UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.—More than 3,100 veteran and active-duty military students are using their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to earn degrees at Penn State as of spring 2011, a 21 percent increase over last year. As more troops return from Iraq and Afghanistan, this enrollment trend is likely to continue. To help faculty and staff who work with these students better understand and support their needs, a University-wide team has created five Best Practices in the Recruitment and Retention of Student Veterans programs. The programs were delivered live as webinars during the spring, summer and fall semesters and recorded for future viewing.
"The programs serve as a best practices model of how universities can prepare faculty and staff who work with veterans and active-duty military students," said Ginny Newman, assistant director of Military Education for Penn State Outreach. "These students have unique needs, including transferring credits earned from multiple institutions due to frequent relocations, navigating their GI Bill benefits and managing war-related physical and mental health disabilities."
The programs are an outgrowth of a team convened by Penn State Outreach to enhance recruitment and services for these students. Developed in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Center, the programs were funded by the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity.
The programs are housed at the Office of Veterans Programs website and can be accessed at http://equity.psu.edu/veterans/resources. Topics include:
- Admissions and Financial Aid Counseling
- Chapter 31 Veteran Support
- Marketing and Outreach
- Academic Advising
- Disability and Psychological Services
For further information on this webinar series, contact Ginny Newman at gan1@psu.edu or 814-865-6016.
In addition to these professional development programs, the team is implementing a single unified marketing campaign to recruit veterans to all Penn State campuses.
The University's continuing efforts to recruit and support veterans and military students have resulted in Penn State's recognition as a military friendly school by G.I. Jobs, Military Advanced Education, and Military Times EDGE's Best for Vets: Colleges.