Veterans Upward Bound Success Strategies Working with Veterans in Developmental Education

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Veterans Upward BoundSuccess Strategies Working
with Veterans in Developmental Education

• Presented by
• Susan Thomasson, Program Counselor
• Veterans Upward Bound
• Truckee Meadows Community College
• Reno, Nevada
• sthomasson_at_tmcc.edu

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What is Veterans Upward Bound?

• Federally funded TRIO grant program through the
  U.S. Department of Education
• Designed to assist veterans to prepare for
  success in college

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Objectives of todays presentation

• Share some of the issues veterans are dealing
  with today as they reintegrate into society and
  college.
• Share strategies VUB has implemented over 20
  years of serving veterans preparing to enter
  college.
• Explore how some of these strategies might be
  translated into working with all students taking
  developmental classes.

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Statistics

• 1.7 million have served in Iraq/Afghanistan (1
  population)
• 142,000 currently in Iraq/soon to be 130,000
• 35,000 currently in Afghanistan/soon to be 50,000
• 523,258 VA GI Bill FY 2008

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Veterans Upward Bound serves a high
risk population

• Students who are low income and/or whose parents
  did not get a bachelors degree (first generation
  college students)
• Adult learners with low academic skills who are
  in need of developmental math and English classes
• Veterans life experiences differ from the
  traditional college student norm.

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• Many veterans struggle
• with a loss of identity.
• They have a hard time
• slipping back into their old selves and feel
  older and
• fundamentally different
• from their peers.

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Battle Mindset

• The combat experience involves constant exposure
  to severe physical, emotional and mental trauma.
• The veteran has developed combat skills and a
  battle mindset in order to survive the trauma of
  war.

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In combat survival depends on

• Being aware of their surroundings at all times
  and reacting immediately to sudden changes.
• Controlling emotions during combat is critical
  for mission success. Survival depends on
  discipline and obeying orders.
• Maintaining control of their weapons and gear at
  all times is essential for survival.
• Their responsibility in combat is to survive and
  to keep their buddies alive. They can only talk
  about combat experiences with their unit.

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Physical and Mental Reactions to Combat Stress

• Hyper-vigilance
• Exaggerated startle response
• Irritability outbursts of anger
• Sleep disturbances
• Nightmares
• Anxiety

• Emotional numbing
• Intrusive thoughts
• Avoidance of thoughts and feelings
• Feelings of detachment
• Depression

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Awareness is Key

• Combat reactions tend to decrease and normalize
  over time.
• For some, these common reactions persist and can
  interfere with family and personal relationships,
  job and school performance, and the ability to
  enjoy life.
• (PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) 30 with
  serious mental health problems within 3 to 4
  months
• 225 Vet Centers / 153 Medical Centers

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There are positive reactions to the combat
experience as well!

• Increased knowledge and awareness of life outside
  ones previous experiences.
• Greater appreciation for life. Mindfulness of
  each moment and day.
• Increased self reliance and a greater sense of
  personal strength.
• Spiritual development increased compassion.
• Increased ability to share emotions improved
  relationships able to accept needing others.
• New possibilities for ones life development of
  new interests more goal directed behavior.

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For college success, meeting the needs of this
population requires

• Moving them from a highly structured environment
  to a one that expects a great deal of
  independence. (Concrete to abstract)
• Providing them information and support on how to
  do college that parents with college degrees
  provide to their children.
• Refreshing their math and English skills to
  college level.

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VUB Strategy IIndividual Attention

• Involve students immediately. Take advantage of
  the initial motivation the student possesses.
• Intake interview to determine eligibility and
  need for services.
• Academic goal interest evaluations/ career
  counseling.
• Academic needs assessment and advisement.

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VUB Strategy IIAcademic Advisement

• Determine proper class level placement
• Gather information over and above the assessment
  scores
• how many questions guessed on
• comfort level with subjects
• previous school experience with subjects
• subject requirements for education goal

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VUB Strategy IIIAcademic Plan

• Formulate a plan (Individual Career Plan) which
  provides the student with a road map of their
  education goal and how they are going to get
  there.
• Link their goals and needs with the services VUB
  and the college provides.

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VUB Strategy IVSocial and Academic Integration

• A continuing process of communication and
  interaction by which administrative, academic,
  and student services staff form a partnership
  with students in order to
• Break through the barriers that keep students
  isolated,
• Create a sense of community or friendly
  association among participants,
• Help students increase their chances of staying
  in school and succeeding.
• Facilitate connections between students.

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Academic and Social Integration Strategies

• Physical environment supports integration.
• Welcoming atmosphere of openness and trust.
• Living room (great room) style office with coffee
  and refreshments.
• Staff doors are open. Reach out.
• Beginning semester group orientation to introduce
  participants to entire staff and other students.

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Academic and Social Integration Strategies

• 4. Developmental Math and English Instruction
• Small traditional classes utilizing learning
  style theory techniques
• Imaginative Learning making connections
• Analytical Learning understanding facts
• Common Sense Learning applying ideas
• Dynamic Learning creating adaptation
• Short workshops covering challenging topics
  (fractions, equation solving, factoring, word
  problems, etc.)
• Open entry ALEKS math/Communication Fitness
  English computer programs with tutoring support

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Academic and Social Integration Strategies

• 2. Teach, model, and continually reinforce
  college study skills to students throughout the
  entire program embed them in all academic
  content areas.
• 3. Provide many cooperative learning
  opportunities both inside and outside of the
  classroom.

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Academic and Social Integration Strategies

• Cooperative learning technique
• Study Tables
• designed to be more fluid than study groups
• Create the time (45 minutes between classes)
• Set the stage share rationale
• Different activities occur at different tables
• Students move freely between these activities
• Students work on homework problems and assist
  each other as the need arises
• Tutor available to provide support

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Academic and Social Integration Strategies

• Study Tables results weve observed
• Development of a supportive learning community
• Students have time to network and socialize as
  well as help each other with their studies
• Informal peer counseling occurs as the students
  share tips with each other on employment,
  housing, community resources, and coping
  strategies
• Increased retention in math classes and in the
  program!!!

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Academic and Social Integration Strategies

• 5. Monthly Progress Meetings
• 6. End of session celebration and student
  recognition
• 7. Continuing support throughout the students
  college career, especially during their first
  semester of college

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Veterans Upward Bound Works

• 80 of participants served during 2007/08 budget
  year have remained enrolled in VUB or have
  completed their prescribed VUB educational
  program.
• 73 of participants served during the 2007/08
  budget period enrolled in a program of
  postsecondary education by the fall term
  following completion of their prescribed VUB
  educational program.
• 61 of participants who enrolled in postsecondary
  education in 2007/08, enrolled for the fall term
  of their second academic year (fall 2008).

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Other interesting statistics

• 47.0 of past VUB participants who have gone on
  to graduate from TMCC have stopped out of college
  for one full academic year or longer before
  graduating.
•  
• 26.2 of past VUB participants who have enrolled
  in TMCC (since 1999/2000 participation year) have
  graduated from TMCC or UNR.

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Our veterans have served our country...

• now its our turn to serve them.
• Thank you

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Sources

• Cantrell, Bridget C. And Dean, Chuck. Down Range
  To Iraq and Back. Seattle, WA Wordsmith
  Publishing, 2005.
• Haydon, L. (2004) If I Were to Write a Book About
  Academic Advising for New Advisors. NACADA
  Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources
  www.nacada.ksu.edu/ Clearinghouse/Advising
  Issues/Advising-book
• Hoge, C.W., Castro, C.A., Messer S.C., McGurk, D.
  Cotting, D.I. Koffman, R.L. (2004). Combat duty
  in Iraq and Afghanistan, mental health problems,
  and barriers to care. New England Journal of
  Medicine, 351, 13-22.
• Jackson, Arthur J., and Sheehan, Jacqueline
  (2005) The Returning College Veteran Challenges
  and Strategies. NASPA, Leadership Exchange, Fall
  2005.

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Sources

• Meagher, Ilona. The War List OEF/OIF Statistics
  Compiled by Ilona Meagher, editor of PTSD Combat
  Winning the War Within. ptsdcombat.blogspot.com/20
  07/03/war-list-oefoif-statistics.html - UPDATE
  April 6, 2008.
• Minkler, James E. ERIC Review Learning
  Communities at the Community College. Community
  College Review Winter 2002, Vol. 30 Issue 3.
• Sennott, Charles M. (2007) Back, But Not Home
  Battered Returning Vets Struggle with Transition.
  www.boston.com
• Tinto, Vincent. Student Retention and Graduation
  Facing the Truth, Living with the Consequences.
  The Pell Institute, Occasional Paper 1, July
  2004.
• United States Department of Veterans Affairs
  National Center for PTSD. http//www.ncptsd.va.gov