ERIC Number: EJ1428068
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Jun
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0194-3081
EISSN: EISSN-1536-0733
A Mixed Methods Study of Student Veterans' Academic and Service Transitions Before, During, and after Attending Community College(s)
EJ Summers; Danielle L. McEwen; Rafael A. Cordero; Jesse Silva
New Directions for Community Colleges, n206 p63-78 2024
This mixed-methods study examined characteristics and learning experiences of student veterans who transitioned from community college(s) into a 4-year public university. The study descriptively compared veteran versus non-veteran transfer students, using a survey and follow-up interviews. Results illustrated that student veterans attended larger numbers of community colleges prior to their transfer compared with non-veterans. They tended to be older, more ethnically diverse, and more likely to be men than non-veterans. Transfer student veterans valued (a) differences among high school, military, community college, and 4-year learning experiences; (b) connections between coursework and career work; (c) being informed about the cultural practices and norms of college, particularly for first-generation student veterans; and (d) persistence in navigating multiple community colleges toward achieving successful 4-year degree completion. For student veterans, the military became a way to enact and pay for their postsecondary aspirations. Interconnected community colleges meaningfully transported them to 4-year postsecondary achievements.
Descriptors: Veterans, Hispanic American Students, Minority Serving Institutions, Community College Students, Age Differences, Transfer Students, Universities, Student Attitudes, Learning Experience, Relevance (Education), College Environment, School Culture, Academic Persistence, Educational Opportunities, Federal Legislation, Student Financial Aid
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A