Student Veterans: Tapping into a Valuable Resource

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the subsequent reduction in the size of the military coupled with a new veterans support program have resulted in a recent and dramatic increase in a traditionally underrepresented and underserved group on college and trade school campuses; the student veteran. In late 2008, Congress passed the Post 9/11 GI Bill to support the education and training of military members and veterans who have served on or after September 11, 2001. From its implementation through the end of 2013, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recorded an increase of greater than 200 percent in Post 9/11 GI Bill awardees. Projections are for this number to continue to grow, reaching two million total beneficiaries by 2020.1 In many cases, engineering and engineering technology programs have not adjusted their student support services to serve the rapid increase in these non-traditional students. Failure to understand and make the most of this non-traditional student population diminishes an outstanding opportunity for schools to utilize a unique set of knowledge, skills and life experiences that can enhance the traditional classroom. Administrators, faculty members, and traditional students can get the greatest benefits from these traits only if they are aware of them and how they can be most effectively leveraged. At the same time, the veteran student may have unique challenges that must be addressed if programs are to take full advantage of this valuable resource. Universities are best served when they can recognize these challenges and learn how to best accommodate the administrative, medical and functional needs unique to veterans. Administrators and faculty members need to be aware of the various resources that are available to these students. This paper presents an overview of issues with which the authors feel faculty members should be familiar. While not all inclusive, the most common student veteran support resources are highlighted and explained. The paper also relates common characteristics and unique strengths possessed by these students, as well as the challenges with which many must deal while pursuing their education. Finally, the paper offers specific suggestions in how the faculty, specifically engineering faculty, can capitalize on the strengths of these students to assist in achieving selected ABET student outcomes while also enhancing the educational experience of all students in a program.