that struggled with addiction, but I kept seeing situations where administrative decisions were being made that were harmful to my clients and I didn’t have the power to do anything about it,” Stefanovic said. “She (Watt) told me, ‘You can walk away from the field or get the power to do something about it by coming back to school.’”
Stefanovic returned to Brockport to earn his MPA. While pursuing his MPA, Stefanovic realized that he wanted to pursue a career in government and administration to be able to make the differences he was unable to make in his previous job. Shortly after graduating, he applied for a position with the county that ultimately led to his current role as director.
“I talk to a lot of people who say what they did in college has no connection to their current job,” Stefanovic said. “For me, everything I learned in the MPA program translates into what I do on a day-to-day basis. I can’t explain how well the program translated to working in the government.”