operation combat to campus

8/18/2019 Operation Combat to Campus

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/operation-combat-to-campus 1/53

Timothy Roberts, Faculty Adviser

Jenn McElhatten, Professional Adviser

!"#$%&'!()

+!,-%& &! +%,"./

Taylor MeadeDanie MinorBrenna ParkerNicholas SewellGabrielle Woodard

Kent State University Bateman Blue Team



Table of Contents

!"#$"%&' )*##"+,Executive Summary.....................................................................1

Situation Analysis........................................................................2 Audience Analysis........................................................................3

• Secondary..........................................................................3

• Primary..............................................................................3

eme...........................................................................................3

Key Messages...............................................................................3

Research

• Secondary Research Highlights ......................................4

• Primary Research Highlights...........................................4

Objectives, Strategies, Tactics, and Evaluation..........................5

Conclusion...................................................................................8

-$$.'/%0Budget.......................................................................................A1

Testimonials.............................................................................A2

Recommendations....................................................................A3

Communication Elements.......................................................A4

• Flyers/Stickers................................................................A4

• Brochure.........................................................................A5

• Hotcard/USG Resolut ion.............................................A6

• Website...........................................................................A7

• Social Media..................................................................A9

Media Relations......................................................................A10

Additional Tactics...................................................................A11• Website.........................................................................A11

• Kent Cares Launch......................................................A12

• Twitter Chat................................................................A13

• Video Series.................................................................A14

• Information Tables......................................................A15

Additional Secondary Research.............................................A16

Media Conatacts....................................................................A26

Sources....................................................................................A27

Additional Primary Research.................................................A28

Obstacles................................................................................ A37

Survey Questions................................................................... A38

1.'2 )2"2. 3'%4.+5%2, )2*/.'2 6.2.+"'57"895:' !;%.5"< 3'%2./ )2"2.5 ="4,>"'%.? @.'/.+5:'< ABC! "'/ -+#, ="2%:'"? D*"+/="2;"' 1%225< 3'%2./ )2"2.5 !:"52 D*"+/



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Executive Summary

Bradley “Sonny” Sonenstein was a student veteran at Kent State University and earned the nickname “Sonny”

because of his bright personality. He served as an advocate for other student veterans to seek the full use of their GI

Bill benefits and helped his fellow veterans transition from combat

to campus. He did so with a full heart and a compassionateattitude. For example, Sonny distributed the Veterans Suicide

Hotline number to a fellow student veteran who was suff ering from

depression.

In November 2015, Sonny passed by suicide due to a late-onset

mental illness believed to be exasperated by his military experience.

Sonny serves as a great reminder to be an advocate for others and

to be aware of the issues student veterans may face. While some

student veterans may suff er from mental illness, that does not

classify them as “broken.” e Bateman Blue Team has dedicated

this campaign in Sonny’s memory and hopes that no other Kent

State student makes such a tragic choice.

Founded in 2008, Student Veterans of America (SVA) is a non-

profit organization that aims to address the needs and concerns of

American military veterans in higher education. SVA’s main focus

is to assis t student veterans who use the Post-9/11 GI Bill and to

provide them with information on their GI Bill benefits.

rough focus groups, surveys, and interviews, the Bateman Blue Team found that a number of Kent State student

veterans feel l ittle connection to the university and lack a sense of belonging. Conversely, our research showed that

many Kent State faculty, students, and sta ff as well a s those in the community strongly support student veterans and

want to assist them.

is led the Bateman Blue Team to create the Supporters of Student Veterans of America (SSVA) movement to serve as a

conduit between student veterans and the community. is initiative

seeks to educate students, faculty, and community members about the

issues student veterans face during their transition from combat to

campus. e team found through educating supporters about issues

many student veterans face, the supporters could suggest the services

student veterans could take advantage of on and off campus.

e Operation Combat to Campus campaign was aimed to increase

awareness of the needs of student veterans and to improve their

overall college experience both on and off campus. Our team felt

this campaign would honor Sonny’s memory. ■

Bradley “Sonny” Sonenstein

EF."+'%'& :G 2;. $"55%'&

:G :'. :G #, 52*/.'25 "2

@%??.? H):'',I< J +."?%K./;:L %#$:+2"'2 %2 %5 2: 5;:L

5*$$:+2 2: 52*/.'2 4.2.+"'5MN

-?,55" A:2;52.%'O'&"&.#.'2 -55:8%"2. :G @%??.?"2 1.'2 )2"2. 3'%4.+5%2,

1



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Situation Analysis

Student Veterans of America (SVA) is a non-profit organization founded in 2008 to address the needs and concerns

of American military veterans in higher education. SVA’s main focus i s assisting Post-9/11 veterans and providing

them with information on their GI Bil l benefi

ts. Since SVA’s founding, 1.2 million veterans have been able to comehome and use their GI Bill educational benefits to pursue a postsecondary degree or certificate. e organization

currently has more than 1,300 chapter a ffiliates with more than 440,000 members.

After conduct ing primary resea rch, the Bateman Blue Team discovered that awareness of SVA among Kent State

University student veterans was low. It was observed that fewer than 25 percent of student veterans on the Kent

campus were aware of SVA and its benefits prior to the campaign, according to a pre-campaign online survey

conducted by the team.

Student veterans at Kent State are considered non-traditional students because many are older than traditional

students, most commute to the university, and a number of student veterans have families to support. e Kent

State Center for Adult and Veterans Services (CAVS) handles many of the financial and academic needs of student

veterans. Dawn Plug, the assi stant director for CAVS, is also Kent State’s Department of Veteran A ff airs (VA)certifying official. Every college campus is required to have a VA certifier who ensures the university is meeting the

requirements for student veterans.

Bateman Blue Team’s primary research found student veteran part icipation rates in on-campus organizations were

very low. e Bateman Blue Team also learned many Kent State students, faculty, and surrounding community

members were not aware of some of the issues student veterans face. ese individuals indicated they wanted to

help student veterans but were not aware of how they could help. Awareness of SVA and its services was low among

student veterans and community members surveyed and interviewed. As a result, the team decided to create a

community movement cal led the Supporters of Student Veterans of America (SSVA).

e Bateman Blue Team created the SSVA movement to support the needs of all student veterans, increase awareness of

the many issues student veterans face, and explain how community members can help. rough the SSVA movement,the Bateman Blue Team wants to decrease the perception of the “broken veteran.” Instead, the team wants to convey

that many student veterans are proud and hard-working individuals who are dedicated to their studies.

In addition, SSVA provides supporters of student veterans with information and resources needed to educate them

about the needs of student veterans. e SSVA website contains a video series telling the s tories of Kent State student

veterans to dispel the misconception of the “broken veteran” as well as an online pledge for community members to

document their support of student veterans.

Finally, the Bateman Blue Team developed SSVA to create a welcoming environment for all Kent State student

veterans with the help of traditional students, faculty, administration, and community members. ese individuals

wil l become aware of the best practices for approaching and helping student veterans who are facing transition

difficulties. e SSVA movement will a lso provide student veterans and their families with the information they

need about their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and increase awareness of the Student Veterans of America organization.

2



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Audience Analysis

).8:'/"+,e Bateman Blue Team’s campaign plan is targeted to veterans and family members of veterans who have used their

Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits since the program became law in August 2009. Because SVA’s main focus is on student

veterans and family members who use their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, these individuals are more likely to use SVAand its services.

P+%#"+,Research conducted by the Bateman Blue Team identified military employers, community veterans, government

officials, Kent State faculty, media, and other veterans service organizat ions as secondary publics for this campaign.

ese individuals are important to the success of this campaign because they are key influencers for student veterans

and their family members. To increase awareness of the needs of student veterans and SVA, the Bateman Blue Team

has targeted these individuals to help promote the campaign and ensure its success.

Theme

e Bateman Blue Team developed the Operation Combat to Campus campaign to support the transition of

student veterans from active duty to the classroom. e theme encourages traditional students, faculty, sta ff , and

community members to recognize their role in a student veteran’s transition to campus life and informs them of the

ways they can play a part in assist ing these individuals.

Key Messages

1. e Supporters of Student Veterans of America is a movement to help increase awareness of student veterans and

their needs.

2. e majority of student veterans do not suff er from PTSD and seek to be treated as traditional college students.

3. Kent State student veterans and their families have resources on campus to assist them with obtaining additionalinformation on their GI Bill benefits.

4. Student Veterans of America is a great resource for veterans to find career assistance and help to transition to campus life.

5. By knowing about resources for student veterans, anyone in the community can assist a student veteran with their

college experience.

3

Brenna Parker, Taylor Meade, Gabrielle Woodard, Danie Minor, and Nicholas Sewell



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Secondary Research Highlights

Student Veterans of America (SVA) is a non-profit organization founded in 2008 to address the needs and concerns

of American mil itary veterans in higher education. After troops began arriving home from Operation Enduring

Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, veterans were in need of proper support services for higher education and a

better understanding of their GI Bill benefi

ts. SVA’s main focus is on post-9/11 veterans and providing them withinformation on their GI Bill benefits.

Additionally, the team researched other student veterans organizations to discover ways SVA could improve its

support of student veterans. Secondary research provided the team with a clear description of SVA in order to

develop key publics for the campaign. Please see our complete secondary resea rch on page A16.

Primary Research HighlightsB'?%'. )*+4.,5e Bateman Blue Team conducted two separate online surveys for Kent State student veterans and community

members. One-hundred fifteen student veterans and 275 community members were surveyed. Key findings from the

online survey include:• Ninety-eight percent of student veterans were aware of GI Bill benefits.

• A majority of student veterans were unaware of SVA.

• Seventy-four percent were not involved in any student veteran organizations.

• Community members indicated they would like to be educated about PTSD, student veteran transitioning

issues, and veteran resources on and off campus.

Q:8*5 D+:*$5e Bateman Blue Team conducted a total of three focus groups. One focus group was held with Kent State student

veterans and two were conducted with traditional Kent State students.

Traditional Students’ Key Takeaways:

• Participants were confused about the true definition of a student veteran.• All participants indicated they believe a support group consisting of college students and community

members would be helpful for student veterans.

• Student participants indicated they did not feel they could provide help or support of any kind to student

veterans because they were unaware of military experiences. But they said they would be able to provide

support if they were more educated about student veterans and their experiences and needs.

Student Veterans’ Key Takeaways

• All participants expressed they feel disconnected from other traditional students.

• All participants indicated they do not feel connected to the university as a whole.

• All participants praised Kent State’s eff orts to ensure student veterans properly receive their GI Bill benefits.

)2*/.'2 6.2.+"'5 J'2.+4%.L5e Bateman Blue Team interviewed five student veterans in order to better understand their needs. e team

discovered these individuals have a difficult time relating to traditional students. Each individual interviewed

indicated they were not aware of SVA. Once the organization was explained, those interviewed were not interested in

bringing an SVA chapter to main campus because they felt the services provided by the Kent State Center for Adult

& Veterans Services and the Kent State Veterans Club covered their needs. Please see the complete primary resea rch

report on page A28.

4



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-. 5

Objectives, Strategies, Tactics, and Evaluation

OBJECTIVE ONE: To launch the SSVA movement and drive awareness of the initiative so that at least 500

Kent State students and surrounding community members take the SSVA pledge by March 15, 2016.

Strategy One: Inform Kent State University students, faculty, and sta ff about the SSVA movement using digital,

social, and face-to-face communication.Rationale: In order to increase awareness of the SSVA movement, these individuals must be informed about the

initiative, which will result in its success.

Tactic: e Bateman Blue Team created an SSVA website to serve as a resource for students, faculty, sta ff ,

community veterans, and community members to support student veterans and learn about their issues. e

website contained educational materia ls about GI Bill benefits, student veterans issues, and SVA. e website

also encouraged community members to take e Pledge to Support Student Veterans. By making this pledge,

the individual committed to helping student veterans by educating them about resources they may not be

aware of to help improve their college experience. e pledge taker a lso committed to helping student veterans

experience a better transition to college life.

Result: e website received a total of 3,311 views throughout the campaign and averaged 24 unique visitors

and 219 unique page views.

Tactic: Attend general meetings of on-campus student organizations to encourage members of the organizations

to take e Pledge to Support Student Veterans.

Result: e Bateman Blue Team attended general meetings of five Kent State student organizations. e team gave

a five-minute presentation to educate the members of these organizations on the needs of student veterans SVA.

Tactic: Lobby Kent State Undergraduate Student Government (USG) to pass a resolution supporting student veterans.

Result: e Bateman Blue Team collaborated with a senator-at-large from USG to create a proposal to support

student veterans. e resolution was unanimously passed by USG, albeit on March 30, 2016.

Strategy Two: Use guerrilla tactics to engage students, faculty, sta ff , and community members in face-to-face

promotion of SSVA.

Rationale: e Bateman Blue Team discovered many of those both on campus and in the community are unawareof what challenges and opportunities that student veterans deal with after returning from active duty.

Tactic: Pass out hotcards and brochures to traditional students and community members to encourage these

individuals to visit the SSVA website and social channels and take the pledge to support student veterans.

Result: e Bateman Blue Team tabled at the Kent State Student Center on six occasions and at one Kent State

men’s basketbal l game. e team also attended two diff erent special events on campus to pass out hotcards and

brochures. e team also spoke to a Kent State First Year Experience class to discuss SVA.

Strategy ree: Use online communication to generate awareness of GI Bill benefits among student veterans and

their families.

Rationale: e Bateman Blue Team discovered through research that many student veterans used Kent State’s

Center for Adult and Veteran’s Services to help them receive their GI Bill benefits. e team also learned many

student veterans had misconceptions about their GI Bill benefits and related issues.

Tactic: Create a video to increase awareness of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and how student veterans can receive their benefits.

Result: e Bateman Blue Team created a video that was posted on the SSVA website featuring an interview with Dawn

Plug, the VA certifier at Kent State. Plug addressed the unique GI Bill benefits student veterans can receive.



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Tactic: Create a video to be posted on the SSVA website featuring community members giving testimonials

about how and why they support student veterans.

Result: e video took a unique approach by showcasing community members who support student veterans

including significant others, Kent State faculty and sta ff , and university executives who support student

veterans. Interviewees were chal lenged to think of a way they support student veterans. Faculty and sta ff

members were asked how they identify student veterans and how they support them academically.

Evaluation: e team measured the success of this objective by monitoring how many pledges were received

throughout implementation. e objective was exceeded by 105.4 percent, as the team received a total of 527 pledges

by March 15, 2016

OBJECTIVE TWO: To inform 500 people in Portage County and the surrounding communities about SVA

and its benefits by March 15, 2016.

Strategy One: Create educational materials for Kent State students and the surrounding community to be

disseminated at events and meetings on and off campus.

Rationale: Research conducted by the Bateman Blue Team indicated that many student veterans and community

members were unaware of SVA. As a result, educational materials were distributed to increase awareness of the

organization among the university and community.

Tactic: Create an SSVA brochure with information about both the SSVA movement and SVA and what the

organization does for student veterans.

Result: e Bateman Blue Team passed out a brochure featuring information about SVA and the services it o ff ers

to students on campus and around the Portage County area throughout the implementation of the campaign.

Tactic: Educate students about SSVA through the creation of promotional materia ls.

Result: e Bateman Blue Team set up a booth on six diff erent occasions in the Kent State Student Center to

educate student veterans about SVA and its services. Educational materials were provided for students to take

with them and learn more about the organization.

Strategy Two: Inform Kent State students, faculty, and sta ff of the complex identities of student veterans using

online and social media communication.Rationale: Bateman Blue found in surveys that many students, faculty, and sta ff at Kent State University are

unaware of the unique concerns and problems that impact student veterans.

Tactic: Launch SSVA social media accounts across multiple platforms and create daily posts about the SSVA

movement and SVA.

Result: e Bateman Blue Team created Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube accounts and created posts

about the services SVA off ers and how SSVA can further support student veterans. e accounts also encouraged

followers to ask questions and address any concerns they may have regarding student veterans.

Evaluation: Success of this objective was measured by the pledge analytics, Facebook analyt ics using locations,

and counting face-to-face interactions to see how many people in the Portage County area were informed about

SVA. e Bateman Blue Team exceeded its objective of informing 500 people in the Portage County area by 135.8

percent, as 679 people were informed.

6



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-. 7

OBJECTIVE THREE: To create a more welcoming environment for Kent State student veterans and their

families by hosting two community events and implementing the “Kent Cares” program by March 15, 2016.

Strategy One: Inform students, faculty, and sta ff at Kent State University about the needs of student veterans using

online, social, and face-to-face communication.

Rationale: e Bateman Blue Team discovered many members of the Kent State community were aware of the

issues student veterans face, but they did not know how to help with these common problems.

Tactic: Create a program involving the assistance of local businesses to provide a more welcoming environmentfor Kent State student veterans.

Result: e Bateman Blue Team implemented the Kent Cares program. is program involved businesses in

downtown Kent committing to support student veterans by promising to create a veteran-friendly environment.

e businesses displayed a sticker on their building’s front window stating “Kent Cares: We Support Student

Veterans of America.” Six local businesses agreed to join the program.

Tactic: Create content to distribute to local media outlets to increase awareness of the Kent Cares program.

Result: e Bateman Blue Team developed a press release explaining the launch of the Kent Cares program and

sent it to local media outlets. e team was also interviewed by Kent State’s Her Campus and the Kent Stater to

produce articles.

Tactic: Hold an event at a local business where student veterans can receive a discount and enjoy a welcoming environment.

Result: e Bateman Blue Team coordinated an event with Tree City Coff ee & Pastry to launch the Kent Cares

program in downtown Kent, Ohio, on March 3, 2016 from 5-7 p.m. At this event, those with mil itary IDs

received a 20 percent discount on their purchases.

Strategy Two: Develop a continuing special event for student veterans to feel more included on campus.

Rationale: e Bateman Blue Team discovered a majority of Kent State student veterans were aware of practices that

other universities implemented to support student veterans and were disappointed Kent State did not incorporate

any of these initiatives.

Tactic: Implement a special student veterans seating section at Kent State athletic events.

Result: e team worked with Kent State Deputy Athletic Director Casey Cegles to create a special student

veteran seating section at Kent State football and men’s basketball games. Cegles was open to the idea and iscurrently working with the athlet ic department to implement this new section. However, the section was not

confirmed by March 15, 2016.

Strategy ree: Inform students, faculty, and sta ff at Kent State University about the needs of student veterans

using online, social, and face-to-face communication.

Rationale: e team discovered a majority of these individuals were uninformed about student veteran needs and

required more information to eliminate common misconceptions.

Tactic: Host a Twitter Chat to inform community members about SVA and the needs of student veterans.

Result: On March 7, from 9-10 p.m., 11 participants, including the five Bateman Blue Team members, hosted

a Twitter Chat and followed a long in a series of eight questions about the perceptions of student veterans. e

team also provided facts about SVA and information about how participants could take the pledge to support

student veterans.

Evaluation: e success of this objective was measured by observing if the team held at least two community

events and launched the Kent Cares program. e Combat to Campus campaign met its objective to create a more

welcoming community for student veterans by host ing two community events. e team held a Twitter Chat and

hosted a Happy Hour event at Tree City Coff ee & Pastry in Kent. e team also launched the Kent Cares program

and received pledges from six local businesses.



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-. A1

Budget



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

“I took the pledge because it is so important to actively show support in this time of

global turmoil for our soldiers, who are not just old and have done time, but for the

ones sitting next to us on the bus or in class.”

Olivia Mullen, Senator to the College of Arts and Sciences USG

Alyssa Rothstein, Engagement Associate of Hillel at Kent State

“I believe it’s extremely important to support

student veterans. I had a class with a student veteran last semester and he would

always tell me he wishes more students would treat him like a normal person. ey

need our support to improve their overall college experience.”

Johnathan Ryan, Student

“I took the pledge to support student veterans because after dating someone in themilitary I’ve witnessed the challenges student veterans face and we must give back

to those that have defended our freedom.”

Sarah Matthews, Secretary, College Republicans

“I took the pledge to support Student Veterans because they have laid so much on

the line for us. Not only as a country but for their families too. Fathers and mothers

leaving loved ones behind for our country to remain and walk in peace. ey have

paid a high price and to off er my support seems small in comparison but as we see

more and more vets homeless and begging on our st reets, I for one think educationis the way to go. I am in total support of our student vets!”

Beth Kaufman, Student Veteran Supporter

“Learning of the passing of one of my students at Hillel (Sonny), I

realized how important it is to show support to student veterans.”

Testimonials

A2



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-. A3

Recommendations

)2*/.'2 6.2.+"' J'4:?4.#.'2

During the Combat to Campus campaign, the Bateman Blue Team discovered the vast majority of student veteranson Kent State’s campus do not participate in extracurricular activities. e Kent State Veteran’s Club typical ly does

not see a large turnout for its general meetings

e Bateman Blue Team recommends Student Veterans of America capitalizes on the participation of family

members supporting student veterans in their college experience by incorporating messaging targeted toward family

and friends of student veterans. While it may take a village to raise a child, it takes a university to support a student

veteran. As a result, student veterans will be more inclined to take part in SVA initiatives and on-campus events.

D.'.+"?

Traditional students and student veterans come from diff

erent backgrounds and have lived through diff

erent lifeevents, which makes it difficult for student veterans to connect with most students on campus. rough research, the

Bateman Blue Team discovered that s tudent veterans have a diff erent orientation process than traditional students

and may miss some of the information crucial to helping students in the classroom.

1., R.55"&.5

Family and Friends

Many student veterans have families of their own, making it difficult to spend time outside of class on campus. It is

important to engage the family and friends of student veterans because they serve as the support group to student

veterans.

Student OrganizationsSome student veterans are involved in activities that have nothing to do with the military. Bateman Blue saw success

in reaching out to these groups and explaining to them the importance of sharing their “on-campus knowledge”

with student veterans. is was also a great opportunity to educate students who surround student veterans.

):8%"? R./%" !;"''.?5

e Bateman Blue Team has decided to keep the Supporters of Student Veterans’ social media channels open

because of the importance of the movement to continue past implementation.ese channels include a Facebook

page, Twitter account, Instagram account, and a website. Although the pages have not been updated since the end

of implementation (March 15), Bateman Blue hopes that continuing to keep the social channels open will encourage

community members to learn about how they can support student veterans.



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

I Support

Student V eterans

of A merica

--

> + + >

+ +

- 0

0 5 - 5-5

Sonny’s Story

;#*<-&8 =>"((8? >"(&(.+&'(

+

/ /7

/7

+ 5 5

/

5 +5 5 5++5 > 5 5 5> + + >

+ > B

5 5 5

5 5 + 5 F + 5 + 5

!"#$ 3$($" D#54"')5$A +/)$ ( ?"?-"' /. 5$) .(?5+A

5# H/4"?-"' IJKL M="# ;'(1,($" )$,1"#$N'(1+"A O3/##AP 3/#"#)$"5# 15"1B 3/#"#)$"5#M() ( )$,1"#$ 4"$"'(# M=/ )"'4"1 $5?" 5#$=" 05' Q/'6" (#1 M() ,)5#; =5) G/)$ RSKK TU

IJKVB 3/##A M() =5;=+A 5#4/+4"1 /# 6(?9,) 5#/';(#5W($5/#) ),6= () !"#$ &"$"'(#) *+,- (#1E5++"+ (#1 M() 5#$"'")$"1 5# "1,6($5#; )/65"$A

(-/,$ #,$'5$5/#B 3/##A 5) '"?"?-"'"1 ./' =5)/,$;/5#; (#1 .'5"#1+A 9"')/#(+5$A (#1 M() (.'5"#1 $/ "4"'A/#" M=/ C#"M =5?B E" M() (#(14/6($" ./' )$,1"#$ 4"$"'(#) (#1 $="5' TU N5++

I support SVA is dedicated in

sonny’s honor

!"# %"#& '()"#%*+'"( ,-&*.& /"(+*/+0

! #$%%&'( #($)*+( ,*(*'-+. &/ 01*'23- 4##,05

1++,022'.3,,"#+.4*56&&7-85/"%2/"(+*/+..4*9:%*'-5/"%

Resources for

student veterans

-

!"#$ &"$"'(#) *+,-

!"#$%&$' )*%# +,-%#./ 01,23.,#$/14,-%#.56,#$7,.8

!"#$%&$' 9"2: )3.,1/ ;%&84$* <.=32"1 >13.,156,#$7,.8

*"#$"' ./' 01,+$ 2 &"$"'(# 3"'456")7.."') &"$)8&"$) 3,99/'$ :""$5#;)

!"#$%&$' ?%-# 048@/ <2232$%#$ ?31,&$"1 %#. A<

&0 :"156(+ *"#$"')</6($5/#) 5# *=5++56/$="> *5#65##($5> *+"4"+(#1>*/+,?-,)> (#1 @(A$/#B

3&0 0C'/# *=(9$"'

06(1"?56 0145)5#;

D#54"')5$A E"(+$= 3"'456") F G)A6=/+/;56(+ 3"'456")

5 5 + 5 5+

5+ 5 5 B 5

5 55 5 5 U

B 5 + 5 + 55 5 +

5++ + 5 5 5 5

5 5 B 5 55 5 + +55 5 B

5 U 5++

S+:8;*+.5e Bateman Blue Team created a brochure to

educate students, faculty, and the surrounding

about the SSVA movement and SVA. e

brochure featured background information

about Bradley “Sonny” Sonenstein, a former

Kent State student veteran who passed by

suicide in November 2015. e campaign was

dedicated in his memory.

e brochure also featured information about

resources for student veterans on campus, the

SSVA movement, and SVA and the benefits it

provides for student veterans.

A5



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-. A11

Additional Tactics

Supporters of Student Veterans of America Websitee Bateman Blue Team created an interactive website for the SSVA movement.e website was designed to educate

students, faculty members, and community members about SSVA and SVA benefits and services. rough the use

of seven diff erent tabs at the top of the website, viewers were provided with a clear vision of diff erent topics the

Bateman Blue Team found important to educate student veterans and supporters alike. e website features the

pledge to support student veterans, a series of videos educating visitors about issues student veterans face such, and

the local businesses that agreed to participate in the Kent Cares program.

One section of the SSVA website features information about the Post-9/11 GI Bil l. is was a topic the Bateman

Blue Team discovered through research that students, faculty members, and community members were uneducated

about. is section of the website provides background information on how the bill was created, how student

veterans can determine their eligibility, and how they can properly take advantage of the benefits.

e website was created as a source of information to viewers while providing contact information and links to the

SSVA social media outlets. On-campus resources specific to Kent State University are available on the website and

social media platforms are listed for SVA as well.



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-. A12

Kent Cares Launch

e Bateman Blue Team launched the Kent Cares program at Tree City Coff ee & Pastry in downtown Kent, Ohio

on March 3, 2016 from 5-7 p.m. At this event, student veterans who presented their military ID received a 20

percent discount on their purchases.

e Kent Cares program was launched to create a more welcoming environment in the downtown Kent area for

student veterans. e Bateman Blue Team visited several businesses in the area and gave managers a letter explaining

the program and why their business should support student veterans. A sticker was also given to these individuals, as

they were encouraged to place the st icker on the front window of their building.

As of March 15, 2016, six Kent businesses agree to join the program. ese businesses were: Guy’s Pizza, Rise &

Shine Cafe, Grazers, Wild Earth Outfitters, Twisted Meltz, and Dave’s Cosmic Subs.



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Secondary Research

!?%.'2 @%52:+,Student Veterans of America (SVA) is a non-profit organization founded in 2008 to address the needs and concerns

of American mil itary veterans in higher education. After troops began arriving home from Operation EnduringFreedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, veterans were in need of proper support services for higher education and

a better understanding of their GI Bill benefits. SVA’s main focus is on post-9/11 veterans and providing them

with information on their GI Bill benefits. rough the support

of the SVA organizat ion and with the assistance of success stories

and social media capabilities, student veterans were able to start

on-campus chapters. Since SVA’s founding, more than 1.2 mil lion

veterans have been able to come home and use their GI Bill

educational benefits to pursue a postsecondary degree or certificate.

While many other veterans support organizations exist, SVA strives

to create unique experiences for participants including national

conferences, community outreach, and professional networkingopportunities. Today, SVA features over 1,200 chapter a ffiliates

with more than 440,000 members, various non-profit and private

partners, and an increasing amount of programs and services for

veterans. According to SVA, approximately 15 new chapters open on

college campuses across the country every month.

D.'.+"? B4.+4%.LSVA has envisioned a nation where student veterans succeed in higher education and are able to contribute to society

in a significant manner since its inception. SVA has provided resources and support to execute five major initiatives.

ese initiatives are intended to bring veterans closer to their degrees, yet there is little data found about student

veterans’ academic performance, according to the SVA website. SVA has invested in research to fill the void and

boast student veteran success through the Mil lion Records Project. SVA has fulfilled a commitment to support

chapters through educational workshops, grants, and networking opportunities aimed to facil itate development

of student veteran organizations. SVA believes that a significant component to chapter work is advocating campus

programming and assistance.

Nationally, SVA’s vigorous eff orts make certain that in-state tuition is not only supportive for veterans in their

transition to civilian life and higher education, but also for those touched by military service such as spouses and

children of veterans. To best serve this la rge community, SVA has developed partnerships with other organizations to

provide scholarships, mentorships, employment, and benefits counseling. SVA’s support continues beyond graduation

and into each student veterans’ transition into the workplace. Currently, SVA is developing a networking program

that will connect alumni veterans with even more professional opportunities following graduation.

EC;. '"2%:'V5 +.'.L./ G:8*5

:' 4.2.+"' L.?G"+. ;"5 %&'%2./8;"'&. :' 8"#$*5.5 "'/ %'

8:'&+.55M )6- %5 8:##%22./

2: 8"$%2"?%K%'& :' 2;%5#:#.'2*# 2: .'5*+. 2:/",V5

"'/ 2:#:++:LV5 4.2.+"'5 "+.5*$$:+2./ %' 2;.%+ 2+"'5%2%:' 2:./*8"2%:' "'/ .#$?:,#.'2MN

)6- L.U5%2.

A16



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

WM A.5."+8;Million Records Project

e Million Records Project was created by SVA in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veteran A ff airs (VA)

and the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC).e main purpose for the creation of the project was to gain a

better understanding of student veterans’ graduation rates. SVA also created this program to discover the best

practices for publicizing the academic accomplishments of student veterans. e research program provides data that

anyone from policy makers to community members can use to support student veterans. Prior to the implementationof the Million Records Project, a number of key weaknesses existed in ongoing federal databases and student veteran

surveys taken national ly, according to a report on the project by SVA.

According to SVA’s extensive report on the Mil lion Records Project, the organization gathered 500,000 records

of student veterans who initially used their Montgomery GI Bill benefits between 2002 and 2010 from the VA.

Another 500,000 records were gathered for those who used their Post-9/11 GI Bil l benefits from 2009 to 2010. SVA

also collected data from the NSC to gather accurate information on higher education program completion rates

among student veterans. By using institutional records, SVA reduced response error and common survey weaknesses.

e project focuses on five vital indicators of the postsecondary academic performance of student veterans:

postsecondary completion, completion of associate degree, completion of baccalaureate degree, initial degree level,

and highest level of education.

Project Results

SVA discovered a number of key results thanks to the eff orts of this project. Studies showed that a majority of

student veterans graduate higher education with a degree within four or five years, much like t raditional students.

Below are some other key findings of the project, gathered from Mill ion Records Project: Research from Student

Veterans of America.

• 51.7 percent of the student veterans sampled earned a postsecondary degree or certificate.

• 79.2 percent were enrolled in a public institution. Another 10.7 percent were in private nonprofit institutions,

and 10.1 percent were enrolled in proprietary schools.

• Of those who completed their schooling, 89.7 percent of the student veterans sampled initially earned degrees at

an associate level or higher.• 31.3 percent of the sample who initially earned a vocational degree, 35.8 percent who initially earned an

associate’s degree, and 20.8 percent who initially earned a bachelor’s degree returned to school to earn a higher-

level degree.

• e majority of degrees earned were in public service, business, science, engineering, and health.

Prior to the creation of the Million Records Project, there had not been a program in place to discover the academic

outcomes and progress of student veterans. e project has allowed key decision makers to use data from the report

to drive judgment about how to eff ectively support student veterans. It has also provided SVA and other veterans’

service organizations, including e American Legion, the National Veterans Foundation, and Veterans of Foreign

Wars (VFW), with new data and other information to better promote on behalf of their organization members.

A17



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

XM -/4:8"8,Leadership Institute Series

SVA off ers a leadership institute series, consisting of an annual leadership event and smaller local summits to bring

emerging chapter leaders together for leadership training, according to the SVA website. is training is aimed to

strengthen the core of SVA. Leaders from any SVA chapter are eligible to apply to attend the institute. According to

the SVA website, attendees will be selected based on a number of criteria to ensure that the diversity of SVA’s chapter

network is reflected at the event. e Local Leadership Summits have been regionally focused to teach the strategicplanning process. Multiple attendees from each campus chapter were encouraged to attend, due to content being

geared more toward group work.

Because of SVA’s contribution of travel expenses for attendees, space at the SVA Leadership Institute is extremely

limited and therefore the event is by invitation only. SVA has targeted this event to be more exclusive in order to

maintain the best value for their expense and leave sponsors impressed with those chosen. Chapter leaders wishing

to attend this al l-expenses-paid program must submit an application, and invitees wil l be selected from the pool of

applicants to build a wel l-rounded audience.

Student veteran leaders from any of SVA’s 1,200-plus chapters are eligible to apply to attend the institute. Attendees

wil l be selected based on a number of criterions to ensure the diversity of SVA’s chapter network is reflected at the

event. e institute aims to bring student veterans from various forms of institutions of higher education including

well-established and newly created chapters from large and small schools in various regions of the country. General

Dynamics, a global aerospace and defense company, will sponsor the 2016 institute. e event will take place

October 16-18 at the Gulfstream Aerospace Facil ity in Savannah, Ga.

YM !;"$2.+ )*$$:+2Chapter Success Manual

SVA has provided chapter support by creating three diff erent types of chapter materials. e SVA Chapter Success

Manual is a collection of information from the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University,

SVA, other student veterans organizations, and individual SVA campus chapters.e manual was designed to help

create SVA chapters on campus as well as to expand already existing chapters. e Chapter Fundraising Guide

summarizes SVA’s implementation for fundraising at a chapter position. SVA also partnered with Reingold, abusiness management consulting firm, to provide outreach materials with registered chapters. According to SVA’s

website, with permission, these outreach materia ls can be distributed via multiple plat forms and customized to

promote individual chapters.

ZM -?*#'% A.?"2%:'5Making Connections

SVA recognizes the importance of student veterans connecting with local student veteran alumni. SVA was created

through the concept of having chapters create a professional network allowing student veterans to connect with

alumni. is platform is designed for mentorship, employment opportunities, and social networking, according to

the SVA website. By 2018, 63 percent of job openings will require employees to have higher education, according to

the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. SVA chapters are encouraged to build connections with professional a lumni to

bridge this gap between higher education and job opportunities. SVA also encourages building relations with andhaving the support of alumni when asking for financial assistance from each university’s alumni relations program

for the SVA National Conference.

A18



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

[M )2+"2.&%8 P"+2'.+5;%$5Student Veteran Success Corps

SVA has key partners committed to generating the success of student veterans. SVA has gained corporate sponsors

through SVA’s Student Veteran Success Corps (SVSC), a coalition acknowledging that student veteran success starts

with postsecondary education. ree of the main SVSC corporate sponsors are Google, Microsoft, and PNC Bank.

SVSC members have made a commitment to target SVA chapters providing employment opportunities for student

veterans. SVA also has foundation founders who donate grants and scholarships toward SVA’s mission and servicesfor student veterans. e Home Depot Foundation and e Ahmanson Foundation are two of the top foundation

funders, according to the SVA website.

P:52\]^WW DJ S%?? With the rise of student veteran organizat ions throughout the nation, groups began to support one another and

formalize the creation of SVA as one organization. Six months after the creation of SVA, President George W. Bush

signed the Post-9/11 GI Bill into law. e Post-9/11 GI Bill has a llowed student veterans to resume their education,

provided financial support towards tuition and living costs, and also granted the opportunity for veterans to transfer

these benefits to spouses or children, according to Military.com.

e Post-9/11 GI Bill provides student veterans with up to 36 months of education benefi

ts.

ese benefi

ts arepayable for 15 years following a veterans release from active duty. To receive these benefits, a veteran must have

served on active duty for 90 or more days following Sept. 11, 2001. Veterans are also el igible if they have been

honorably discharged or have been diagnosed with a service-connected disability. e passing of the Post-9/11 GI

Bill expanded federal tuition support for student veterans and also included support for non-tuition expenses to help

reflect the expanding costs of higher education, according to Military.com.

Benefits under the new Post-9/11 GI Bill must be used for programs off ered by schools in the U.S. that are

sanctioned to allocate an associate’s degree or higher. e GI Bill also off ers payment options for housing, books, and

supplies. Student veterans are eligible for up to $1,000 for books and supplies. Housing allowance is based on the

ZIP code of the school that the veteran is enrolled. e allowance is based on a monthly stipend averaging $1,566,

but can exceed $2,700 depending on the school location. Veterans taking 100 percent online courses are eligible for

a monthly housing stipend of $783. SVA has continued to encourage those utilizing Post- 9/11 GI Bill benefits toseek degrees in higher demanded fields like science to Veterans are also eligible to transfer their GI Bill benefits to

their children or spouses, according to Military.com.

)2*/.'2 6.2.+"' )*88.55 !:+$5SVA has key partners committed to generating the success of student veterans. SVA has gained corporate sponsors

through SVA’s Student Veteran Success Corps (SVSC), a coalition acknowledging that student veteran success starts

with postsecondary education. ree of the main SVSC corporate sponsors are Google, Microsoft, and PNC Bank.

SVSC members have made a commitment to target SVA chapters providing employment opportunities for student

veterans. SVA also has foundation founders who donate grants and scholarships toward SVA’s mission and services

for student veterans. e Home Depot Foundation and e Ahmanson Foundation are two of the top foundation

funders, according to the SVA website.

A19



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

1.'2 )2"2. 3'%4.+5%2,Full-time enrollment: 30,067 (Fall 2015)

450 student veterans (Fall 2015)

1.'2 )2"2. )2*/.'2 6.2.+"'5V >"2"Kent State has been named a Military-Friendly school for seven consecutive

years. e rating comes from Victory Media, a national publisher focusing on

veterans re-entering the workforce post-combat. Within a Military Friendly®

school, they request additional proprietary data to establi sh an institution’s

eff ort specifically on behalf on military families and veterans. e list of

Military Friendly schools are then compiled through an annual data-driven

survey that a llows more than 10,000 schools to have a chance to be given the

title of a Military Friendly school. Schools that take the survey are held to

a higher standard through improved methodology, criteria, and weightings

developed with the assistance of an advisory board.

Source: Joshua Rider, Director, Kent State Center for Adult and Veteran Services

1.'2 )2"2. 3'%4.+5%2,< "2

2;. 52"+2 :G 2;. )$+%'& X_WY5.#.52.+< ;"/ " 2:2"? :G ]]X

DJ S%?? +.8%$%.'25 .'+:??./

%' 8?"55.5 "8+:55 %25 .%&;28"#$*5.5M C;%5 .'+:??#.'2

'*#U.+ %'8+."5./ 2: W<_X_

52*/.'25 %' Q"?? X_WY< U*2

/.8+."5./ 2: ]Y ̀52*/.'252;. G:??:L%'& 5$+%'& 5.#.52.+M

A23



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Source: Joshua Rider, Director, Kent State Center for Adult and Veteran Services

A24



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

P:52\C+"*#"2%8 )2+.55 >%5:+/.+ "'/ 2;. ES+:9.' 6.2.+"'N Another goal of the SVA organization is to eliminate the common misconception of the “Broken Veteran.” SVA

achieves this goa l by helping tell the general public about the diverse paths and extensive success stories of hundreds

of student veterans across the country.

1.'2 )2"2. 6.2.+"'5 P+:&+"#5Kent State has consistently been recognized as one of the top universities in

the nation for embracing student veterans. G.I. Jobs Magazine has recognized

Kent State as a military-friendly school for the last seven years. e university

off ers a variety of programs and services to student veterans. Programs and

services off ered include:

1.'2 )2"2. 6.2.+"'5 !?*Ue Kent State Veterans Club is a student-run organization consisting of

veterans who attend Kent State’s main campus. e club is mainly focused

on social activities for student veterans and hosts a number of diff erent

fundraisers and other events to raise money for veterans in need and to give

student veterans a place to come together and share their college and militaryexperiences. e club meets weekly to discuss upcoming events and the club’s

future direction.

!.'2.+ G:+ -/*?2 a 6.2.+"' ).+4%8.5e Kent State Center for Adult & Veteran Services (CAVS) provides a

number of services to student veterans on the Kent State campus. e center

helps address a number of pre-admission concerns including career guidance,

where to look for financial support through GI Bill benefits, how to eff ectively manage time and classwork, and

child care concerns. e center is also where student veterans can go to become VA certified in order to receive their

full GI Bill benefits.

)%#%?"+ !"5.5e Ohio State University

e Ohio State University (OSU) off ers faculty and sta ff members “Veterans On Campus Training.” Faculty

and sta ff members are given the opportunity to talk with three virtual student veterans in an online 30-minute

interactive simulation designed to help educators identify, approach, and provide resources to student veterans i f

needed. e goal of this training is to provide sta ff members the opportunity to learn more about the unique identity

features of student veterans. e program challenges faculty members to think of the unique needs associated with

these student veterans and to explain the scope of student veteran relations with the university.

e University of Texas at Austin

e University of Texas at Austin (UT) provides information to faculty and sta ff on the difficulties student veterans face

including symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and social adjustment problems. e university notes these student

veterans are “highly resilient” to support from teachers. UT reports that as these students return or arrive at school, they

experience additional adversity and frustration as they adjust to the stress and demands of higher education.

-88:+/%'& 2: C;.P:52 C+"*#"2%8 )2+.55

>%5:+/.+ Q:*'/"2%:' :G-#.+%8"< :'. %' .4.+,

2;+.. +.2*+'%'& 4.2.+"'5

5*GG.+5 G+:# PC)>M@:L.4.+< " #"b:+%2, :G

4.2.+"'5 /: ':2 5*GG.+

G+:# 2;. /%5:+/.+ "'/+.2*+' 2: ?%4. " 2,$%8"?

8%4%?%"' ?%G.M

A25



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Sources

http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp

https://du1ux2871uqvu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/ files/file/Kent%20Campus%20-%20Fall%2015.pdf

http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/history.asp

http://studentveterans.org/http://www.military.com/education/gi-bill/new-post-911-gi-bill-overview.html

http://www.cnbc.com/2014/11/14/top-10-charities-that-support-veterans.html?slide=11

https://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Documents/Military-Service-Members-and-Veterans-in-Higher-Education.pdf

http://cmhc.utexas.edu/veterans.html

http://cmhc.utexas.edu/sta ff veterans.html

https://www.fisherhouse.org/

https://www.kent.edu/csi/student-organizations/veterans-club

http://veterans.osu.edu/faculty-and-sta ff /veterans-on-campus-training/

http://studentveterans.org/index.php/chapter/feat-chap/490-january-cal ifornia-state-university-northridge

http://www.hopeforthewarriors.org/

http://www.thanksusa.org/

http://www.nmcrs.org/http://www.kent.edu/cavs

http://studentveterans.org/images/Reingold_Materials/mrp/download-materials/mrp_Full_report.pdf

http://studentveterans.org/index.php/aboutus/what-we-do/million-records-project

http://www.wksu.org/

http://www.recordpub.com/

http://www.ohio.com/

https://www.kent.edu/hr/veterans-job-fair

http://www.kent.edu/psych

http://studentveterans.org/index.php/partner-sponsors

http://studentveterans.org/index.php/chapter/chapter-success-manual

http://ptsdusa.org/

A27



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Primary Research

)2*/.'2 6.2.+"'5 B'?%'. )*+4., A total of 115 Kent State student veterans completed an online benchmark survey created by the Bateman Blue

Team. e following are some key results from the survey:

A diverse group of student veterans completed the survey, with part icipants f rom the Army, Navy, Marines, Air

Force, Coast Guard, ROTC, and National Guard represented.

Participants identified financial assistance, psychological services, and career guidance as their top specific needs

as a student veteran. Of those surveyed, the most common on-campus resources used were Kent State’s Center for

Adults & Veteran Services (14) and Kent State’s various tutoring services (8).

One hundred and twelve of those who took the survey identified that they were aware of their GI Bill benefits. ree

participants identified they were not aware. One hundred and eight of the respondents indicated they use their

benefits, while seven student veterans said they do not use their benefits for school. However, of those surveyed who

indicated they use their GI Bill benefits, 79 percent used the Post-9/11 GI Bill, while 21 percent used a diff erent

form of the bill for education benefits.

Twenty-nine of the 115 student veterans who completed the survey indicated they face or faced problems

transitioning from the military to the classroom. e most common issues identified were adjusting to a slower pace

of life, relating to younger, traditional students, and time management.

e college majors of those surveyed were extremely varied. However, the most common majors identified wererelated to aeronautics, psychology, or science. e Bateman Blue Team has included a word cloud of majors listed to

identify the most prominent answers.

Ninety-one of the student veterans surveyed indicated they were not aware of SVA. Twenty-four participants

indicated they had heard of the organization. When asked how they discovered SVA, those surveyed listed word-of-

A28

Navy (13.89%)

Army (30.56%)

Al l Others (6.48%)

National Guard

(18.52%)

Marines (12.96%)

Air Force (17.59%)



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

C+"/%2%:'"? !:??.&. )2*/.'25 Q:8*5 D+:*$5

On Jan. 21, 2016 Bateman Blue Team held a focus group with seven traditional Kent State students. e team held

another focus group with two traditional students on Feb. 11, 206 e team recruited full-time students who began

college immediately after high school and lived on or near campus.

Focus Group 1 Distribution84 percent female

16 percent male

Focus Group 2 Distribution

100 percent male

Kent State gender distribution (according to U.S. News & World Report, 2016)

40.9 percent male

59.1 percent female

Key Takeaways

• Participants were confused about the true definition of a student veteran.

• ose interviewed believed most student veterans have a hard time adjusting to

campus life.

• Of the seven participants, only two students knew a student veteran.

• All participants indicated they believe a support group consisting of college students and community

members would be helpful for student veterans.

• Participants did not have an accurate understanding of how student veterans receive their GI Bill benefits.

• Student participants indicated they did not feel they could provide help or support of any kind to student

veterans because they were unaware of military experiences.

• However, they said they would be able to provide support if they were more educated about student

veterans and their experiences and needs.

• All participants were unaware of any on or off

-campus student veteran organizations.• When asked how they would prefer to become more informed of student veterans and their needs,

participants suggested implementing information about these individuals in freshman-level courses, such as

Kent State’s “First Year Experience” course, which is required for al l incoming freshman students.

• Participants concluded PTSD is situational and not all student veterans have the disorder.

• Participants said they were concerned about the potential time commitment involved in joining a student

veterans support group.

• Most participants stated they believe student veterans are the same as traditional students and do now show

any glaring characteristic diff erences.

Key Quotes

• “(Student veterans) are people too. ey’re similar to us.”

• “We just came out of high school, and we come here (to Kent State) and don’t realize what they’ve (studentveterans) been through.”

A31

Quote from focus

group participant



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

J'2.+4%.L5 L%2; )2*/.'2 6.2.+"'5

Ryan Lewand, U.S. Navy, age 24, Senior, Criminology and Justice Major,

Dec. 9, 2015

e Bateman Blue Team met with student veteran Ryan Lewand to gain a better understanding of his experience at

Kent State and to learn about his needs as a student. Lewand is the current president of the Kent State Veterans Club.

He said the club is seen as a source of community for student veterans

who are struggling on campus. However, the club averages just between

five to 10 members attending each weekly meeting. Lewand is currently a

member of the military reserve, and he said many other student veterans

join the reserve to receive extra compensation from the government.

Lewand also mentioned he was frustrated by the fact that student

veterans who are planning to take summer courses cannot review

which courses wil l be off ered until the spring semester has started. He

indicated this often makes it difficult for student veterans to map out

the remaining classes they need to take to graduate on time while they

are still receiving their GI Bill benefi

ts. When asked about taking thesesummer courses, Lewand said veterans receive expense funds from

the government to cover rent costs while enrolled in classe s. e only

stipulation is housing funds are only available to students if they are currently enrolled in classes, which is why many

student veterans take courses during the summer.

Patrick Persinger, U.S. Army, age 27, Senior, Nursing Major,

Dec. 9, 2015

When the Bateman Blue Team asked Persinger about his struggles transitioning to col lege, he mentioned he was

frustrated when he learned he would have to take freshman-level courses because he could not relate to traditional

freshmen students. Persinger also mentioned he experienced a lapse in time with reimbursement checks with the

university. He then mentioned he was disenrolled from the university for failing to prove he was a student veteran on

campus, and the university did not process his GI Bill benefits. However, Persinger indicated his professors were verysupportive of his needs, which helped improve his experience as a student veteran.

Finally, Persinger explained to the Bateman Blue Team that GI Bill benefits are counted only toward days when

student veterans are actually in class. Weekends, holidays, and school breaks do not contribute toward a student’s

36 months of benefits. is allowed the team to gain a better understanding of the process to inform other student

veterans and their fami lies who may not be aware of this fact.

F.L"'/ #.'2%:'./

;. G..?5 %5:?"2./ G+:#8"#$*5 "82%4%2%.5M @. "?5:

#.'2%:'./ ;. G..?5 ;.8"'':2 +.?"2. 2: 2+"/%2%:'"?

52*/.'25< L;: "+. #*8;

,:*'&.+ 2;"' ;.M

A32



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Brandon Curby, U.S. Army, age 24, Former Aeronautics Major,

Dec. 9, 2015

When asked about the problems he faced transitioning to col lege, Curby also mentioned he had trouble connecting

with traditional students, much like the other student veterans interviewed by the team. He also mentioned most

Kent State student veterans have a sour relationship with ROTC students and do not connect with them.

Curby said student veterans receive first priority for scheduling, as they schedule before both Honors and Student Accessibility Services students. He a lso mentioned student veterans are given transfer student status and are not able

to participate in “welcome weekend” activities at Kent State such as the annual “Blastoff ” event held the day before

the fal l semester. As a result, these student veterans do not have an opportunity to attend the event and find out

about student organizat ions and other services they can use during their time at the university.

Curby is not currently a student at Kent State, but he says he plans to return to the university and continue to use his

GI Bill benefits at some point.

Zachary Freeland, U.S. Army, age 27, Senior, Political Science Major,

Jan. 30, 2016

e Bateman Blue Team met with student veteran Zachary Freeland to gain insight on his experience as a student

veteran and his needs. Freeland said he uses the Kent State Center for Adult and Veterans services on a weekly basis.

Freeland indicated that he felt there are several resources on Kent State’s campus for student veterans, but accessing

those resources can be difficult.

When asked how his experience has been at Kent State, Freeland said he felt it was hard to relate to traditional

students because the military forced him to “grow up” while other students may not have faced the same experience

in their lives. Freeland was unaware of any student veterans’ organizations on Kent State’s campus. When asked

about his experience with Kent State faculty members, Freeland said he believed it would be beneficial for Kent State

professors to attend a workshop to learn more about how to deal with student veterans both in class and out.

Nathan Kitts, U.S. Coast Guard, age 26, Senior,

Religious Studies and Flight Studies Major,Feb. 2, 2016

When asked about his mil itary experience, Kitts said he does not associate

himself with the military any longer. As a result, he said he does not

understand why student veterans hold on to their military identity.

Kitts mentioned he had an issue with the VA mixing up his first and middle

name on the paperwork. As a result, Kent State was not able to issue him his

payments for his tuition. He also had an issue when the Coast Guard did not

forward his DD214, which is a certificate of release from active duty to the

VA, to the university. He was then forced to take out a student loan because

he was not eligible to receive his GI Bill benefits in time for the start of the

Fall 2015 semester.

1%225 #.'2%:'./ ;%52+"'5%2%:' U"89 %'2:

58;::? "G2.+ ':2 U.%'&.'+:??./ G:+ 5%0 ,."+5

L"5 ;"+/ 2: +.8:''.82L%2; ,:*'&.+< 2+"/%2%:'"?

52*/.'25M

A33



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

1., Q%'/%'& G+:# )2*/.'2 6.2.+"'5 J'2.+4%.L5• Student veterans have a difficult time relating to traditional students on campus, especially to freshmen in

their introductory classes.

• Student veterans interviewed were not interested in Kent State’s main campus gaining an SVA chapter

because they felt the services provided by the Kent State Center for Adult & Veterans Services and the Kent

State Veterans Club covered their needs.

• National Guard, ROTC members, and reserve officers are involved in student veteran initiatives on campus.• e Kent State Veterans Club suff ers from a low participation rate and a lack of awareness from student veterans.

• All student veterans interviewed were aware of their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

• Each student veteran interviewed indicated they were not aware of SVA and its services.

• e student veterans interviewed said they feel many traditional students believe they suff er from PTSD.

J'2.+4%.L5 L%2; !:##*'%2, 6.2.+"'5 At Kent State’s annua l Veterans Day ceremony, “Vets on the Green,” on Nov. 10, 2015, the Bateman Blue Team

spoke to two community veterans as well as a member of the Kent State ROTC program. One of the veterans the

team spoke with was a sta ff member at Kent State, the other was a veteran from the Portage County area, and the

ROTC member was a student. All three were unaware of SVA and its services. After the team described SVA and its

main goals , the two veterans indicated they would be interested in being a part of SVA.

e member of ROTC feltthat she would not take advantage of SVA because she indicated she does not consider herself to be a student veteran.

J'2.+4%.L5 L%2; 1.'2 )2"2. Q"8*?2, a )2"GG

Joshua Rider, Director, Kent State Center for Adult & Veteran Services

e Bateman Blue Team met with Joshua Rider, the director of CAVS on Dec. 4, 2015. Rider informed the

team of the Kent State Veterans Club, a student veteran organization founded in 1944. According to Rider, Kent

State student veterans have a 51 percent four-year graduation rate. is is much higher than the average national

graduation rate of 40 percent.

Rider informed the team that the Kent State Veterans Club aims to improve the graduation rates of student veterans

and works with new veterans on campus. According to Rider, the largest misconception in the campus communityabout student veterans is that many of them suff er from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He said the amount

of student veterans who are diagnosed with the disorder is overplayed and misunderstood by traditional students.

Rider said the majority of Kent State student veterans are married with chi ldren. He indicated family responsibility

is often underplayed when individuals think of the average veteran. Student veterans feel an on-campus support

system is missing for them because veterans face an unstructured environment in college.

Rider also presented the Bateman Blue Team with data about past and present Kent State student veterans. e data

provided from Rider showed the average age of a Kent State student veteran is 24. Members of the Reserve Officers’

Training Corps (ROTC) members are considered veterans if they have been enlisted.

Kent State previously had a group called Students Supporting Active Military Personnel (SSMP). is groupregularly held socia l events and conducted fundraisers in conjunction with the Kent State Veterans Club. According

to Rider, the majority of Kent State student veterans declare majors related to their past service in the mil itary.

ese majors include justice studies, nursing, and aeronautics. Rider said student veterans will typically switch to a

business-related major after one or two years of taking classes.

A34



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

According to Rider, under the Post-9/11 GI Bil l, student veterans are a lways considered in-state students by public

institutions. Rider said private institutions have a set rate for student veteran GI Bill recipients. One in every five

Kent State GI Bill recipients is dependent on a veteran.

One common issue Rider has found during his time at Kent State is that a large amount of student veterans indicate

they have trouble feeling they belong on campus and that they do not connect with traditional students. Many

student veterans experience trouble in core classes such as English and mathematics because of the lapse in time theyhave experienced since completing similar classes in high school. ese student veterans require additional tutoring

and academic support, especially in mathematics courses. R ider said it is hard to convince student veterans to go and

seek additional help because they are hesitant to work to with Kent State’s Student Accessibility Services (SAS).

Dawn Plug, Assistant Director and VA Certifying Official, Kent State Center for Adult & Veteran Services

(CAVS), Dec. 10, 2015

e Bateman Blue Team met with Dawn Plug to learn more about her daily work with student veterans and gain

a better understanding of how student veterans receive financial aid. Plug sa id student veterans tend to be more

reserved and do not reach out for additional help or clarification from their professors. According to Plug, every

school is required to have a VA certifier. e VA certifier is the contact person when a student veteran or a dependent

is having issues with their GI Bill benefits. Plug also told the team she is the professional adviser for Kent State’s

Veterans Club.

Plug mentioned Kent State is currently considering bringing an American Legion post to the campus.

However, she said she was hesitant of this idea due to low participation rates among Kent State student

veterans for ex ist ing veterans services organizations on campus such as the Kent State Veterans Club.

According to Plug, a majority of current Kent State student veterans chose to serve in the military only to receive their GI

Bill benefits, and she indicated they are not very enthusiastic about getting involved with any on-campus organizations. As

a result, she said the Veterans Club only averages five members in attendance for each weekly meeting.

Dr. Carrie Berta, Kent State University Psychological Services, Jan. 29, 2016

e Bateman Blue Team met with Kent State Psychological Services to gain a better understanding of the complexnature of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues associated with student veterans.

Dr. Berta is a psychologist who previously advised a student organization consisted of individuals who were

interested in supporting loved ones who were deployed in the military from 2010-2011. e students who initially

created the organization with Berta felt isolated because other students did not identify with the loneliness they felt.

ey wanted to create a community support group for other students who were struggling with loved ones overseas.

According to Berta, the group was made up entirely of women.

Berta also reinforced that there is a major disconnect between student veterans and traditional students. Berta said

many individuals develop a perception of the “broken veteran” because of dramatization in the media. e public

has developed this notion from the media that every veteran returns to civilian life and is diagnosed with PTSD.

Other common misconceptions about veterans are that these individuals are at a high-risk for suicide, have strained

relationships with others, struggle to receive healthcare, or are generally impaired in some other way. Berta alsodiscussed the difficulties due to the lateness of GI Bil l payments toward a student veterans’ book stipend. As a result

of these late payments, many student veterans are not able to purchase their books on time prior to the semester.

A35



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

J'2.+4%.L5 L%2; )2*/.'2 6.2.+"'5V Q"#%?, R.#U.+5

Amy Bryan, Mother and Wife of Air Nat ional Guard Sold iers, Jan. 29, 2016

Amy Bryan sa id she felt as though many military members wi ll work four to six years and save their GI Bill benefits

until after their service in order to avoid difficulties with classes and duty. Bryan said when students join the regular

military, they can take classes through the College of the Air Force or a local college. However, she said if they are

deployed mid-semester, they wil l have to restart the class.

Bryan’s son, Garrick, who attends e Ohio State University, believes there is a small living lea rning community

there, but feels it was dedicated to servicemen who may have PTSD. Bryan feels that many student veterans who

have seen combat may face PTSD.

Bryan also sa id the Ohio National Guard pays for eight semesters of schooling, and she feels her son is discouraged

by the possibility of not being able to graduate on time. Bryan indicated she believes many student veterans will need

psychological services upon returning to civilian life due to their experiences overseas. She also indicated she believes

the biggest benefit the National Guard has given her son has been leaving him debt-free.

A36



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Obstacles

Obstacle One: e team discovered student veterans often had limited availability outside of their academic

schedules, discouraging the eff orts of interaction.

Opportunity :

e Bateman Blue Team found value in working with the student veterans’ availability and focusingon those who support them. e team was able to create and maintain two-way communication with student

veterans to increase awareness of their GI Bill benefits and SVA.

Obstacle Two: e team discovered a portion of Kent State student veterans no longer had interest in

associating with the military itself or military organizations on and off campus. As a result, they were not

interested in learning about SVA or joining any of these organizations.

Opportunity : By informing these student veterans about SVA and its benefits, they may be more inclined to attend

events the organization holds or apply for its scholarships.

A37



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Survey Questions

Student Veterans Survey Questions

1. Do you consider yourself a student veteran?

2. What i s your class standing? (Total number of credit hours in parentheses)3. Which branch did you serve in? (Select all that apply)

• Army

• Navy

• Air Force

• Marine Corps

• Air Force

• Coast Guard

• ROTC

• National Guard

4. What is your major?

5. Are you currently involved with any veteran organizat ions/clubs on campus?

• Yes (Please specify)• No

• No, but I am interested in becoming involved

6. Are you a dues-paying member of the Kent State Veterans Club?

7. Did you have any difficulties transitioning to college? If so, please explain.

8. Are you aware of your GI Bill benefits?

9. Do you access GI Bill benefits?

10. If yes, is it the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

11. Why do you or do you not participate in veterans organizations?

12. Would you find a support group consisted of members of the surrounding community a imed to help student

veterans meet their needs useful? Why or why not?

13. Do you use the U.S. Department of Veteran A ff airs for your healthcare needs?

14. What specific needs do you have as a student veteran?• Academic Support

• Psychological services and counseling

• Community support

• Financial assistance

• Transitioning from military to college

• Career guidance

• Healthcare needs

• Additional resources (please specify)

15. What specific on-campus resources do you use for assistance? Please list all.

16. Are you aware of SVA?

17. If so, how did you find out about it?

A38



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Community Member Online Survey Questions

1. Which best describes you?

• High school student

• College student

• Non-working adult

• Working adult

• Retired2. What i s your gender?

3. What is your age?

4. Where are you from? (City and State)

5. Are you related to a veteran?

6. Are you a veteran?

7. Do you know a veteran of the military?

8. Are they currently taking classes as a student?

9. What do you think are some specific needs of a student veteran? (Select al l that apply)

• Academic Support

• Psychological services and counseling

• Community support

• Financial assistance

• Transitioning from military to college

• Career guidance

• Healthcare needs

• Additional resources (please specify)

10. Would you be interested in an educational program taking less than 10 minutes of your time about how to

support student veterans?

11. Following this educational program, would you be willing to take a pledge to support student veterans and

connect them with additional resources (these would be mentioned in the program above)?

12. What are some topics that you would want to be educated on in order to take the pledge?

Traditional Students Focus Group Questions1. Do you know a current or former student veteran?

2. Are you related to them?

3. Are they a friend? If so, how did you meet them?

4. What school do they attend?

5. Do know about any specific veteran related benefits that they may receive?

6. Have you been in class with a student veteran before?

7. Describe what comes to mind when you think of what a student veterans is.

8. What is your favorite social media platform? Why?

9. How often do you use social media?

10. What kind of accounts do you follow on social media besides your friends and fami ly?

11. How often do you think an organization should post on Twitter?

12. Are you involved with any campus activities? If so, which?13. Why are you involved in those activities?

14. How active are you in that organization?

15. Are you aware of any student veteran organizations on or off campus? If so, which ones?

17. Also i f so, are you aware of the services the organization provides for student veterans?

18. What do you think the organization does?

A39



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

19. As a traditional student, do you feel you would be able to help or support student veterans to on campus

resources that may assist their needs? Why or why not?

20. What if you were more educated about student veterans and their needs through a five-minute tutorial process online?

21. Would you take the community support group pledge?

22. Are you aware of the Student Veterans of America? Otherwise known as SVA? If so, what do you know about

the organization?

23. If you were a student veteran, do you think you would take advantage of the services SVA provides?

Student Veteran Focus Group Questions

1. Which branch of the military were you in?

2. How long were you in the military?

3. Were you deployed? If so, where?

4. What was your favorite aspect of being in the military?

5. Now that you are out, do you still associate yourself with the military?

6. What do you think are some common misconceptions about veterans?

7. Are you act ive on social media?

8. What is your favorite social media platform? Why?

9. How often do you use social media?

10. What kind of accounts do you follow on social media besides your friends and family? Organization accounts?

Celebrities? Sports teams? Parody accounts?

11. What are you looking for on social media? Do you follow any veteran organization accounts?

12. What student organizations are you aware of that are on campus to help student veterans?

13. How involved are you in these organizations?

14. If you’re not involved with an on/off campus organization, do you want to join one, if so, what is preventing you

from joining?

15. Describe your perfect student veteran organization. What services would it feature? How would it help your

student veteran experience?

16. Are you aware of your GI Bill benefits?

17. Do you use them?

18. What problems do you have with the GI Bil l benefi

ts? How could it be altered to better meet your needs?19. Do you feel disengaged from traditional students here at Kent State? If so, why?

20. If you do feel disengaged, what do you think would help you feel more engaged with fellow students?

21. Have you gone to any Kent State events?

22. As a student veteran, how does Kent State work to support you?

23. After you graduate, are you aware of any services of any programs that assist service members, veterans and their

families find meaningful job opportunities?

24. As a student veteran, what do you believe Kent State can be doing that it currently is not to help you with your needs?

25. Are you aware of the Student Veterans of America? Otherwise known as SVA? If so, what do you know about

the organization?

A40



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Kent State Center for Adult & Veterans Services Questions

1. What services does the center off er for student veterans?

2. What i s the graduation rate of Kent State student veterans?

3. Has there been discussion about bringing an American Legion club to campus?

4. Can you explain more about what American Legion is?

5. Do you keep data on how many veterans graduate?

6. How many veterans are on the Kent State campus?

Kent State Faculty Interview Questions

1.Have you ever had a student veteran in one of your classes?

2. How were you made aware that the student was a veteran?

3. Are you aware of the GI Bil l benefits of student veterans?

4. Are you a veteran yourself ? Or do you have a spouse who is a veteran?

5. If you are a veteran, has this impacted the way you teach your students?

6. Did this student have any specific issues because he or she was a veteran?

7. What specific needs do you think most student veterans have?

8. If you had a son or daughter that was a student veteran, what resources, would you want a college or university to

provide to them?

9. Are you aware of any organizations on your campus for student veterans? If so, please specify.

Student Veterans Interview Questions

1. What is it like to be a student veteran at Kent State? Have you had a good experience?

2. How often do you use resources such as the Center for Adult & Veterans Services on campus here?

3. What are some services or resources that you think Kent State lacks when it comes to veterans?

4. Do you think your peers understand the various needs of student veterans?

5. Are you aware of or are you a member of any student veterans organizations on or off campus?

6. What are some challenges you think student veterans face?

7. Are you aware of SVA?

8. Do you still associate yourself with the military?

9. What transitioning issues did you face when you returned from active duty?10. Are you aware of your GI Bill benefits? If so, what do you know?

11. Do you use your GI Bill benefits?

12. If so, is it the Post-9/11 GI Bill?

13. In which branch of the military did you serve?

14. Are you currently involved with any student veterans organizations on or off campus?

15. Why do you think student veterans are so attached to the identity of being a veteran?

16. Have you ever introduced yourself as a student veteran?

A41



!"#$%&'!( *!+,%& &! *%+"-.

Community Veterans Interview Questions

1. What was your branch of service?

2. Are you a student veteran?

3. Have you heard of SVA?

4. Would you take advantage of SVA?

5. If in ROTC, do you consider yourself a veteran? Why or why not?

a. When asked the participant said they would not join SVA because they did not consider themselves a veteran.

Family Members of Veterans Interview Questions

1. What is the impact of being a student veteran on your family member’s school career?

2. Are you aware of any specific resources available to your family member because they are a student and in the military?

3. Why do you think there is the common misconception of the broken student veteran?

4. Are there any specific needs that your family member has because he is a student and in the military?

5. Have you seen a change in your family member since he joined the militar y?

6. Does your family member feel that his military experience has separated him from his classmates?

Kent State Career Services Center (CSC) Questions

1. Do you do any specific programming for veterans?

2. For the career fa ir, do you have transportation for the veterans?

3. What is the general turnout for student veterans’ events?

4. Has CSC ever considered partnering with the Kent State Veterans Club for events?

5. Are CSC’s resume and cover letter drop-in hours available for student veterans?

A42