Incorporate veterans and military family members into the institution’s long-term strategic plan.
Promising Practice
There has been a significant amount of veterans enrolled in higher education since the end of World War II. This is because one of the main benefits that a service member earns is an education award. Commonly known as the government issued (G.I.) Bill, it allows veterans the opportunity to go to college for free, or at a reduced rate. In the past ten years there have been over 2.5 million men and women who have earned the G.I. Bill. Many of them are, or will be soon, transitioning out of the military and pursuing a degree in higher education. Many institutions have recognized this fact and have incorporated veterans and military families into their long-term strategic plans. Doing so delivers the message that the institution is committed to being veteran-supportive for years to come.
Model of Practice
Edmonds Community College has recently made veterans a part of their long-term plans. The institution has vowed to create an entire veterans program, complete with a veteran’s resource center and a director of veteran’s services. As a part of this effort they have set the strategic goal of raising $1 million dollars to start this program and to fully fund it for many years to come.
King County Institutions Implementing Practice
Art Institute of Seattle, Cascadia Community College, Central Washington University, DeVry University, Green River Community College, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, North Seattle Community College, South Seattle Community College.
From Timm Lovitt's Promising Best Practices: Veteran-Supportive Institutions of Higher Education in King County (Veterans Training Support Center, 2013). See the full report: download pdf, 99 pages
Project provided by King County Veterans and Human Services Levy
and the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs.