Pilot Programs for Veterans Transition to Engineering Fields

Veterans, through their active service, frequently receive training in highly skilled technical areas. However, they may lack a theoretical background in underlying engineering principles. They also need additional support with the transition from a highly structured military environment to an environment with more ambiguous time constraints and different sorts of responsibilities. Moreover they are facing challenges which are specific for their student population. Therefore, enabling multiple mechanisms which would support them and provide them necessary guidance are especially important at universities with large veteran populations such as at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Hence, there is a need for programs which build on the specialized training that veterans received and aid in their academic journey. This paper will introduce three pilot programs for advancing engineering education for military veterans focusing on forming a support base for veterans to assist them in overcoming traditional educational barriers.