Feasibility Study on the Recruitment of Veterans (2011 Strategic Plan)

Increasing the number of veterans who enroll at Hampshire would add diversity to our student population. Conducting a study that can determine the full range of needed support would enable Hampshire to make an informed decision whether and how we might move forward with initiatives in this area.

Comments
Please include your thoughts on the importance of the initiative, how to frame the issue, things that may be missing, and any additional comments here (you can do so by logging into Hampedia and clicking edit):


 * Vets are great, but why them especially? Ellen Green

Katie Culpepper

As of March, 2007, just over 1,500,000 members of the armed services were deployed to combat zones (Defense Manpower Data Center, 2007). In the book, The Shaping of American Higher Education (1998), author A. M. Cohen reports that following World War II approximately one-third of the veterans who were eligible for GI Bill benefits entered college. Universities across the country are rapidly competing for student veterans and the G.I. Bill funds that they bring along with their maturity and real-life experiences gained in the military. Many colleges are assembling veterans services to support and welcome this incoming population. Hampshire College is an ideal place for student veterans to apply their military experiences and expand their knowledge and skills. The college should be quick to recognize the importance of this growing population and stay competitive with other colleges across the nation that have already started to take action. Student veterans are highly motivated to return to college and have the focus and discipline needed to succeed in an academic atmosphere, especially one with Hampshire's self-designed curriculum.


 * Vets would bring a lot of diversity to campus -- age, experience, ethnicity, etc. They are highly motivated and independent. I completely support this proposal. Sue Darlington (CSI).