Over the past few years, colleges and universities around the country have seen a marked increase in students who want to be equipped to serve military veterans. Some are veterans themselves, some have personal connections and others may have taken a course that sparked an interest in pursuing careers in veteran services.
Listening to the career goals of their students as well as receiving input from campus veterans’ centers, institutions are developing programs that identify significant issues veterans and other military-connected individuals face and are building programs that equip students to fill positions that serve the needs of today’s veteran population.
Dr. Frances W. Siu, associate professor in the Charter College of Education at California State University, Los Angeles, has frequently worked with Manuel Martinez, director of the East Los Angeles Veterans Center, and observed his course “Boots to Books”
“The whole idea was helping veterans transition from military to civilian life,” says Siu, whose research interests include transitional issues of veterans. She and Martinez worked together to tweak the curriculum so that it could be offered both to veterans and those who want to work with veterans, such as counselors.
Developing that course subsequently led to Cal State LA’s Certificate in Veteran Services, which was first offered to students in fall 2016. It is an undergraduate program (graduate students are welcomed) designed for matriculating students in rehabilitation services, social sciences and human services as well as professionals interested in working with the veteran population.
“We saw the need there and we established this certificate,” says Siu, the program director. “’Boots to Books’ is the major course we have to make sure the students are being trained as far as how to [assist in] the transition.”
State University of New York Empire State College established its graduate certificate in veteran’s services in 2010. The primary impetus was a growing need for academic programs that would educate students in human service areas that pertained to veterans. The 12-credit program is taught online. At any given time, there are typically six to 10 students enrolled. The current program coordinator Dr. Lynette Nickleberry comes to the program with an extensive background, researching military culture and female soldiers and veterans.
