Universities as Safe Spaces: A Place to Learn and Building Resilience? A Case Study on Education of US Military Veterans

Abstract

This study investigates how US military veteran students perceive the transition from the military to university and how education facilitates their adaptation to society. US military enlistees are often recruited from populations of lower socioeconomic status, and upon completion of military term, are returning to society disillusioned as to future employment and feeling apart from society. Low self-value and hopelessness haunts these men and women. Veterans are offered support for both education, housing and living expenses after ending service through the GI Bill, to help ease this transitional time back into civilian life. The teaching model to approach teaching this population is grounded in andragogical care and in active facilitation. The findings are based on a case study with interviews of veterans attending universities and earning academic degrees. The main findings indicate that professors who are working as relationship mentors in addition to being academic educators is of high value for creating safe spaces for university-society relationships, engagement, and confidence.