Troops to College: Are We Walking the Talk?

Troops to College programs have been established in a number of states to attract veterans to public universities and colleges in order to provide opportunities for career paths beyond minimal wage jobs for combat veterans who are newly returned from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Other than creating dedicated positions for responding to questions about admissions and how to use the educational benefits of the Montgomery GI Bill, state universities and colleges have built very few of the necessary support systems to help the troops transition from military to student life. The purpose of this study was to identify the needs of student veterans in order to inform programs and services that will facilitate the success of these students and improve retention and graduation rates. This was a community-based participatory research study. Stakeholders included veterans, faculty, administrators, counselors, and university staff. Participants were recruited, at San Jose State University, using convenience sampling. Each participant completed an electronic survey that was designed using a mixed method approach. Results reveal psychological and emotional challenges to transitioning back to civilian life and university life, including significant rates of perceived discrimination based on veteran status and feelings of disconnection and isolation from other students and faculty; and systems issues. Recommendations are relevant for instructors, mental health counselors, career counselors and administrators.