Setting Student Veterans Up for Success Part I

Part I: What can we do?

We should be offering services that are veteran-friendly, such as orientations just for veterans (Ackerman et al., 2009). And we should be offering accurate information in those services, especially when it comes to recruiting (Schnoebelen, 2013). David Vacchi also suggests that we provide transfer credits and offer thorough evaluations of non-traditional education that student veterans possess (2012).

More specifically we can create (and attend) training programs focused on student veterans (Schnoebelen, 2013). Advisors of student veterans should be made aware of the challenges veterans may face, including potential transfer credit issues (Vacchi, 2012). Some of these issues could also be from experiences while in the military, such as sexual assault (Ackerman et al, 2009). We should also be working with faculty so that they are aware of the culture of classrooms and how that may affect student veterans (Vacchi, 2012).

Some institutions have done a lot for student veterans. For example, the University of West Florida has developed courses that can be taken on mobile devices when internet availability is low (Ford, et al., 2009). About 60% of public institutions have dedicated officers for veterans services, and about 26% of private institutions have done the same (Thomas, 2010).

Some, or many, student veterans may want to meet other with military experience (Rumann & Hamrick, 2009). These groups can lend themselves to building a much-needed awareness of campus (Rumann & Hamrick, 2009). We should also be aware that some student veterans may not want to use veteran resources on campus (Bauman, 2009), and that’s ok.


Ackerman, R., DiRamio, D., & Mitchell, R. G. (2009). Transitions: Combat veterans as college students. In R. Ackerman, & D. DiRamio, Creating a veteran-friendly campus: Strategies for transition and success (New Directions for Student Services No.126 , pp. 45-54). San Fransisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Bauman, M. (2009). The mobilization and return of undergraduate students serving in the National Guard and Reserves.  In R. Ackerman, & D. DiRamio, Creating a veteran-friendly campus: Strategies for transition and success (New Directions for Student Services No.126 , pp. 45-54). San Fransisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Ford, D., Northrup, P., & Wiley, L. (2009). Connections, partnerships, opportunities and programs to enhance success for military students. In R. Ackerman, & D. DiRamio, Creating a veteran-friendly campus: Strategies for transition and success (New Directions for Student Services No. 126, pp. 61-69). San Fransisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Rumann, C. B., & Hamrick, F. A. (2009). Supporting student veterans in transition. New Directions For Student Services. In R. Ackerman, & D. DiRamio, Creating a veteran-friendly campus: Strategies for transition and success (New Directions for Student Services No.126 , pp. 25-34). San Fransisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Schnoebelen, A. (2013). Group Offers Advice for Helping Military and Veteran Students. Chronicle Of Higher Education, 59(26), A21. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.rit.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&AN=85944474&site=ehost-live.

Thomas, M. W. (2010). A safe zone for veterans: Developing the VET NET ally program to increase faculty and staff awareness and sensitivity to the needs of military veterans in higher education (Order No. 3425191). Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.rit.edu/docview/757947858?accountid=108

Vacchi, 2012, D. T. (2012). Considering Student Veterans on the Twenty-First-Century College Campus. About Campus, 17(2), 15-21. doi: 10.1002/abc.21075

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