Academic Integration and Social Capital Development Among Student Military Service Members/Veterans: Exploring Social Support Networks

• In Event: Student Resource Utilization and Fostering Success

Abstract

University enrollment among student service members/veterans (SSM/Vs)—a group of nontraditional students with diverse backgrounds, skills, and experiences—has increased exponentially in recent years, presenting opportunities and challenges for universities. Though research indicates that social support networks are particularly important to SSM/V academic experiences, little work has more deeply explored SSM/V networks nor their connections to beneficial university outcomes. Using social network analysis of surveys (n=623) and social capital theory, this exploratory study investigates SSM/V social support networks and their association with academic integration that has been linked to university success. Findings suggest SSM/Vs with larger and more diverse support networks, in which they are connected to more contacts with more years of schooling, have higher levels of academic integration.

Authors

• Xin Xie, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Ross J. Benbow, University of Wisconsin - Madison