1. V eteran E ducat ion T ransition and S uccess Jerri Ellis, Veteran Service Coordinator Mt Hood Community College Veteran Services Office Gresham, Or

2. What is it? A cohort of veteran students that: Represent all branches of the military. Most served title 10 service Most collect Chapter 33 Post 9/11 benefits Most have been deployed to either Iraq or Afghanistan or both Many are disabled Many have seen combat All are nontraditional nontraditional students

3. Untraditional in it’s makeup Students aren’t locked into all of the classes Students are encouraged to take as few or as many as they need Not limited to first term students – open to all veteran students Includes general education, remedial or foundation courses required for most degrees

4. About 68% don’t keep separate veteran retention and completion rates About 10% know 1 st year retention rates Scrambling to Understand Veterans Insidehigered.com Paul Fain 12/4/12 From a survey conducted by NASPA: Student Affairs Administrator in Higher Education and Inside Track

5. “ The national average for graduation from a four-year university has hovered just above 50% with the most current data indicating around a 57% success rate (Planty et al, 2010). The graduation rate for returning veterans from the same institutions is estimated at 3% 1.” 1 It is difficult to obtain clear evidence since the Department of Education does not study veteran students. This number comes from estimates from the Association of American Colleges and Universities and various other post secondary organizations. Veteran’ Post-Secondary Education: Keeping the Promise to Those Who Serve Jonah Cunningham The Hinckley Journal of Politics 2012

6. Identifying the need Retention is an issue When are they leaving Why are they leaving

7. Most were not the best students in high school Many tried college straight out of high and didn’t do well School was not a priority Education was not considered valuable Just too hard So they went into the military

8. Understanding the culture Boot Camp Training -MOS Different Branches Different Language Driving Psychology

9. Designed the Cohort to specifically address: Slow down the transition Loss of Mission Loss of Camaraderie Loss of Friendly rivalry/Competition

10. College placement test scores Most scored in MTH060 Intro to Algebra I WR115 or 121 RD115 or 117 College level

11. WR115 – Intro to College Writing 4 credits MTH060 – Beginning Algebra I 4 credits SP111 – Fundaments of Public Speaking 4 credits HD100A – College Success Veteran’s Section 1 credit FALL 12 – Term 1 WR121 – English Composition 4 credits MTH060 – Beginning Algebra I 4 credits SP111 – Fundaments of Public Speaking 4 credits HD100A – College Success Veteran’s Section 1 credit

12. Winter 13 – Term 2 MTH065 – Beginning Algebra II 4 credits CIS120 – Computer Concepts 3 credits CIS120L – Computer Concepts Lab 1 credit HD110 – Career Planning 1 Credit Open population classes - 3 or more credits

13. Spring 13 – Term 3 MTH095 – Int. Algebra w/ Rt Triangle Trig 5 credits Open population courses – 7 or more credits

14. 55 students participated in one or more of the Veteran cohort classes 38 students completed at least one course with a passing grade (C or better) 69.1% completion rate

15. 8 - 4.00 9 - 3.50 - 3.99 4 - 3.00 - 3.49 3 - 2.50 - 2.99 7 - 2.00 - 2.49 6 - below 2.00 14 - 0.00 2 W

16. 65.5 % of these students are Continuing in one or more of the Cohort classes this term

17. Is it working?