By Joanna Fagan
Student veterans are entering higher education spaces at a steady rate. While their visibility on Unites States campuses is increasing, the need for investment into training and education on the student veteran transition process has also increased. Student veterans face various challenges in entering higher education, namely, entering classrooms with traditional aged students and trading a highly structured military setting for the less-structured college campus.
Student veterans may feel a sense of isolation and lack connections to students, faculty, staff and the general social environment. They may also battle medical and psychiatric conditions (i.e., PTSD, depression) at higher rates compared to the general student population. Thus, for faculty and staff, understanding how student veterans process classroom experiences may help them to navigate the challenges associated with transitioning to higher education.
In the classroom, veterans may show signs of struggling to adjust to college. Many veterans have undergone harrowing experiences during military service and may navigate education environments through an appraisal process, i.e., assessing the space (the classroom) and being aware of options for escape. A veteran’s physical composure in relation to the classroom environment may indicate mental discomfort, issues with anxiety and heightened awareness, i.e., jumping when a door is closed.
Other indications of struggle may be more psychological in nature. Students with PTSD are more likely to earn a lower grade point average (GPA) during their first year in college. Moreover, veterans with depression may experience classroom difficulties such as skipped classes, missed assignments and failed exams more often than nondepressed students.
Faculty and Staff May Help Enhance Student Veteran Experiences in Several Ways
- Create safety through class content
Instructors can enhance a veteran’s experience in the classroom by creating a safe environment. Being aware of the classroom setting like seating arrangements and discussion subjects (e.g., politically charged topics) can help foster a safe environment for students. Class content (e.g., writing assignments, readings, etc.) may bring up painful memories and be triggering to some veterans. Instructors can provide information prior to introducing potentially distressing content (e.g., combat, war videos), giving veterans time to ask questions and prepare for the subject matter.
- Create safety by respecting privacy
Creating safety may also involve having a climate where students can openly share and express their views and explore their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. Respecting the veteran’s privacy and giving the option to share their experiences may help reduce the burden of giving an opinion on the government or the military. Redirecting conversations, moderating discussion and suggesting ground rules prior to sensitive topics can be used as a means of maintaining a safe environment.
- Offer opportunities to reduce stress
Military training imbues the need to assess for threat, employ quick reactions and optimize mobility. However, in a non-training/war-like environment, these behavioral patterns may be seen as hyperactivity, inattention and/or being prone to distraction. Sudden loud noises from other students, or even cell phones going off, may trigger a sense of danger, disrupting a veteran’s concentration during class. The instructor may be able to set rules for class conduct and offer veterans the opportunity to establish seating arrangements, like allowing the veteran to sit in the back of the classroom.
- Recognize structural differences of the military vs. college
Faculty and staff can also be cognizant of the difference in the structure of the class/campus versus the structure and discipline of the military. In the military, there is a ranking system and a deference to authority compared to the laissez-faire atmosphere on campus; as such, student veterans may have trouble with leaderless group assignments, initiating communication during class discussions and open-ended assignments, etc. Being clear about student expectations and roles as well as inviting veterans to ask questions and engage with other students, may help them exercise their newfound release from the chain of command.
- Help student veterans connect
If the veteran is entering college several years older than fellow students, they may have additional responsibilities, i.e., family, work, children, which may contribute to them feeling disconnected from peers and staff. Further, student veterans may have witnessed and/or experienced life-threatening situations and may be dealing with trauma. Helping veterans connect with campus services and veterans’ associations (i.e., Student Veterans of America), where they can interact with fellow veterans and/or receive counseling services, may help address the disconnection the veteran may feel.
Changes in veteran behavior (i.e., withdrawal, extreme emotions, outbursts of negative behavior) may indicate issues with mental health. Talking to the student may begin the helping process. Gathering knowledge about veteran-specific support services on campus (e.g., staff specializing in veteran issues and campus mentors), referring them to the appropriate campus offices, and giving the necessary contact information may also be extremely helpful.
In all, for faculty and staff, creating a safe environment, setting rules and expectations of classroom conduct, being cognizant of how the veteran sees the classroom structure vs. the military structure may help alleviate adjustment issues in the classroom. Further, gathering knowledge of campus services and support systems for veterans may help students navigate the challenging endeavor of entering higher education.
This article was originally printed by HigherED Military
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