Identifying keywords: infographic, SCCT, social cognitive career theory, student veterans

Soldier to Student: Connecting Student Veterans to Career Goals

Kristen Clemens & Mariah Fyke

Graduate students teamed up with Penn State Harrisburg’s Veterans Affairs (VA) Office to brainstorm solutions for connecting student veterans to career-related resources as they transition from active duty to higher education. Recent surveys conducted by the campus VA and a clinical psychology graduate student identified areas for enrichment, such as educating student veterans about campus resources and how they can serve as tools for developing and attaining long term career goals. Student veterans represent a unique demographic as they are actively transitioning between roles, soldier and student, and learning to navigate entirely new systems: civilian lifestyle and academic life. To aid this transition, an infographic was designed to summarize relevant campus resources and expand on how each may serve a student veteran in their exploration of a new vocation. The infographic is informed by social cognitive career theory, emphasizing the change mechanisms of psychoeducation. Each resource listed includes informative language for the student, explaining the unique change mechanism taking place (e.g., counseling, education, interpersonal relations, mentorship, etc.). These resources are meant to be utilitarian and practical in that any item can be used independently, or they can be used collectively depending on the personalized needs of the student veteran.

 

 

Social Justice Needs: A Rapidly Growing Subculture

Student veterans are one of the most rapidly growing demographics of non-traditional students pursuing higher education (Schiavone & Gentry, 2014).

A review of the literature resulted in research themes focused on providing financial support and measuring academic achievement (Bailey, Drury, & Grandy, 2019; Schiavone & Gentry, 2014). Additional research foci expand on academic performance and achievement by assessing correlative mental health and combat exposure (Barry, Whiteman, & MacDermid Wadsworth, 2014). Researchers Ghosh and Fouad (2018) identified areas in need of further research, such as the importance of cultivating student adaptability, curiosity, and education of resources for longitudinal occupational engagement. Based on previous findings, there is room for improvement regarding communication, education, and successful delivery of relevant resources focused on career goal setting and action-oriented goal attainment (Brown & Lent, 2017). We aimed to gather information and develop a product that meets the needs of the student veteran population at Penn State Harrisburg.

 

But How??!!

1. 1. 1. Meet with Penn State Harrisburg’s Veterans Affairs representatives to learn how their office operates, understand the needs of both department and student veteran population on campus.
      2. Brainstorm with VA campus representative to develop a pragmatic product that can aid in educating student veterans on relevant resources and cultivate excitement regarding career goal exploration.
      3. Create a product to serve as a psychoeducational guide in the form of an infographic to aid role transition, from soldier to student.
      4. Implement the infographic as a tool that is flexible and easy to use for a variety of student veterans, purposes, and context (i.e., orientation, class selection, personal exploration of values, education of career options, mentorship, etc.).

Theoretical Rationale: Social Cognitive Career Theory

Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) provides a conceptual framework that emphasizes both cognition and environmental factors for developing career-related interests, making occupational decisions, and achieving long-term career success and stability (Brown & Lent, 2017). Student veterans are highly trained, resulting in a structured cognitive schema, and are actively navigating changing environments when choosing to pursue a civilian career path. SCCT informs the components of the infographic by emphasizing psychoeducation as a means to explain the importance and relevance of self-efficacy, goals, and outcome expectations (Brown & Lent, 2017; Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2017).

The social cognitive career theoretical foundation is comprised of both cognitive-behavioral and social learning theory components. Cognitive-behavioral therapy change mechanisms are rooted in schema development and in challenging irrational beliefs, whereas the social learning model emphasizes vicarious learning and role models (Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2017). Due to student veterans’ highly trained schema, there are likely to be irrational thought processes related to the application of skills from previous military roles to that of a student or civilian professional. Additionally, veterans are familiar with vicarious learning and role models due to the hierarchical rank/grade system of the military subculture, which enforces the social learning theory.

The overarching change mechanism for our purpose is psychoeducation; however, each resource within the infographic is a unique opportunity for customized change mechanisms, depending on the need of the student veteran. For example, a student veteran may not have previously had the opportunity to explore topics such as self-beliefs, outcome expectations, or congruence between self-knowledge and external expectations (e.g., family, previous military support systems, friends, etc.).

The SCCT model emphasizes each of these areas of exploration as an integrated process that leads to understanding one’s self (i.e., values, interests, aptitude, skill, strengths) to develop a practical, realistic, and attainable career plan.

 

 

Resources: Veterans Affairs, Campus Resources, and Graduate Students

During this process, it was important to stay in consistent contact with the VA throughout the development of the intervention idea and the subsequent product. Both psychoeducation and the theoretical rationale for the product were provided to the Veterans Affairs (VA) campus representative. This was to ensure that any VA campus representative could use the information to provide student veterans with this resource as a means to explore possible career paths. Our original intention has been maintained and that is for the VA Department to utilize this information to educate student veterans of the resources available and the purpose of this tool to explore their career identities.

The following are the specific resources required for the distribution of this product:

• Graphic Design Program: The infographic was created using Canva, a free graphic design platform that allows users to create visual content. A pathway infographic template was used to outline the steps that student veterans may take to find success as they work toward their academic goals.
• Printing Services: Access to a color printing service is needed to print the infographic to distribute to students in the VA office.
• Access to Private Listserv: To disseminate a digital version of the infographic to student veterans’ emails, the user must have access to the VA’s private listserv.
• Social Media/Webpage: To distribute the infographic on other digital media platforms, they will need access to those accounts.

 

 

Delivering Services

The infographic is intended to have a flexible, practical application. The purpose of the infographic is to be used to provide necessary psychoeducation, in a utilitarian format, to empower student veterans to explore career identity through adequate resources. Any VA campus representative may use it in the context of providing orientation education and tools to student veterans as they begin their transition to civilian life.

The infographic was presented to the VA department in a PDF format. This product was shared through this medium so that it could be utilized in both a digital or printed form to provide to student veterans for self-directed use. The VA campus representative will be given access to the Canva design to make alterations or updates as needed.

 

 

Expected Outcomes

After identifying the needs of the Veterans Affairs organization and its student veterans, an infographic was then created to outline the steps student veterans may take to achieve their academic and career goals. The purpose of the infographic was to give suggestions as to the steps they could take to aid them in their transition from soldier to a college student and to increase student veterans’ knowledge of what resources are available to them at Penn State Harrisburg.

It is expected that student veterans will use the infographic when enrolling or re-enrolling in post-secondary education. This infographic can be used as a way to guide them through helpful steps to explore different career possibilities and put them on a successful path toward completing their degree. By providing the contact information for campus resources (e.g., Advising, Career Services) as well as external resources (e.g., My Next Move), it is expected that these students will have an easier transition between roles: military, civilian college student, community professional.

To circulate the product across campus, the VA campus representative may collaborate with the other campus services listed on the infographic to distribute the product in those offices.

 

 

The Finished Product: Infographic

The finished product is an infographic, shown here, providing summarized psychoeducation on available resources and explanation for how each option is relevant to career goals. For this intervention, the aim was to create a product that would provide the necessary psychoeducation to empower student veterans who are exploring their career identity through adequate resources. The infographic provided a step-by-step guide to aid students during their transition from soldier to civilian college student.

1. Office of Student Aid: This is an essential step when enrolling or re-enrolling in post-secondary education. Students need to have their finances in order before they can do anything else. Additionally, meeting with this office provides students with the opportunity to gather more information about scholarships or grants, or even possible employment opportunities.
2. Academic Advising: To meet their educational goals, register for classes, among other tasks, students should meet with their academic advisors to get them on the right track. Here, they can ensure that they are on the right path to complete their degree.
3. Career Guidance: The student can meet with career services to evaluate the strengths and skills of their military service and see how those transfer to their academic goals. This is an opportunity to transform their military resume. A link to My Next Move (veteran version) was provided so that they have an opportunity to explore other career interests that they may have.
4. Mentorship: It is common in the military to form strong social bonds within a unit, and servicemembers often think of their fellow soldiers as their family (Elliott et al., 2011; Ove, 2010). Based on the feedback received from the VA, the need for mentorship as a way to connect to the university is paramount. Penn State has what is called the Global Lions Mentor program, which would be a way for student veterans to navigate any possible challenges that attending a new university may pose.
5. Check Resources: Finally, we provided a list of resources on the back of the infographic so that student veterans had access to the contact information for each of the services we discussed in one place (i.e., Office of Student Aid, Academic Advising, Career Services, Global Lions Mentors). We additionally provided information for Counseling Services so they would have the opportunity to explore their experiences as they navigated this transitional period. It could be a place for them to find hope and motivation moving forward to be more successful.
   

References

Bailey, A. K., Drury, M. B., & Grandy, H. (2019). Student Veterans’ Academic Performance Before and After the Post–9/11 GI Bill. Armed Forces & Society, 45(1), 101–121. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X17737283

Barry, A. E., Whiteman, S. D., & MacDermid Wadsworth, S. (2014). Student service members/veterans in higher education: A systematic review. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 51(1), 30– 42. https://doi-org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1515/jsarp-2014-0003 

Blustein, D. L. (2019). The importance of work in an age of uncertainty: The eroding work experience in America. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Brown, S. D., & Lent, R. W. (2017). Social cognitive career theory in a diverse world: Closing thoughts. Journal of Career Assessment, 25(1), 173–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072716660061

Elliott, M., Gonzalez, C., & Larsen, B. (2011). US military veterans transition to college: Combat, PTSD, and alienation on campus. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 48(3), 279–296. https://doi.org/10.2202/1949-6605.6293

Ghosh, A. & Fouad, N. A. (2018). Career adaptability and occupational engagement of student veterans. The Career Development Quarterly, 66(2), 182-188. https://doi-org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1002/cdq.12132

Jackson, M. A., Regis, A. K., & Bennett, K. (2020). Career development interventions for social justice addressing needs across the lifespan in educational, community, and employment contexts. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79-122. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027

Ove, T. (2010). In National Guard, a sense of duty bonds comrades. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved from http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10171/1066928-84.stm#ixzz1CFnza1XE

Schiavone, V. & Gentry, D. (2014). Veteran-students in transition at a midwestern university. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 62(1), 29-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/07377363.2014.872007

 

Appendix

Appendix A: VA_Infographic

Appendix B: Presentation