Warrior-Scholar Project

Each Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) course is a 1- to 2-week intensive academic experience designed to prepare veterans for the transition from the military to college. During the COVID-19 pandemic, WSP successfully pivoted to a remote program delivery model for academic boot camps in 2020, providing all programs virtually (306 program slots). All 20 higher education partners collaborated with WSP to ensure program integrity. Boot camp programming was delivered via Zoom, in three time zones, to cohorts ranging from 8 to 18 student veterans, depending upon the higher education partner. WSP’s focus on limiting virtual boot camp cohort size ensured a high instructor to student ratio, heightened student veteran interaction, and allowed for the delivery of robust educational supports. As with on-site programming, host institution faculty volunteered their time to teach; writing instructors, writing tutors, and STEM research project leaders worked one-on-one with student veterans; and program delivery was facilitated by WSP alumni fellows. To maintain engagement levels during 1- and 2-week programming, WSP’s virtual service model includes breakout sessions, enhanced coaching/mentoring, and alumni panel discussions.

Despite challenges arising from the pandemic, WSP expanded its partnerships by 10% in 2020, standing up new collaborations with Williams College, Caltech, and the University of Michigan. In addition, WSP expanded its collaboration with the University of Notre Dame to offer a Business & Entrepreneurship-focused boot camp in addition to Humanities programming.

Leveraging the success of its virtual engagement service models, in November of 2020, WSP launched the Women Veterans Empowerment Dialogues program (WVED) -- facilitated, remote conversations that highlight strategies for women veterans to balance career, education, and personal challenges and priorities. WSP is continuing to hold WVED events bi-monthly.

Whether one or two weeks, each WSP course includes:
*Mentorship from fellow enlisted veterans who have successfully transitioned from the military to college;
*Seminar discussions with distinguished college and university faculty;
*Intensive writing workshops led by university writing instructors;
*Focused discussions with student veterans addressing the challenges faced by non-traditional college students;
*Skill-building classes centered on note-taking, time management, test prep, and study skills;
*Advice on navigating the college admissions process;
*Access to academic support from the WSP network following course completion and thereafter.

Boot camp curricula foster the core American values of open inquiry, civil discourse, intellectual humility and curiosity, ideological tolerance, and viewpoint diversity. Programming covers study skills, soft skills, cultural integration strategies, and self-care issues.
Community College Workshops (CCW)

Launched in 2018, WSP’s Community College Workshops (CCW)) is a 1- to 4-day, intensive college preparatory workshop hosted in collaboration with community colleges, veteran service organizations and community-based nonprofits across the country. As 40% of student veterans enroll in community colleges, outreach to, and engagement with, this demographic is critical to WSP’s mission. Programming educates student veterans about the resources available to them; provides them with strategies to break down and analyze complex academic texts; identifies the study skills needed to succeed in a college environment; and fosters interest in and offers on-ramps to participation in a 1- or 2-week summer academic boot camp.