How One University Saw a 117% ROI by Supporting and Enrolling Veterans
Golden Gate University's president, Dr. David Fike, shares how this prestigious university in the heart of downtown San Francisco is carrying out its mission to prepare individuals to lead and serve by taking a deeper look at how they serve their military students. The answer to a common question propels his vision forward: "Do we perform and provide our [own] services to veterans, or do we partner with organizations that inherently know the culture of the military and exist to help leverage the specific challenges those non-traditional students face?"
A History of Serving Non-Traditional Students
Golden Gate University (GGU) in San Francisco, CA, has a long history of serving non-traditional students, working adults, and those pursuing professional degrees for career advancement. Golden Gate's humble beginnings can be traced back to 1901 when it was a night school operated by the YMCA.
Today, it remains steadfast in its commitment to meeting the holistic needs of students, especially those with military connections who embark on their educational journey later in life or bring unique life experiences.
Having served in various roles at multiple liberal arts institutions across the country, Dr. David Fike was eager to return home to the Bay Area in 2015 and shepherd GGU as its 9th president.
Understanding the Needs of a Growing Veteran Student Population
GGU students at Mather Air Force Base, 1972
GGU has long emphasized caring for the needs of all of its students, but it has a particularly robust history of serving military students. In the early 1900’s, World War I veterans enrolled in the University’s law programs, and during the 1980s — 1990s, they began to focus on serving active duty service members. During its most robust period, the College of Special Programs at GGU operated almost three dozen satellite campuses on US military bases worldwide. Though that particular program is no longer active, Golden Gate University continues to hone its expertise in bringing education to its students wherever they are – metaphorically and geographically.
Word of mouth has always driven military enrollment in steady numbers, but Fike saw an opportunity to enhance the support services offered to GGU's military-connected learners. There seemed to be several areas for improvement when servicing military students at GGU, such as helping students utilize their VA education benefits, connecting veterans to university counselors, and navigating internal and external resources. Fike recognized that partnering with Virtual Veterans Communities would support this vision of holistically and efficiently serving military students.
Partnership for Military Student Success
Like many higher-ed presidents, Dr. Fike considered whether "it make[s] the most organizational sense to internally ramp up the expertise, knowledge, and strength of the university's frontline, front-facing staff to meet the challenges of our veteran population" or if a partnership was the more fitting approach.
Ultimately, GGU called upon Virtual Veterans Communities (VVC) to assess and support the university's military-connected students. VVC's expertise in marketing, enrollment, student success coaching, career coaching and cultural competence of this particular student population inclined Fike toward this opportunity.
The Diller Center Services
Watch the full interview with Dr. David Fike, President, Golden Gate University
Enter the Helen Diller Center for Veterans of US Military Service. The "Diller Center" is supported by a two million dollar grant from the Helen Diller Family Foundation, which VVC helped solicit and secure. The center provides robust support and activities for veterans throughout their educational journey. Services include onboard coaching, a tailored military student orientation, student success coaching, and transition and career resources.
The military community is one built upon layers of support. Through the Diller Center at GGU, not only has the military student population grown, but most importantly, GGU's net promoter score improved by 60% in the first year – a testament to the satisfaction military students experience with the support they receive.
Golden Gate University has a bright future ahead, and veteran students remain attracted to GGU's innovative and flexible programs, cost-effective degree options, and high-quality degree portfolios. Exciting initiatives are in progress to introduce cutting-edge programs in tech, AI, machine learning, cyber security, and computing. These programs foster a seamless fusion of Silicon Valley's expertise with existing military competencies, unleashing a dynamic collaboration.
Learn more about GGU's efforts with military-connected students.