Library & Learning Commons: Resiliency: Supporting Student Veterans: Additional Materials

Academic Success for Student Veterans - VA
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COMMIT Foundation
The COMMIT Foundation empowers service members, veterans, and their families to create purposeful and fulfilling transitions by providing personalized programs, resources, and the support of community.
DANTES
The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) receives oversight from the Defense Human Resources Activity (DHRA). DANTES is an office within the Defense Support Services Center (DSSC) providing consolidated management of Defense Voluntary Education (VolEd) programs to help prevent duplication of effort among the Services. We are committed to helping service members gain the knowledge they need to achieve their education goals, advance in their military careers, and transition into the civilian workforce at the conclusion of their military services.
FourBlock
FourBlock is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting returning service members in their transition from military service to meaningful civilian careers. After nearly 15 years, our flagship Career Readiness Program is taught by corporate executives in major cities across the U.S. and now serves more than 600 transitioning veterans annually.

Our mission is to equip veterans and military spouses to successfully transition to meaningful civilian careers. Our vision is to build a national professional network where transitioning veterans and military spouses can connect locally and attain the skills, resources, and relationship-building opportunities necessary to reach their career potential.
National Association of Veterans Upward Bound
The National Association of Veterans Upward Bound (NAVUB) is part of The Federal TRIO Programs funded through the U.S. Department of Education. NAVUB is the professional association for Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) staff personnel.

Veterans Upward Bound projects, supported by NAVUB, are dedicated to fully developing the personal potential of all U.S. military veterans, just as NAVUB is dedicated to fully developing professional staff members.
Service to School
Service to School (S2S) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides free college and grad school application counseling to U.S. military Veterans and Service Members.
Student Veterans of America
Through a network of nearly 1,600 on-campus chapters, Student Veterans of America® ensures that student veterans and military-connected students achieve their greatest potential.
U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department Education (ED) implements competitive grant programs that provide funding to colleges and nonprofit organizations to assist veterans in enrolling in and completing a program of postsecondary education. These programs provide a great opportunity for veterans to get personalized counseling and support to achieve success in higher education. Learn more about how to utilize these programs and connect with programs near you.
VA - Educational and career counseling (VA Chapter 36)
Personalized Career Planning and Guidance (PCPG), or VA Chapter 36, offers free educational and career guidance, planning, and resources to Veterans and their dependents who are eligible for a VA education benefit. Find out how to apply for this program if you’re leaving active service soon or have been discharged within the past year.
VA College Toolkit: Information for Veterans
Going to school after serving in the military provides opportunities to Veterans. But sometimes, it can also bring challenges. Explore this section to find resources for student Veterans.
Warrior-Scholar Project
Empowering Veterans in the classroom. Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that equips service members and veterans for success in higher education.

Supporting Student Veterans: Advice for Faculty and Administrators
Many universities recognize the assets that student veterans bring and are excited to have student
veterans join their educational programs. Based on research about student veterans in engineering,
funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the goal of this report is to help faculty and higher
education administrators support student veterans and foster their talents.

Purdue University. (2020). Supporting student veterans: Advice for faculty and administrators. https://library.uncsa.edu/ld.php?content_id=76480345
Adjustment Issues in the Classroom
Transitions can be a challenge, and the transition from the military to the classroom is no exception. Adjustment difficulties may be amplified if a Service Member or Veteran is transitioning to civilian life after one or several deployments. Some of the more common adjustment issues are recognized below, along with tips and suggestions for how to help. Please keep in mind that in addition to Veterans, there may be Active Duty, Reservists, and National Guardsmen on campus, some of whom have or will be deployed. These tips are applicable to them as well.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). Adjustment issues in the classroom: VA college toolkit handout. https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/student-veteran/docs/VAM-061-VITAL-Adjustment-Issues-in-the-Classroom-1-0_508.pdf
Toolkit for Veteran Friendly Institutions
Welcome to the archive of the Toolkit for Veteran Friendly Institutions, which functioned from 2012 to 2016 as an online resource designed to help higher education institutions build effective programs for military-connected students.

The American Council on Education. (2018). Toolkit for veteran friendly institutions. https://www.acenet.edu/Documents/Veterans-Toolkit-2018.pdf
Down Time Worksheet from the VA
Having responsibilities can sometimes make it challenging to engage in healthy and necessary
down time. It is not uncommon for people to feel guilty while relaxing because they feel like
they should be doing something productive. It’s important to know that our bodies and minds
are like sponges. We can only hold so much water/stress and we need to take breaks to
absorb more later.
Take some time to think about what you like to do or what you would like to add into your
life, and schedule time to engage in these relaxing activities. Self-care is not selfish.

Higher Education as a Tool for Veterans in Transition: Battling the Challenges
The study’s purpose is twofold and examines (a) major challenges veterans may encounter while enrolled in higher education, and (b) veterans’ perceptions of utilizing higher education as a transitional tool to the civilian workforce. A qualitative design was employed in this study. Data were collected utilizing three focus groups (N ¼ 11). The findings concerning veterans’ challenges in pursuit of higher education are the following: (a) us versus them, (b) difference in the learning environment, (c) institutional barriers, and (d) networking. The current study provides an additional discussion platform for educators, institutions of higher education, and veterans affairs departments—it is a potential opportunity to design learning environments, policies, and practices that will enhance the overall process of veterans’ transitions and create environments in higher education that are truly veteran-friendly.

Hunter-Johnson, Y., Liu, T., Murray, K., Niu, Y., & Suprise, M. (2020). Higher education as a tool for veterans in transition: Batting the challenges. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 69(1), 1-18, https://doi.org/10.1080/07377363.2020.1743621
Impact of veteran-led peer mentorship on posttraumatic stress disorder
Peer mentorship shows promise as a strategy to support veteran mental health. A community-academic partnership involving a veteran-led nonprofit organization and institutions of higher education evaluated a collaboratively developed peer mentor intervention. We assessed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), postdeployment experiences, social functioning, and psychological strengths at baseline, midpoint, and 12-week discharge using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory-2, Social Adaptation Self-evaluation Scale, and Values in Action Survey. Brief weekly check-in surveys reinforced mentor contact and assessed retention. The sample included 307 veterans who were served by 17 veteran peer mentors

Franco, Z., Ruffalo, L., Curry, B., Gollin-Graves, M., Ahamed, S. I., Winstead, O., Hooyer, K., Pazdera, M., Rein, L., Mazaba, J. L., Hossain, M. F., Stoffel, V., Flower, M., Madiraju, P., Melka, S., Berte, K., & Whittle, J. (2023). Impact of veteran-led peer mentorship on posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Trauma and Stress. 10.1002/jts.23038
Presenting a Holistic Student Veteran Advising Model
This brief synthesizes recent research results (Griffin & Gilbert 2015; Morris et al., 2019; Williams Klotz & Gansemer-Topf, 2017) to introduce a transitional advising model designed specifically to meet the needs of student veterans. The model is guided by the Coping with Transition framework (Anderson et al., 2011), which is based on Schlossberg’s Four “S” theory of transition. The advising model addresses salient issues facing student veterans and creates a foundation for advisors and faculty to co-create individualized transition plans. The model centers the intersectional identities of student veterans, thus explicitly addressing diversity among student veterans and dispelling a one-size fits-all approach to supporting student veterans, which can further inequities and negatively impact success in higher education (Moore, 2017).

Morris, P. Presenting a holistic student veteran advising model. National Center for the First Year Experience and Students in Transition. https://sc.edu/nrc/system/pub_files/1656092938_186.pdf
Student Veterans: A Valuable Asset to Higher Education
This paper, a product of collaboration between the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University and the Student Veterans
of America (SVA), aims to build on that evidence to inform, dispel prevailing myths,
and inspire high-level administrators, faculty, admissions, development, alumni relations, and academic advising divisions to engage with student veterans in more meaningful and strategic ways.

Syracuse University. (2019). Student veterans: A valuable asset to higher education. https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Student-Vets_Valuable-AssetFINAL-11.6.19.pdf
Student Veterans in Transition: The Impact of Peer Community
Differences in contextual norms between the U.S. military and institutions of higher education mean that student veterans may experience difficulty integrating into the wider campus community, leading to educational inequity. However, this situation may be mitigated by the presence of a strong student veteran peer community. Previous studies of student veterans in higher education have shown that connecting with peers(particularly peers who have military experience) is an important part of the college experience; however, the nature of these peer connections has yet to be investigated. The current study examines the experiences of veterans at a Southern California community college’s Veteran Resource Center to illuminate the role of peer community for veterans transitioning from military service into higher education. Results indicate the presence of a robust veteran peer community can play a pivotal role in veterans’ transition to higher education.

Jenner B. M. (2019). Student veterans in transition: The impact of peer community. Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students, 31(1), 69-83. https://library.uncsa.edu/ld.php?content_id=76474200
Supported Education Among Student Veterans: Impact on Self-advocacy Skills and Academic Performance
Veterans enrolled in postsecondary education may experience service-related health conditions that undermine their success on campus. Supported education services can target student Veterans’ self advocacy skills, thereby facilitating their acquisition of academic accommodations that foster academic success. The purpose of this study was to (1) investigate change in student Veterans’ self-advocacy skills and academic performance over time receiving supported education services, and (2) investigate factors that influence change in their self-advocacy skills and academic performance.

Kinney, A. R.,m Graham, J. E., & Eakman, A. M. (2020). Supported eduation among student veterans: Impact on self-advocacy skills and academic performance. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 33(4), 353-363 https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1293019
Tailoring Higher Education Options for Smaller Institutions to Meet Veterans’ Needs: Enhancing Inclusion in Higher Education: Practical Solutions by Veterans for Veterans
Many veterans entering higher education institutions are struggling with integrating into the university culture. Many report feelings of alienation, challenges with access, matriculation, experiencing financial need, and difficulty with degree completion. This profile describes the road map that led to the development of a strength-based program to capitalize on veterans’ assets during the reintegration to higher education process at a smaller higher education institution. The program described here is the result of five years of observation and research findings on student veteran reintegration and higher education at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). The result is a cost-effective course that integrates classroom instruction and community based, service-learning components to address student veterans’ needs and assist them as they transition to higher education. The challenges involved in implementing such an initiative are discussed.

Belanger, B., Steele, A., & Philhower, K. (2021). Tailoring Higher Education Options for Smaller Institutions to Meet Veterans’ Needs: Enhancing Inclusion in Higher Education: Practical Solutions by Veterans for Veterans. Journal of Veterans Studies, 7(1), 138–147. https://doi.org/10.21061/jvs.v7i1.229

An Instructor's Guide to the Veteran Student | Michael Wade | TEDxUniversityofMississippi

Everyday veterans return home from service. Regardless of their length of service, branch, rank, or combat experience, many will return to the classroom, seeking education. With only 7% of the American population classified as veterans and less than 1% currently serving in uniform, the culture, perspectives, and talents of this group of people are often misunderstood, misrepresented, or altogether missed. As a veteran working in higher education, Michael Wade helps us take a closer look at the needs of veterans entering higher education.

TEDx Talks. (2021, April 28). An instructor's guide to the veteran student | Michael Wade | TEDxUniversityofMississippi [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/1VtRhEdiIaE?si=_fQBwfpVhu1Y831S

PTSD and Returning to the Classroom | Thomas Burke Jr. | TEDxYale

One of the best ways for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan to reintegrate into society is by returning to the classroom. This talk will show one infantry Marine's journey from the depths of wars to the walls of academia. The idea of working with veterans in the safe environment of a classroom and structure of university life is an idea worth sharing.

TEDx Talks. (2015, October 12). PTSD and returning to the classroom | Thomas Burke Jr. | TEDxYale [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/XBGNJQWSYHY?si=UpCaCpqmMz4500zK

Student Veterans Transitioning from Military to Higher Education

Student Veterans share their stories about their struggles with accessing their education benefits, dealing with Veterans Affairs, as well as the success and camaraderie they found in pursuing higher education.

Veterans Education Project. (2019, March 5). Student veterans transitioning from military to higher education [Video]. https://youtu.be/sPAX1yFn2w4?si=BCS2PrAleV4mJV8m

Vets Get Real about going to college | VGR Ep 10

WATM hosted groups of veterans to answer several questions about their time in the military. The vets kept it real when responding to topics ranging from relationships to recruiters. In this episode, our group of veterans talks about their experiences going to college after serving in the military.

We Are The Mighty. (2016, May 28). Vets get real about going to college | VGR Ep 10 [Video]. https://youtu.be/QHfcCPAKwyQ?si=k_IO3TNAE6x1Yu69

Improving Veteran Transition | Michael A. Thomas | TEDxRiverOaks

Drawing from his own experience coming out of military life - which included undiagnosed PTSD - Michael offers suggestions to better support those transitioning to "live outside the wire" or returning to civilian life. Michael Thomas is a 9-11 first responder and US Army Veteran that has set his sights on changing the landscape for transitioning Veterans and their families. This mission is realized by the creation of the organization Operation Meraki whose mission is restoring the dignity and quality of life for transitioning Veterans, by helping them tell their stories and mentoring them towards success.

TEDx Talks. (2022, January 20). Improving veteran Transition | Michael A. Thomas | TEDxRiverOaks [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Vn4zRtfh5vY?si=T0P8BtFNrAffTMvB