A Mixed Method Analysis of Student Service Member/Veteran Engagement With University Military-Focused Student Services - September 2024

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Melati

Student service member/veteran (SSM/V) university enrollment has grown rapidly in recent years, prompting many U.S. universities to create military-focused student services for navigational and social challenges. The study uses social capital theory and mixed methods—surveys (n=531) and interviews (n=59) across four universities—to examine engagement frequency, relationships to campus belonging and institutional satisfaction, and SSM/V accounts of these connections. Results indicate SSM/Vs rarely engage, while higher engagement predicts stronger belonging and satisfaction, supported by moral support, reliable administrative help, and dedicated spaces and community building.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages29

Reading Time1 h 13 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background: SSM/V Enrollment Growth and Campus Challenges

Purpose: University Military-Focused Student Services

Study Design and Data Sources

Findings: Engagement Levels and Outcomes

Interpretation: Social Capital, Belonging, and Satisfaction

A Mixed Method Analysis of Student Service Member/Veteran Engagement With University Military-Focused Student Services WCER Working Paper No. 2024-5 September 2024 Ross J. Benbow and You-Geon Lee Wisconsin Center for Education Research University of Wisconsin–Madison [rjbenbow@wisc.edu](rjbenbow@wisc.edu) Keywords: student veterans, higher education, student services, social capital Suggested citation: Benbow, R. & Lee, Y-G. (2024). A mixed method analysis of student service member/veteran engagement with university military-focused student services. (WCER Working Paper No. 2024-5). University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research. © 2024 by Ross Benbow and You-Geon Lee. All rights reserved. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (Award no. 2201495). Any opinions, findings, or conclusions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or cooperating institutions. Readers may make verbatim copies of this document for noncommercial purposes by any means, provided that the above copyright notice appears on all copies. WCER working papers are available at [https://wcer.wisc.edu/publications/working-papers](https://wcer.wisc.edu/publications/working-papers). A Mixed Method Analysis of Student Service Member/Veteran Engagement With University Military-Focused Student Services Ross J. Benbow and You-Geon Lee ABSTRACT Student service member/veteran (SSM/V) university enrollment has grown exponentially in recent years. In response, many U.S. universities have developed military-focused student services to address navigational and social challenges SSM/Vs face on campus. While research suggests these services are beneficial, few studies have empirically examined how often contemporary SSM/Vs engage with them across universities, how engagement connects to predictors of university success, or how SSM/Vs describe such connections. Using social capital theory, surveys (n=531), and interviews (n=59) of SSM/Vs across four universities, we analyze SSM/V military-focused service engagement levels, correlations between engagement and campus belonging and institutional satisfaction, and SSM/V perspectives on engagement. Findings suggest SSM/Vs very rarely engage in these services. Higher engagement, however, is significantly associated with more campus belonging and institutional satisfaction. Interviewees describe how the moral support military-focused service staff offer while providing reliable administrative assistance, as well as SSM/V-dedicated spaces and community building, foster belonging and satisfaction. A Mixed Method Analysis of Student Service Member/Veteran Engagement With University Military-Focused Student Services Ross J. Benbow and You-Geon Lee In recent years, student military service members/veterans (SSM/Vs)—defined as retired/discharged veterans, those on active U.S. military duty, or those in the Reserves or National Guard—have been one of the fastest growing groups of adult undergraduates in U.S. universities (Cate et al., 2017 ; Radford et al., 2016) . 1 Like veterans who enrolled in large numbers after World War II, post-9/11 SSM/Vs diversify American higher educational institutions (Remenick, 2019) . Not only do they bring advanced teamwork, problem-solving, and technical skills, but they are also older, more often disabled, and more often from lower-income backgrounds (e.g., Durdella & Kim, 2012; Sullivan & Yoon, 2020) . Colleges and universities offer many SSM/Vs a smoother re-entry point into civilian life and an opportunity for upward mobility (Kleykamp, 2010) . Given the substantial financial support SSM/Vs receive from GI bill expenditures, and these students’ national service, their success is important. Nevertheless, SSM/Vs often encounter health, administrative, and social challenges on campus that separate them from other adult students

FAQs

What does the study investigate about military-focused student services?

It examines how often contemporary SSM/Vs engage with these services across universities, how engagement relates to campus belonging and institutional satisfaction, and how SSM/Vs describe their connections to the services.

What research methods and sample sizes does the study use?

It uses social capital theory with surveys of 531 SSM/Vs and interviews with 59 SSM/Vs across four universities.

What are the key findings regarding engagement and student outcomes?

SSM/Vs very rarely engage with the military-focused services. However, higher engagement is significantly associated with greater campus belonging and institutional satisfaction.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Melati