Abstract
This holistic single-case study explores the experiences of 54 student veterans who participated in a veterans transition seminar course at a regional, comprehensive institution in the Mountain West. Employing the Harris, Myhill, and Walker (2012) Thriving Transition Cycle as a framework for the inquiry, the study examines participants’ experiences separating from the military, encountering the college and classroom environment associated with the transition seminar course, adjusting to the college student role, and their newfound stability as college students. Implications for student affairs practitioners and faculty, as well as additional research areas, are discussed.
Highlights
Military-connected enrollment at higher education institutions continues to rise with the drawdowns of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the current economic situation, and improved GI Bill benefits (National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, 2017)
As a result of one higher education institution’s attempt to smooth this transition, a firstsemester transition seminar course was developed to provide personalized and targeted support for these students. This holistic single-case study focuses on the experiences of student veterans in the course to further understand the transition of this population using the Thriving Transition Cycle (Harris, Myhill, & Walker, 2012), as well as the ways in which higher education institutions can support the success of new student veterans
The theme of eagerness for change demonstrated the variance in readiness, motivation, and positive planning experienced by student veterans in preparing for separation from the military
Summary
Military-connected enrollment at higher education institutions continues to rise with the drawdowns of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the current economic situation, and improved GI Bill benefits (National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, 2017). Rumann and Hamrick (2010) found the transition from a structured, team-oriented military environment to the unstructured, individual-oriented college environment to be quite perplexing for veterans as they begin to assume a “student” identity. As a result of one higher education institution’s attempt to smooth this transition, a firstsemester transition seminar course was developed to provide personalized and targeted support for these students. This holistic single-case study focuses on the experiences of student veterans in the course to further understand the transition of this population using the Thriving Transition Cycle (Harris, Myhill, & Walker, 2012), as well as the ways in which higher education institutions can support the success of new student veterans.
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