The “Beautiful Struggle” of Student Veterans in the Canopy of the Community College: A Phenomenological Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harlan Harrell
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Student Veterans

Preventing Student Veteran Attrition: What More Can We Do?

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mari Alschuler ◽  
Jessica Yarab
Keyword(s):  
College Success ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Student Veterans ◽  
Civilian Life ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Student Orientation ◽  
Student Veteran ◽  
Resource Center ◽  
Phase Study ◽  
The University

Student veterans face many challenges when transitioning to college. This two-phase study first examined their retention and persistence through the use of archival data at one Midwestern public university. Results indicated a 50% graduation rate, comparable to the national average and above that for nonveterans at the same university. The second, phenomenological study entailed interviewing degree-seeking student veterans about personal, administrative, or academic issues related to college success. Emerging themes included (a) transitioning to civilian life; (b) managing multiple identities; (c) attitudes about civilian peers, faculty, and staff; and (d) medical or psychiatric issues that may interfere with retention or persistence. Interviewees recommended the university might help student veterans succeed by offering a faculty and student orientation on military culture, increasing interdepartmental communication within student affairs’ various offices, and expanding services provided by the campus veteran’s resource center.

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