The Affordances of Veteran Peer Community in Higher Education: Camaraderie, Information, and Academic Assistance

• In Event: 2484 - Section on Sociology of Education Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 03. Adjustment and Belonging in Higher Education

Abstract

Differences in contextual norms between the U.S. military and institutions of higher education mean that student veterans may experience difficulty integrating into the wider campus community, leading to educational inequity. Prior research indicates that connecting with peers (particularly peers who have military experience) may be an important aspect of the college experience, yet little research investigates these relationships specifically and intentionally. Moreover, since individual veterans are embedded within communities that are shaped by collegiate institutional contexts, the affordances of a peer community depend on certain features of its context. This study employs case study methods to illuminate veteran peer relations at different types of higher education institutions. I find that peer communities play a vital and under-researched role in veteran persistence and success, through creating camaraderie and sharing information and academic assistance.

Author

• Brandy M. Jenner, University of California-Irvine