My Capstone Project

I made the decision to dedicate my research to reading and writing pedagogy with a focus on student veterans late in my first year of the MA program when I was assigned to serve as the TA of a course that had a significant veteran population.  (To follow the trajectory of how this interest developed over time, visit this virtual timeline of relevant academic and professional experience).  I have been incredibly fortunate to find opportunities to be involved with the veteran community through professors, mentors, and colleagues who have encouraged me in my efforts to learn more about this relatively untouched field.  The capstone project, under the guidelines outlined by my department consists of the following components:  

A course designed for a veteran-friendly college English class.

 

My original vision for this course was to design it for a veteran-specific college class because of all the benefits that I have witnessed firsthand--in terms of ease of transition, building a safe culture, and providing a system of support--in having an all-veteran population within a class.  I recognize that this is not necessarily a feasible option for instructors on all campuses. Therefore, the introductory English course I have developed is geared towards a more general audience, although it can certainly be applied to veteran-specific classroom settings as well.  The course theme--"Identities in Friction"--is one that I feel is pertinent to veteran populations who are transitioning from military to civilian life, while all of us can relate to the tensions that arise from our layers of identities that we have developed in our lifetimes.  

Resources for faculty who work with student veterans.

 

The resources for faculty that I have compiled are a combination of the helpful, albeit limited, tips that I have found during the past couple of years as my interest in working with student veterans developed, as well as best practices based on my own experiences working with student vets.  What I provide is of course not an exhaustive list, but I hope it can function as a starting point for those who are looking for ways to better serve their student veterans.  

Resources for student veterans.

 

This section includes information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, other college funding opportunities, as well as online support groups that are available for student veterans.