Building peer and alumni networks for student veterans can be a considerable undertaking. The life experiences and real-world education that many veterans possess can be vastly different than their traditional peers. It is important that professionals within higher education serve as advocates for these students that may not fit in as easily as traditional college students.

Different Types of Peer Networks

Each veteran may want different types of involvement within their institution. For example, a 45-year-old veteran with three kids and partner at home may not need the social interaction introduced by a large peer network on campus. However, a 24-year-old veteran in a new location without dependents may be more inclined to participate in a school-sponsored peer networking event. Therefore, it is important to offer opportunities that are desired by the students. Surveying the military-affiliated community on what they want to see within their spheres can help with student satisfaction, as well as turnout rate for events.

Formal and Informal Peer Networks

Events to build peer and alumni networks for student veterans can be formal and informal. Formal networks could include mentorship opportunities with outside professional organizations. Inviting groups with large veteran populations, such as consulting companies that often are top employers of veterans, can help student veterans connect with possible career ideas as well. These organizations should serve various industries to represent the veterans they will meet. These events could be held at multiple points throughout the year to encourage continuous conversation among veterans and the companies.

Informal networks can simply be relationships among students within a university. Hosting group dinners and sporting event outings are a good way to ensure that student veterans, as well as other members of the military-affiliated community on campus get to know each other outside of the academic sphere. Connecting with businesses, local and national sports teams, and other groups may even make these events more financially accessible to college communities that may not have sufficient sources of funding.

Professional Peer Networks

A challenge that could be presented to many schools attempting to promote professional peer networks is the lack of veteran networks nearby to sustain such a program. These schools should connect with nearby universities to pool resources and create a larger community that can pull from alumni networks, professional groups, and grassroots organizations. Additionally, connecting with surrounding colleges not only increases the possibility of employers/professional organizations finding their perfect new employee, but also may help a student find their next potential career path in a way they never imagined. There are many groups that schools can tap into regarding veteran support, as the larger veteran community often yearns to support each other in any way they can.

Due to the vastness of experiences and differences among the veteran community, it is very possible that mentor/mentee relationships within school groups may form. One never knows how a mutual connection between two strangers may work out to be a new career opportunity. However, it is essential to provide opportunities for outside connections that may not be available within the realm of higher education.

It is also worth noting that some student veterans and military-affiliated students may want to step outside of the veteran world. After devoting many years of one's life to this world, some may feel the need to try something else, so enabling these students to find other opportunities that may not be military-oriented may serve a meaningful purpose. However, it is important to get an idea of what the student veterans within schools want from their administration.

Work Study Peer Networks

If students are using educational benefits, such as the G.I. Bill (Chapter 33) or Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Benefits (Chapter 35) at a ¾ rate of pursuit or more, students can apply for Work Study at many participating colleges and universities. Students earn minimum wage and help connect other students using educational benefits with information on how to use their benefits at the school, as well as sometimes help put on events and programming for military-affiliated students on campus. In this role, many students can gain a stronger understanding of how educational benefits work and a greater connection to the military-affiliated student community. Additionally, 'work studies' are usually the first to receive news about jobs and/or programs around the university and the surrounding community. In addition to knowing about opportunities before the public, 'work studies' often form friendships and connections with each other that also serve as peer networks.

National Level Peer Networks

Some national organizations also have several ways to unite student veterans and their families that want a larger peer network. Student Veterans of America (SVA) hosts multiple regional and national events annually to connect the military-affiliated community from coast to coast. Regional Summits hosted by SVA provide student veterans and higher education professionals with the tools needed to manage a successful and sustainable SVA chapter. The SVA National Conference connects current chapters with resources for their student group, announces recent research on the military community in higher education, and allows professionals to share practices within the field. Additionally, HigherEdMilitary (HEM) offers a platform for those passionate about the role of student veterans and the military-affiliated community within higher education. In addition, HEM posts new jobs that could appeal to veterans wanting to begin or continue their career in higher education. SVA and HEM both advocate for college and university campuses to understand the challenges that student veterans face, as well as the distinct advantages that they bring to a campus.

There are many options that can help higher ed professionals build peer and alumni networks among their communities. These networks can provide endless opportunities for student veterans that are looking for something bigger outside of their academic environment and should be sustainable and manageable for future generations of the military-affiliated community on campuses nationwide.

Article Topics

Military Friendly Institutions Research on Student Veterans Serving Military in HigherEd Veterans Academic Success

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