Odysseus Goes to University—the Veteran to Scholar Boot Camp

Abstract

Since 2015, the National Endowment of Humanities' Standing Together: Dialogues on the Experience of War initiative has funded projects that facilitate conversation about war experience among veterans and between them and civilians. In this program profile, we document how two awards from this initiative facilitated the creation of a localized and successful humanities-based transition program for student veterans. At East Carolina University (ECU), Veteran to Scholar Boot Camp facilitates discussions about the experiences of war and homecomings in a comfortable setting that prepares participants for the challenge and rigor of university life. Specifically, we provide an overview of the typical struggles that characterize this population's entry into higher education and then explain how this program intervenes to promote student veteran success.