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An Institutional and Individual Transition: Successful Measures to Develop Student Veterans Support Programs Cameron Waites, American Democracy Project Student Scholar, UM-Flint Rebecca Hayes PhD, American Democracy Project Faculty Fellow, UM-Flint Today’s Student Veterans: Significant Challenges and Needs • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder/ Traumatic Brain Injury • Transition process • Focused support • Need for understanding and camaraderie • Dedicated “safe” space Today’s Student Veterans: Much to Offer • Maturity and discipline • Student veterans have been found to have higher GPAs and graduation/retention rates than non-veteran students • Leadership experience • Interactions with diverse cultures • Broad life events/ coming of age • Educational benefits • Over 520,000 student veterans currently using GI Bill • Every year, nearly 200,000 military servicemembers leave active duty to enter college Student Veterans are Relevant to ADP Mission and Member Institutions • Goal of the American Democracy Project: to produce graduates who are committed to being active, involved citizens in their communities • Student veterans have demonstrated this commitment and are poised to continue this dedication in their communities • In a sample of twenty ADP member institutions, only 30% were found to have existing student veterans resource centers • In order for our institutions of higher education to take full advantage of our student veterans, more campuses need to develop veteran student resource centers An Institutional Response: The Veteran Students Support Group at UM-Flint • A group of top administrative, faculty, and staff members convened by the University Provost • Includes Directors of Offices of: Admissions, Financial Aid, Academic Advising, Research • Representatives from Offices of: Registrar, Student Life, Counseling Services • Directed by Associate Provost • Assigned tasks to appropriate subcommittees • Obtained financial resources from university’s general fund Institutional Results at UM-Flint • Development of freshmen-level classes designed exclusively for undergraduate student veterans • Installment of new orientation sessions, specific to veteran students • Designation of physical space - the Student Veterans Resource Center - for student veterans • Creation of a centralized source of information and support for returning veterans • Study lounge, community area with computer access and entertainment options An Institutional Response: Next Steps • Professional development for faculty/staff on dealing with issues facing student veterans • Explore state/federal funding sources, submit grant proposals to fund campus programs • DOE Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success: • • • • • • Total award funding - $6 million Range of awards - $250,000 to $400,000 (Avg. $313,000 for 36 months) Number of awards – 19 Application available: TBD Due: Late summer http://www2.ed.gov/programs/cevss/index.html • Gather data to establish best practices/results of support programs and resource center on individual student veterans Resources • American Council on Education Serving Those Who Serve: Higher Education and America’s Veterans • www.acenet.edu • Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success U.S. Department of Education grants (Summer 2010) • http://www2.ed.gov/programs/cevss/index.html • Student Veterans of America • www.studentveterans.org Survey Results 1. Univ. of Alabama A & M 2. Univ. of Alaska Anchorage 3. Henderson State Univ. 4. Northern Arizona Univ. 5. Cal. St. U. Channel Island 6. Colorado State U.Pueblo 7. Central Conn. State U. 8. U.of District of Columbia 9. Florida Atlantic University 10. Albany State University Yes = 30% (6/20) No = 70% (14/20) Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes No No No 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. University of Northern Iowa S. Illinois Univ. – Edwardsville Indiana State University Emporia State University Eastern Kentucky University Grambling State University University of Maine at Augusta Morgan State University Eastern Michigan University Metropolitan State University No No No No No No Yes No Yes No