Collaborative Research: Military Veteran Students' Pathways in Engineering Education

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Military veterans hold tremendous promise for expanding and diversifying the engineering workforce. Given the diverse backgrounds of veterans, their increasing numbers, and the growing national demand for engineers, the timing is ideal to study the conditions under which veterans pursue and succeed in engineering education. Student veterans bring valuable assets to their engineering education, but more research is needed to understand their academic and social acculturation into campus life. Therefore, this project aims to (1) identify why veterans pursue bachelor's degrees in engineering, (2) illustrate veteran experiences in engineering education, and (3) advance knowledge on how academic institutions can further support veterans in engineering. This comparative case study of student veterans in engineering across four academic institutions will include interviews of student veterans and key stakeholders, as well as a content analysis of materials and websites related to student veteran issues and concerns. The interdisciplinary research team from engineering, sociology, and education brings expertise on veterans, gender, race/ethnicity, social capital, and persistence in higher education that provides a strong foundation for advancing knowledge in engineering education.Supporting more veterans to transition to successful careers in engineering is a vital service to the nation. Broadening the participation of veterans in engineering offers the potential to enhance diversity in engineering across multiple dimensions since, compared to civilian students, veterans are more likely to be older, first-generation college, disabled, African-American, or Latino. The study results will provide context and information for various applications, such as: development of new strategies to support student veterans' success, identification of overlooked areas to promote student veterans' participation in engineering, and generation of critical information for development of larger-scale studies for investigating student veterans in engineering. A comprehensive dissemination plan ensures that the study results, particularly the best practices for supporting veterans in engineering, reach diverse audiences interested in student veterans and engineering education. The advisory board includes a variety of stakeholders who have the interest, expertise, and commitment to act on the policy implications of the study.