How to Foster a Campus Culture of Inclusion for Veterans
Higher education institutions have made significant progress in welcoming military-affiliated students, but inclusion isn't just about having a veteran resource center or offering GI Bill®️ assistance. It's about ensuring student veterans fully integrate into campus life's academic and social fabric.
Veterans bring a wealth of leadership, adaptability, and problem-solving skills that enrich classrooms and student organizations. Instead of focusing on what makes them different, colleges should lean into what makes them an asset to the community. Here are fresh, actionable ways to strengthen inclusion efforts for veterans on campus.
Leverage Veterans as Campus Leaders and Ambassadors
Too often, veterans are seen only as beneficiaries of campus resources rather than as contributors to the broader student experience. Change that by positioning veterans as campus leaders.
Create veteran-led mentorship programs where student veterans coach incoming first-year students, both military-affiliated and traditional. Their leadership skills and life experience can guide military topics.
Encourage veterans to serve on student advisory boards, ensuring their perspectives shape campus policies, curriculum design, and student success initiatives.
Feature veterans as campus ambassadors who welcome prospective students during tours and orientation—regardless of military status. Their discipline and communication skills make them strong representatives of the student body.
Integrate Military-Informed Problem Solving into Academics
Veterans bring firsthand experience in high-stakes decision-making, logistics, and operations—skills that can enrich academic programs. Instead of focusing only on traditional career pathways like law enforcement or government work, encourage innovative applications of their skill sets.
Introduce interdisciplinary courses incorporating military-style problem-solving, such as crisis management, ethical leadership, or cross-cultural communication.
Partner with veteran-led businesses and organizations to create project-based learning opportunities where students collaborate on real-world challenges.
Design hack-a-thons or innovation labs where veteran and non-veteran students work together to solve logistical or operational problems inspired by military experiences.
Rethink the Traditional Campus Event Calendar
Veterans, especially those with families or full-time jobs, often struggle to engage with campus activities scheduled at inconvenient times. Rather than expecting them to fit into existing structures, reimagine the event calendar to be more inclusive.
Offer high-impact networking and community-building events during lunch hours or in hybrid formats so veterans balancing work and school can attend.
Organize weekend events incorporating family-friendly activities, allowing veterans with children to participate fully in campus life.
Create "pop-up" engagement opportunities—like quick meet-and-greets, coffee chats, or micro-lectures—that don't require long-time commitments but encourage connection.
Move Beyond Basic Faculty Training—Create Veteran Advocates
Many institutions offer faculty and staff training on military culture, but a one-time workshop isn't enough. Instead of passive learning, develop faculty champions who actively shape policies and teaching methods that support veterans.
Establish a faculty fellows program where professors can apply to be designated "Veteran Advocates" and work closely with military-affiliated students on research and career mentorship.
Invite faculty to participate in immersion experiences, such as visiting military bases or shadowing veteran students daily, to better understand their perspectives.
Offer faculty incentives for designing coursework that integrates military leadership principles or incorporates case studies relevant to veterans' experiences.
Recognize Veterans in Everyday Campus Culture, Not Just Veterans Day
Many institutions celebrate Veterans Day with ceremonies or appreciation events, but inclusion should be year-round. Veterans should see themselves reflected in everyday campus culture, not just during designated military holidays.
Incorporate veteran success stories into general campus communications—newsletters, social media, and alumni spotlights—without framing them solely through a military lens.
Update campus traditions to include military-affiliated students, such as recognizing them in graduation ceremonies beyond the typical "stole" acknowledgment.
Encourage student organizations to organically incorporate veterans into their programming rather than relying on veteran-specific groups to do all the outreach.
Shift the Narrative from Support to Collaboration
Rather than focusing on how to "support" veterans, consider how veterans can contribute to and shape campus life. They don't need to be accommodated—they need to be invited to lead, share ideas, and innovate alongside their peers.
By breaking down silos, rethinking engagement strategies, and ensuring their voices influence institutional decisions, colleges and universities can create an environment where veterans are not just included but truly valued.