Red, White & Best Practices with Veterans

1. Red, White & Best Practices with Veterans Colin Daly - Assistant Director of First Year Student Success Keri Duce - Student Success Program Coordinator Ericca Rolland - Director of Student Success Center University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

2. Presentation Overview • Objectives • Research • Veterans at UWM • UWM Services • Question & Answer

3. Learning Objectives • Gain insight into the challenges of helping Veterans transition to college life • Learn about methods for being inclusive of the Veteran population • Develop a plan for integration of these concepts at your respective institution

4. Current Research • Only 37% of institutions with services for military students and veterans provide transition assistance. • Social transition was identified by 55% of institutions as a priority. • 54% of institutions feel raising faculty/staff sensitivity to unique issues faced by military and veteran students is a priority. • Only 28% of institutions with programs for military personnel have developed an expedited re-enrollment process to help students restart their academic efforts. From Soldier to Student II: Assessing Campus Programs for Veterans and Service Members

5. Current Research “For every soldier killed in war this year, about 25 veterans now take their own lives.” “An astonishing 45 percent of those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan are now seeking compensation for injuries, in many cases psychological ones.” Kristof, N. (2012, August 10). War wounds. The New York Times.Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/opinion/sunday/wa r-wounds.html

6. Current Research Transition Factors to Consider • Age • Status/Attendance • Credit Evaluation/Recognition • Change in financial and employment situations • Parenthood • Barriers To Care (Perceived and Real) • LGBT (Post Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell) • Gender Roles • Alcohol Use • Mental Health • Culture of combat

7. Current Research Assessment of Campus Culture • Look for “collective identity” (find value in the group) • Look for “individual identity” (typical of traditional college student) • Explore values they hold dear (honor, integrity, patriotism, etc.) • Develop cultural competence about specific values that may be held by student veterans • Address gender roles, instiutional mission and authority structure

8. Current Research Activities to Enhance Veteran Success • Clear and consistent policies and procedures • Logical reactions to questions and concerns • Positive reinforcement • Support mentorship with other veterans • Respect boundaries on personal topics

9. Current Research Veteran Student Strengths • Loyalty, maturity, leadership and integrity • Solution-oriented • Motivated • Willing to help others • Punctuality

10. Veterans at UWM

11. Veterans at UWM 23% students of color

12. Veterans at UWM Number of Students who accepted Federal Military Education Benefits

13. Veterans at UWM MAP-Works Results • Retention tool – Survey to first-year students • 80% of First-Year Class responded to the survey • 52 first-year Veterans responded • 52% never deployed (47% guard/reserves) • 42% were in hazardous duty areas • 33% were in combat in the last 5 years • 1-5 hours per week on military activities

14. Veterans at UWM MAP-Works Results What is the most difficult aspect of being a student with a military background at UWM? • “Balancing time between school and VA appointments.” • “Interacting with people who aren’t quite as disciplined, respectful, dutiful, etc. is a little frustrating.” • “Being older in my freshman classes than everyone else.”

15. Veterans at UWM MAP-Works Results What is the most difficult aspect of being a student with a military background at UWM? • “Sheltered” students/lifestyle differences • Balance/Missing School • Socialization • Age • Judgment • PTSD/Anxiety

16. UWM Services • Student Success Center • Orientation • Mentoring • Learning Communities

17. UWM Services Orientation • Military students prefer to not attend Orientation with traditional aged students • Offer a supplemental session just for Veterans • Have a table for Veterans at Campus Meet & Greet • Networking event better received than formal educational session

18. UWM Services Quotes from current UWM Students regarding Orientation: • “I could actually see students perk up when I mentioned that I’m a Veteran when I was speaking on our student panel.” – Nick • “Our office hosted an Open House after Transfer and Adult Student Orientation and it was standing room only.” – Lia

19. Orientation Leaders Summer 2012 Out of 49 OLs, 2 are Veterans and 1 ROTC Member

20. UWM Services Intentional Campus Ambassador Recruitment • Emails to campus partners including our Military Education and Benefits Office • Offer Identity Based Mentoring • Student Success Advocates: peer mentors throughout the Academic Year • Assign Military students to Veteran mentor

21. UWM Services Living Learning Community • Panther Barracks and ROTC community • Apartment style • RA and Student Success Advocate • Currently no course component • Exploring Writing for Vets and Career Exploration for Vets courses

23. UWM Services • Center for Military & Student Veterans (Office) • Veterans Advisory Committee • Veteran’s Day recognition • Student panel for faculty and staff • GI Jobs list of Military Friendly Schools Veteran Friendly signs Developed at University of Louisville

24. Center for Military & Student Veterans at UWM Opened in Fall 2012 – served 205 students in the last 30 days

25. UWM Services Center for Military & Student Veterans Mission: Transitioning from military culture to campus culture is not easy and we are here to help. We promote healthy professional, academic, community and social transitions for our returning service members. The purpose of our center is not to relieve combat/military experiences but to share strategies and communal support for academics, employment, family concerns, and the college student experience.

26. Community Partnerships • Student Veterans of America (SVA) • Dryhootch Community Organization dryhootch.org • Milwaukee County VA • Guitars for Vets

27. Discussion Groups • What services does your institution offer to Military students? • How can your institution become more Veteran friendly? • What are some feasible concepts you can put in place within the next 6 months? Within the next year? Next 5 years?

28. Discussion Groups • What strategies can you use to address these issues in your Orientation, Transition and First Year Programs? • Things to consider: • Community partnerships • Extended absence policies • Social transition issues (language, writing, etc.)

29. Question & Answer

30. Citations

31. Citations • http://www.naspa.org/Soldier-to-Student_2.pdfStudent Veterans of America (Organization) • (N. Robinson, personal communication, September 18, 2012). • (L. Coryell, personal communication, September 26, 2012). • Innovative Educators. (Producer). (2012). Developing Effective Academic Advising for Military Veterans [Video webcast]. Retrieved from https://innovativeeducators.webex.com/innovativeeducators/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=28160432&rKey=0746f467769a4256

32. Thank You!