Honoring Student Veterans: Creating Orientation Programs to Enhance Their Futures

Presented at NODAC 2013 in San Antonio, TX with Eddie Higginbotham IV

Transcript

1. HONORING
2. ________ student veterans have returned to higher education since the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill was put into action. American Progress’s Sending Veterans to School” Fast Facts on the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill (2012)
3. True or False: The percentage of veterans with a bachelor’s degree was lower than that of non-veterans throughout the past decade. Educational Attainment of Veterans National Center for Veterans Analysis (2000-2009)
4. ____% of colleges offer dedicated advising or mentoring for student veterans by professionals who understand their unique needs. NASPA/Inside Track Institution Survey Results (2013)
5. ____% of institutions have data to show that their initiatives to address the dropout problem among these students are working NASPA/Inside Track Institution Survey Results (2013)
6. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
7. DEFINING VETERANS •  Diversity of population •  Military vs. War Veteran vs. ROTC •  How they enter college
8. DiRamio, Ackerman, and Mitchell’s Holistic Approach for Assisting Student Veterans (2008)
9. NEEDS ASSESSMENT •  Advantages, challenges, and issues •  Establish a multi-unit veterans task force •  Create a one-stop shop for student veterans •  Commitment to institutional research
10. BUILDING CAMPUS ALLIES •  Important to look at different offices and how they can utilize what they already do for student veterans •  Faculty and staff education – who these students are and how to serve them
11. VETERAN-SPECIFIC ORIENTATION •  Relatable volunteers and staff •  Resource fair including all relevant departments and partners on campus •  University commitment to student veterans •  Highlights of how to get involved •  Relevant hurdles •  Follow-up assessment
12. FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY •  Co-sponsored with the Gainesville Department of Veterans Affairs •  Veterans Center staff and College Veterans Association (CVA) •  Student led •  Vignettes of current student veterans experiences •  Specific student veteran on-campus resources •  Important veteran specific event days
13. FOUNDATIONAL SUGGESTIONS & IMPLICATIONS •  Setting the tone •  Who’s involved •  Timing •  Language •  Remember your audience •  Adaptability
14. SO WHAT?
15. CONTACT INFORMATION Eddie Higginbotham IV ehigginbotham@fsu.edu Karina Balaoro kbalaoro@fsu.edu