Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have made new findings about social support and campus belonging of student military service members and veterans (SSM/Vs) in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical (STEMM) fields.
Dr. Ross Benbow and Dr. You Geon-Lee
This research from UW-Madison’s Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) – published in the Journal of College Student Development – was funded by National Science Foundation (NSF) grants totaling nearly $2 million.
WCER researchers Dr. Ross Benbow and Dr. You-Geon Lee said that, although SSM/Vs were one of the fastest-growing groups of nontraditional students at U.S. universities as of late, little research had been done about their academic development and success in STEMM at the university level.
Campus belonging and social support are important to the success of marginalized college students, according to the paper.
SSM/V-focused university or department orientation sessions demonstrably fostered engagement, social networking, and a veteran-friendly space among SSM/Vs, according to researchers.
Early social support can also be given to these students by way of social network facilitation from educators, according to a UW-M news release. And counselors can encourage them to pursue STEMM academic and career paths where students’ military skills – such as adaptability, discipline, and teamwork – are valuable.
