Perspective and narratives on the transition from military to civilian lives; challenges and opportunities for pursuing S.T.E.M.

education and careers.

Summary Report
Submitted by Ronda Jenson, PhD Alexis Petri, MA October 2011

Panel presentation from leaders and students on what higher education needs to know and do to support Wounded Warriors who want careers in S.T.E.M.

Transition S T E M

A Wounded Warriors Think Tank

Summary Report
for the

National Science Foundation Research in Disabilities Education

Submitted by

Ronda Jenson, PhD Alexis Petri, MA

October 2011

KC-BANCS
Building and Alliance for New Careers in STEM University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute for Human Development and School of Computing and Engineering

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Copyright 2011 by University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute for Human Development

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, Mountain View, California, 94041, USA. This publication may be reproduced, distributed, and transmitted with proper attribution given to the authors. For permission questions, contact Dr. Ronda Jenson, Principal InvestigatorKC-BANCS, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Institute for Human Development, 215 W. Pershing Road, 6th Floor, Kansas City, Missouri 64108, or email jensonr@umkc.edu.

Printed in the United States of America First Printing, 2011 Transition STEM was held July 26-28-2011 in Kansas City, Missouri.

This research was supported in full by the National Science Foundation under NSF Award 0929212. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Science Foundation. Correspondence concerning this report should be addressed to Ronda Jenson, Principal InvestigatorKC-BANCS, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Institute for Human Development, 215 W. Pershing Road, 6th Floor, Kansas City, Missouri 64108.

For more information about Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank or about KC-BANCS, contact University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute for Human Development.

Institute for Human Development A University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) 215 W. Pershing Road, 6th Floor Kansas City, Missouri 64108 816.235.1770 800.452.1185 (TTY) http://www.ihd.umkc.edu

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report Goal: Broaden participation of Transition STEM: A Wounded Warrior Think Tank provided an Wounded Warriors in opportunity for individuals across the country with expertise in STEM careers by working with student veterans and STEM (science, technology, sustaining pathways engineering, and math) fields to engage in focused conversations. that build on their The intended outcome of the event was to identify military experience recommendations for how higher education, policy leaders, and training and veterans services, business/industry, and the National Science supports degree Foundation can improve the success of Wounded Warriors in STEM attainment. education and careers.

Executive Summary

The Transition STEM event was designed to elicit collective inquiry and response. A combination of speakersWounded Warriors, veterans services, higher education, and employers discussed needs and best practices from their perspectives. A series of community conversations were held to surface collective wisdom and identify recommendations. Main findings are listed below. Steps institutions of higher education can take to better support Wounded Warriors as they earn degrees in the STEM fields and embark on (or continue) STEM careers: Reach out early to veterans/Wounded Warriors to recruit for STEM degree/ certificate programs. Evaluate and accept (as appropriate) military training. Structure degree programs for STEM careers and disseminate information on the need for an educated, high-tech work force. Ease the transition for Wounded Warriors by being a veteran supportive campus. Offer college orientation opportunities specifically for veterans/Wounded Warriors. Connect veterans/Wounded Warriors early and frequently to peer supports. Prepare faculty to implement universal design for learning and be appropriately responsive to Wounded Warrior learners. Employers and community resources/services also want to help Wounded Warriors apply their skills, talents, and experience to the STEM fields. The following are recommendations for employers and veterans services: Provide STEM specific career counseling for veterans/Wounded Warriors. Prepare Wounded Warriors and employers for discussing needs for accommodations. Increase STEM industry understanding of the advantages of hiring veterans. Offer continued opportunities for peer support in the workplace. For more information on Transition STEM, visit the website: www.transitionstem.org 3

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements Introduction Background Transition STEM Design Themes and Priorities Transition One: Military to College Transition Two: Earning Degrees Transition Three: College to STEM Workforce Goals, Recommendations and Strategies Conclusion and Next Steps References Appendix Pre-event Survey Results Participant List Detailed Agenda Graphic Recording Charts 5 6 7 8 12 13 15 18 21 26 27 28 28 30 34 37

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Acknowledgments
Transition STEM was a success due to the hard work and commitment of many people. The authors want to acknowledge and thank the following people. Thank you to the Transition STEM Operations Team for organizing the event: Alexis Petri, project director, KC-BANCS and Transition STEM; research associate, UMKC Institute for Human Development Melissa Messina, coordinator, Transition STEM; research associate, UMKC Institute for Human Development Arden Day, coordinator, KC-BANCS; research assistant UMKC Institute for Human Development Jane Vogl, executive staff assistant, UMKC School of Computing and Engineering Jodi Arnold, assistant, KC-BANCS; research assistant UMKC Institute for Human Development Kevin Truman, co-principal investigator, KC-BANCS; dean, UMKC School of Computing and Engineering Ronda Jenson, principal investigator, KC-BANCS; director of research, UMKC Institute for Human Development Thank you to the Conversation Facilitators who volunteered their time: Valerie Brown, national representative, UMKC Student Veterans Organization; Dee Evans, UMKC Community Relations; Scott Laurent, director, UMKC Office of Services for Students with Disabilities; Karalin McKain, executive director, Kansas City Kansas Community College Leavenworth Center; Doris Rogers, Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Julia ODell, assistant director, Veterans Upward Bound; Jamison Ryan, president, UMKC Student Veterans Organization; Christopher Smiley, UMKC Army ROTC; Appie Van de Liefvort, Professor of Computer Science, UMKC School of Computing and Engineering; Stancia Whitcomb Jenkins, associate vice-chancellor, UMKC Community Relations. Thank you to the National Science Foundation, Research in Disabilities Education for funding for Transition STEM. Thank you to Drs. Mark Leddy and Linda Thurston, National Science Foundation Research in Disabilities Education, for initiating the vision for Transition STEM Thank you to all Transition STEM participants for their engaged participation in Transition STEM and their commitment to Wounded Warriors. Thank you to the Wounded Warriors who openly shared their personal stories.

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Introduction
On July 27-28, 2011, the University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute for Human Development and School of Computing and Engineering hosted Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank. This event was financially supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). This 1 day event brought together 80 individuals with professional and/or personal expertise in supporting veterans in post-secondary education and transition to careers (38% of participants have military experience and 18% are Wounded Warriors). Of the participants, 50 have careers in higher education; 20 are currently with the military or work in veteran service program, and 10 work in business / industry with a STEM focus. Participants travelled from 22 states to attend Transition STEM. In particular, the focus of this event centered on supports for veterans with service-connected disabilities (or Wounded Warriors), post-secondary education in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), and the transition to careers in STEM fields. Veterans are returning from deployment with military training, experience with sophisticated technology, and often field engineering experience. The military has invested monetary resources in their training and veterans often have field-based accomplishments which should provide a smooth transition into science, technology, engineering, and math-based fields (STEM) upon their return from deployment. Veterans with service-connected disabilities (Wounded Warriors) often have the background and experience to transition into STEM fields for post-military employment. However, the Wounded Warriors and post-secondary education do not uniformly understand how and when to connect the experiences from the military with a future STEM career. When the veteran has incurred a disability related to military experiences there are even more barriers to this transition. NSF recognized this disconnect and funded Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank to identify solutions. With NSF Research in Disabilities Education funding, Alliances for Students with Disabilities in STEM are working to employ evidenced-based practices and promising interventions to advance students across critical academic junctures, to degree completion, and into the workforce or graduate STEM degree programs. Veterans with service-connected disabilities, or Wounded Warriors, are included within the population of students with disabilities participating in Alliance programs. (A list of current and prior funded Alliances is available through Access STEM at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Programs/rdealliance.html.) Representative leaders from the Alliances, leaders from other institutions of higher education with demonstrated commitment to veterans, STEM industry representatives, Wounded Warriors, veterans program services leaders, and researchers were involved as participants in Transition STEM. 6

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report The goal of Transition STEM was to produce a collective response to transition issues facing Wounded Warriors and identify recommendations for improved supports, policy, and funding.

Background
Conversations acknowledging needed services and supports for veterans returning to civilian life, finding new careers, going to college, and ultimately finding jobs have been occurring over the past years. These conversations have recognized the value of veterans in the workforce; the transferability of military training to college credit and careers; the challenges veterans face in transitioning to civilian life, college, and employment; and identified the range of services and supports needing improvements in order to better assist veterans (American Council on Education, 2010; Do-It 2008; American Council on Education, 2010). Transition STEM: A Wounded Warrior Think Tank was designed to build on these prior conversations. Transition STEM focused on services and supports essential for assisting veterans with serviceconnected disabilities through STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and getting jobs in STEM fields. The issues and challenges faced by veterans at-large returning to military life, seeking a college degree, and finding a career are not universally recognized and addressed. Veterans often leave the military with an expectation that because their military service is valued, finding a job will be easy and assistance with navigating benefits and resources is ready and waiting for them (American Council on Education, 2010). Many veterans are likely to discover finding a job can be difficult and often necessitates getting a college degree or certificate in order to launch a new career (American Council on Education, 2010). Additionally, financial benefits, resources, and other supports are often a maze that is difficult to navigate and coordinate (American Council on Education, 2010; Burnett & Segoria, 2009; U. S. Department of Labor, 2010; Madaus, Miller, & Vance, 2009; Vance & Miller, 2009). Veterans in college disclose challenges with adjusting to the college culture that differs greatly from the highly structured military culture (Cook & Kim, 2009). Student veterans report the importance of connecting with other veterans (American Council on Education, 2010; Burnett & Segoria, 2009; Do-It, 2008; Madaus, Miller, & Vance, 2009; Vance & Miller, 2009; American Council on Education, 2010), wanting more sensitivity among faculty to veterans-issues (American Council on Education, 2010; Burnett & Segoria, 2009; Cook & Kim, 2009; Do-It , 2008; ), and believing college credit for military training and occupational experiences should be more broadly accepted (American Council on Education, 2010; Cook & Kim, 2009). Being a veteran-friendly campus was a pervasive recommendation across prior conversations; 7

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report however, there is a repeated caveat that veteranfriendly does not always imply veteran-supportive (American Council on Education, 2010; Cook & Kim, 2009). Too often, veteran-friendly refers to recruitment rather than a commitment to valuing and supporting veterans (American Council on Education, 2010).

For Wounded Warriors, the issues and challenges are more complex. Veterans who have experienced combat trauma have likely acquired a disability. Thus, their transition to civilian life is further complicated by the need to self-discover how combat trauma affects daily life, memory, learning, working, sleep patterns, and social relationships. Colleges have services and supports for students with disabilities and veterans with disabilities are eligible to receive them. However, veterans are not likely to pursue accommodations for [Wounded Warrior] various reasons (American Council on Education, 2011; Burnett & Segoria, 2009; Shackelford, 2009). Veterans with disabilities may not understand combat trauma as a disability, let alone something for which they could receive accommodations (American Council on Education, 2011). Veterans with disabilities may not want to pursue services for students with disabilities because of the stigma or vulnerability of disability (Do-It, 2008; Shackelford, 2009).

It's been a challenge along the way. I didn't realize that I had a traumatic brain injury until my second year back in college. And I really didn't pursue it that well until about the third year. College was pretty difficult, as it is for a lot of these -- these young vets with traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress. They affect your cognitive ability tremendously.

Transition STEM Design

The Transition STEM event was an opportunity for individuals across the country with expertise in working with student veterans and STEM fields to engage in focused conversations. The intended outcome of the event was to identify recommendations for how higher education, policy leaders, veterans services, STEM industry, and the National Science Foundation can improve the success of Wounded Warriors in STEM education and STEM careers. This section describes the design and processes of the event designed to stimulate rich discussions and recommendations.

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Participants
Transition STEM invited a wide range of participants to have a representative cross section of leaders and professionals to address the issues. (The list of participants is included in the Appendix.) Participants included:

prioritizing

hearing

reflecting Wounded Warriors Private sector STEM industry representatives Higher education leaders who recruit and support Wounded Warriors in dialogue their STEM degrees Veteran program services leaders Disability experts Figure 1. Think Tank Method Researchers of effective supports for Wounded Warriors Policy leaders who determine transition protocol to higher education National Science Foundation (NSF) program officer

processing

Think Tank Method

The Transition STEM event was designed to elicit collective inquiry and response. Using a Community Conversation approach (developed by the KC-BANCS/Transition STEM team), the think tank consisted of continuous cycles of the following actions (see Figure 1).

Hearing information and perspectives from knowledgeable speakers; Processing what was heard; Dialogue with other participants about the issues, solutions, and implications; Reflecting on the discussion points and recommendations emerging from the dialogues; and Prioritizing recommendations.

The Community Conversation approach is modified from the World Caf method (World Caf, 2011) in which groups of people engage in shared learning, discussion, and reflection. Spanning 1 days, Transition STEM was organized to address three stages of transition for Wounded Warriors: transition from military to college, degree attainment, and transition into the STEM workforce. To address each stage, participants heard from presenters with professional and personal expertise, engaged in community conversations structured around five guiding questions, and personally reflected on recommendations resulting from all

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report conversations by marking priorities for action. (The Transition STEM agenda and participant materials are available online at http://www.transitionstem.org.) The guiding questions for the community conversations emerged from event preparatory work with the community conversation facilitators. The conversation facilitators were affiliates of KC-BANCS with experience in student veterans issues. During the training of the facilitators, they were asked to brainstorm and discuss the range of transitions and needed supports for veterans. In preparation for the Transition STEM event, a survey was sent to participants. The survey asked participants to answer the following questions. What do you believe to be the greatest challenges to STEM degree completion faced by Wounded Warriors? Please share your acquired wisdom. Briefly list your ideas for improving services and supports for Wounded Warriors seeking STEM careers. What insights or answers are you hoping to gain from participating in Transition STEM? Approximately how many veterans are enrolled at your college/university? What types of assistance or accommodations is available for wounded warriors at your college/university? (The results of the survey are available online at http://www.transitionstem.org as well as in the appendix.) The insights gathered from these two activities, in addition to wisdom from the field, were used to construct the guiding questions (see Table 1).

Analysis of Themes & Prioritizing Recommendations

The discussion of themes and recommendations outlined in this report are a result of reviewing conversation notes and priorities indicated by the participants, videotaped testimonies, and pre-event survey responses. Using a form of member check (Lincoln & Guba, 1985), the conversation facilitators recorded and validated notes with each conversation group. At the conclusion of the event, participants were asked to complete an evaluation that validated the think tank content and emerging conversations as valid and relevant. The guiding questions within each of the three stages were used as the initial framework for analysis. From this initial analysis emerged cross-cutting themes. The following section details the themes and priorities resulting from Transition STEM.

What I do see is the veterans in the workforce for the most part tend not to talk about being a veteran, which I think is a mistake. Because it's up to them to educate their employers. [Wounded Warrior and STEM industry recruiter]
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Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report Table 1. Community Conversation Guiding Questions Transition Combat to College Earning Degrees Transition into the STEM Workforce
Leadership: In what ways do military leadership and experiences translate into STEM careers?

Readiness and Timeliness: When Veteran Friendly: What is are the critical transition junctures veteran friendly and how do in which Wounded Warriors need we make it real? resources and support? When are Wounded Warriors most receptive to these resources and supports? Resources and Supports That Work: What are the resources reported to be effective for transition to civilian life and to beginning college? Filling in the Gaps: What improvements are needed in the systems to support transition to civilian life and to beginning college? Recruitment and Visibility: How can public institutions increase recruitment and visibility in military communities?

Advantages for STEM Industry: How do STEM fields benefit from veterans in their workforce?

Sticking with It: What can higher education do to help Wounded Warriors achieve STEM degrees? What types of supports, accommodations, or programs are needed? Getting Faculty Up to Speed: What do faculty need to know about engaging Wounded Warriors in their courses?

Making Connections: In what ways can STEM industry and higher education collaborate to ease the transition for veterans?

Getting the Word Out: How do you market STEM opportunities to people in the military before they transition to civilian life?

Getting Employers Up to Speed: What do STEM employers need to know about recruiting and employing veterans? Wounded Warriors? Getting the Job: What information and supports are needed to assist Wounded Warriors in the transition from college to career?

Dreams and Goals: How can STEM degrees and careers be more achievable?

Getting Creative: While understanding the restraints of funding and space, think outside the box. What can be done to help Wounded Warriors succeed in their STEM education?

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Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Themes & Priorities

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank explored the challenges and solutions for increasing the success of Wounded Warriors in pursuit of STEM postsecondary education and STEM careers. To launch the Think Tank, Wounded Warriors shared their transition stories describing their personal journeys from military to college to jobs. In summary, the Wounded Warriors set the stage for the think tank by identifying the following contextual considerations.

Many veterans are interested in pursuing a college degree because they are seeking a sense of purpose and focus. The experience of combat trauma often affects learning, memory, sleeping, organization of Figure 2. Chart Excerpt thoughts, feelings of safety, and/or maintaining social relationships which can pose challenges to being successful in college. Veterans realize they have combat trauma at varying times, often based on situations such as college. Many veterans are also balancing lives outside of college such as jobs and family responsibilities. Due to a Wounded Warriors disability or combat trauma, personal goals and dreams may need to be altered or changed in order to be more realistic or achievable. Wounded Warriors believe mentors and social supports are important for successful transitions and reaching goals. Veterans know how to listen and apply themselves; they are also hardworking and driven. However, military training is often high speed/low drag while colleges and university environments are just the opposite. Veterans receive very little transition support when they are leaving the military.

When a Wounded Warrior arrives on campus, she or he may be a bit older than the average student probably around 24 or just a bit older. He or she may already have a family to support and may work full-time in addition to attending college. Veteran students may be out of their element in the academic setting because there is not a chain of command and there are multiple layers to navigate to achieve the end goal of degree attainment (i.e., bureaucratic, academic, social, comfort-level). For Wounded Warriors, these issues are compounded by the challenges of experiencing combat trauma. 12

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Transition One: Military to College

In a process of community conversations, participants were posed questions to help them process information presented and discuss recommendations and solutions. The goal for colleges and universities is to support Wounded Warriors in STEM degree attainment that uses national best practices and emphasizes hands-on, career-connected learning. From an analysis of the transcripts from the day, notes from the community conversation facilitators, as well as the prioritizing process of the participants, the following recommendations are most salient.

Readiness and Timeliness

Figure 3. Warriors Adjusting Chart Excerpt When are the critical transition junctures in which Wounded Warriors need resources and support? When are Wounded Warriors most receptive to these resources and supports?

Connect veterans with resources early. Do not wait until they arrive at the college or university. Ensure staff representing college resources and supports have key competencies when interacting with veterans such as being aware of issues that veterans face and the resources available to help. Form a relationship at the beginning of the transition to help build trust. Veterans are more receptive to resources once trust is earned.

Resources and Supports

What improvements are needed in the systems to support transition to civilian life and to beginning college?

Employ a veteran service officer or representative on campus who is knowledgeable about available benefits and assists veteran-student with accessing benefits.

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Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Require a 1-2 credit hour course for veterans that addresses different learning styles and strategies for success in college, career planning, important resources and supports, and coping with disability or combat trauma. This will provide Wounded Warriors an important opportunity to learn about themselves as a college student. The course could be offered as a bridge program, online, or at the start of the college or university experience. Establish and sustain a campus-wide Figure 6. Chart Excerpt veteran center to assist student-veterans with navigating the college system, provide space for veterans to gather, and help the student veteran find resolution to problems is a worthwhile investment for colleges. The veteran center staff should collaborate with academic units/divisions/ departments, be knowledgeable about matriculation and transfer of credit for military training, and understand the types of assistance Wounded Warriors may need. Make available and affordable learning styles testing/diagnostic assessment for any veterans who feel they may now learn differently than the last time they were in school. Any assessments should be accompanied by suggestions for learning strategies that would be beneficial for student veterans, especially veterans who have experienced combat trauma and are self-discovering a disability affecting learning.

Filling in the Gaps

What improvements are needed in the systems to support transition to civilian life and to beginning college?

Provide veterans with career counseling specific to STEM to assist them with developing a career focus and plan.

Having a campus student organization, for student veterans can help to increase retention; therefore, it translates into graduating students. It shows that the institution is invested in making sure student veteran needs are met. [Student Veterans Organization]
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Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Build off of STEM-relevant military training. Many veterans have received military training giving them transferable skills to STEM fields and college majors; however, veterans often need guidance to recognize their opportunities in STEM. Connect with local career centers. Because many local career centers have a veteran employment manager, there is a natural opportunity for building STEM-focused collaborations between career centers and colleges. Local career centers also have the potential to provide a venue for veterans to gather and offer each other peer support. Figure 4. Chart Excerpt

Getting the Word Out

How do you market STEM opportunities to people in the military before they transition to civilian life? How can STEM degrees and careers be more achievable?

Increase the appeal of STEM for veterans/Wounded Warriors by disseminating information about the field, the need for an educated, high-tech work force, and the types of careers available to STEM majors. Build relationships between the institutions of higher education and military installations. Develop and maintain a presence on a post/base/camp to build awareness among service men and women about STEM career options and transition to civilian life and college.

Transition Two: Earning Degrees

Colleges and universities have an opportunity to invest in programs and resources to not only get veterans through to the door but also to provide a learning environment that keeps them in college and earning degrees. This means finding meaningful ways to engage veterans and especially Wounded Warriors in their campus. The second round of community conversations focused on ways of fostering a veteran supportive environment in the colleges/universities and particularly within the STEM majors.

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Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Veteran Friendly vs. Veteran Supportive

What is veteran friendly and how do we make it real?

Strive to be veteran supportive because the needs surpass friendliness. Organize a campus student veteran organization because student veterans, especially veterans struggling with the effects of combat trauma, can feel isolated in their college experience. A campus student veteran organization (i.e. chapter of the Veteran Students of America) can provide opportunities for veterans to meet and find peer support. The organization can also link veterans to leadership opportunities and promote visibility of veterans on campus. All are important to student persistence, retention, and success. Think in business terms about increasing veteran student enrollment. The benefits are mutual for veterans, Wounded Warriors, and higher education. Additionally, there are benefits to society for veterans to be supported into STEM careers.

There are 32 schools in Washington State that have a VetCorps representative. I was the representative for Seattle University. My job was to make veterans lives easier so that they didn't drop out, commit suicide, get frustrated with the system. [This helped them] keep moving forward to obtain that end status, which is ultimately a career. And it may even be a career in the STEM -- the STEM fields. [Wounded Warrior]

Recruitment and Visibility

How can public institutions increase recruitment and visibility in military communities?

Assign college/university staff to specific roles of building relationships with veterans transitioning out of the military, marketing the college/university as veteran supportive, and recruiting students. Initiate articulation agreements with feeder schools to ease degree completion. Degree attainment is important for veterans. Develop and disseminate regional directories comparing veteran supportive colleges and incentives for veterans (including Wounded Warriors) in STEM. A directory would be beneficial for recruitment to STEM degrees and visibility for STEM careers. Start a veteran alumni association to fund scholarships and/or programming.

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Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Sticking with It
What can higher education do to help Wounded Warriors achieve STEM degrees? What types of information, supports, accommodations, or programs are needed?

Locate supports for Wounded Warriors in an office that is not called the disability services office. Many Wounded Warriors or those experiencing combat trauma are uncomfortable with having a disability. Many are just coming to terms with their combat trauma or would like to return to military duty and do not want to be labeled. Make available networks of supports whether a veterans center, student veteran organization, or a peer mentoring program. This type of support will help Wounded Warriors persist in their studies.

That's one of the -- that's one of the main points that I want to hit home. A lot of people hear traumatic brain injury and hear post traumatic stress on a daily basis, but not a lot of people know about how it actually affects you within school. Presenting this information to university and community college personnel is vital and important so that we can begin to learn how we can help each other. [Wounded Warrior]

Getting Faculty Up to Speed

What does faculty need to know about engaging Wounded Warriors in their courses?

Support faculty to be trauma-informed and accessible in their teaching and learning. Recognizing life experiences would also be helpful to Wounded Warriors. Provide faculty with seminars/workshops in Universal Design for Learning to learn how to addresses the diversity of all students, including Wounded Warriors.

Getting Creative
While understanding the restraints of funding and space, think outside the box. What can be done to help Wounded Warriors succeed in their STEM education?

Share success stories. As Wounded Warriors are self-discovering the effects of combat trauma, it would be helpful to hear success stories and advice from Wounded Warriors who have navigated the STEM education to career path. These opportunities should be incorporated into existing projects and services with extensive outreach to veterans such as the Wounded Warrior Project and The Mission Continues.

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Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Connect with the Transition Assistance Program. Form a partnership between higher education and the Transition Assistance Program to identify ways of linking Wounded Warriors to STEM education opportunities and career planning in STEM. Reach out to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and military treatment facilities. Both the VA and their medical centers implement an Integrated Disability Evaluation System. At each of the VA medical centers there is an OEF/OIF/OND program manager, a case manager and transition patient advocate. They have the community resources to assist veterans with navigating community resources and services. A community response to addressing the needs of veterans should link with the VA to help veterans access the services and support they have earned.

Transition Three: College to STEM Workforce

There are many pathways to a STEM Career. Due to the nature of the work of the NSF Alliances for Students with Disabilities in STEM Transition STEM focused more on college to STEM workforce than on military to STEM workforce. This does not mean that military to STEM workforce transition is not equally valid, nor does it mean that the college to STEM workforce transition is fraught with more problems. There are opportunities to align, expand, and develop programs to support Wounded Warriors who would like to put their military experiences to use in the STEM fields. The following are summaries from the community conversations about building a STEM Figure 5. Chart Excerpt career.

Leadership & Advantages for the STEM Industry

In what ways do military leadership and experiences translate into STEM careers? How do STEM fields benefit from veterans in their workforce?

Build from shared values. The military culture values team work, focus on assigned tasks, and leadership. Understand common experiences and how they relate. Veterans have experience working with diverse groups of people within a command structure and have developed verbal and non-verbal communication skills important for building trust.

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Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report Military training and experience builds a skills base of systems thinking, global perspective, problem-solving, and deductive reasoning. Recognize specialized training. Through their military experience, many veterans have acquired specialized and technical knowledge and skills relevant to STEM fields.

Making Connections
In what ways can STEM industry and higher education collaborate to ease the transition for veterans?

Collaborate and communicate. Developing an active collaboration structure for encouraging the STEM industry to share with higher education the characteristics and skills new STEM employees need for job success. Create opportunities for STEM industry and faculty to partner in teaching courses and designing hands-on, real-world experiences for students. Support experiential education and hands-on learning. Create opportunities for industry representatives to connect with veterans early and frequently in their STEM education to share information about career options, employer expectations, and internship opportunities.

One of the unique advantages that I believe veterans bring to the workplace is that they know what it means to work and to apply skills in a practical context. They bring leadership skills, communication skills, and professionalism. These are difficult to teach in an academic environment. [STEM Industry Recruiter]

Getting Employers Up to Speed

What do STEM employers need to know about recruiting and employing veterans? Wounded Warriors?

Make information on accommodations readily available. Employers need information on how to make accommodations for Wounded Warriors. It is important the employers learn that accommodations do not have to be costly and often accommodations for Wounded Warriors will benefit all employees. Dedicate someone to veterans relations. Human resources departments should have a designated human resource specialist who specializes in recruiting veterans, accommodations for Wounded Warriors, and can serve as a resource to the company in matters pertaining to veterans.

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Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Design and implement an employer training program about hiring veterans. Ideally the training would include information about the value of veterans in the workplace, strategies for recruiting veterans, strategies for orienting veterans to the workplace, and general information about how military experiences are relevant to the STEM field. This training could be in-person or virtual and could connect to a onestop source for employers focused on the STEM business/industries.

Getting the job

What information and supports are needed to assist Wounded Warriors in the transition from college to career?

Employers do not always understand the military context. For example, a navy weapons officer goes to school for 12 weeks and takes a test each Friday or gets fired. She or he may manage ten people and an eighty million-dollar budget. Members of the military use the most sophisticated technology available and are trained and tested on it regularly. [Wounded Warrior; military career leader]

Know their options. Wounded Warriors need information about options in the STEM fields for careers and available jobs in their desired location Know what supports are available. Wounded Warriors need information about accommodations in the workplace and how and when to discuss needs for accommodations with an employer. Network with business and industry. Wounded Warriors need a connection with private sector recruiters who want to place veterans in their companies and work with them to draft resumes that translate military experience in terms business and industry understand.

But one of the questions I have is whether the institution of education needs to change and adapt, and I guess my question is, is do you think the institutions of education are preparing people well for that shift and -- and the fact that there's not a match with veterans may actually be symptomatic of limitations and our educational system which probably has shifted less than many things in our society. [Transition STEM Participant]
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Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Goals, Recommendations, and Strategies

The prior section lists the predominant ideas that emerged from the Transition STEM. These ideas for broadening participation of Wounded Warriors in STEM fields are interconnected in many ways. Additionally, these ideas include recommendations for what improved systems, supports, and resources would look like and strategies for how to get there. This section identifies a shared goal, synthesized recommendations, and suggested implementation strategies for a community approach involving colleges/universities, STEM employers, and community resources. The overarching goal for an improved system of transition for Wounded Warriors into STEM careers is the following.

Goal: Broaden participation of Wounded Warriors in STEM careers by sustaining pathways that build on their military experience and training and that support degree attainment.

The next four pages contain graphics summarizing the results from the think tank. The recommendations and strategies in Table 2 focus primarily on the steps higher education can take to enhance opportunities and address gaps. Similarly, the recommendations in Table 3 focus on the steps STEM employers and community resources can take. However, it is important to note that many of the implementation strategies specify collaboration between higher education and business/ industry. As higher education, STEM employers, community leaders, and funders work to broaden the participation of Wounded Warriors in STEM careers, it is important to recognize the services and supports in place, that need improvement, or are missing. Throughout the think tank, the participants described the current reality giving context to defining needed improvements. The graphic displays the current reality, as articulated by the participants, alongside the recommendations as listed in tables 2 and 3. This graphic, spanning pages 24 and 25, is best viewed side-by-side. The current landscape is not evenly available for all veterans so there are cells which are empty or are filled in with a dotted pattern. The closer together the dots the more available the service is across many institutions. This pattern scheme represents the fact that some institutions and organizations are out ahead doing the work but the mainstream of institutions and organizations are not providing the service or support.

21

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report Table 2. Recommendations and Strategies for Colleges/Universities

Recommendations
Reach out early to veterans/ Wounded Warriors to recruit for STEM degree/ certificate programs. Evaluate and accept (as appropriate) military training. Structure degree programs for STEM careers and disseminate information on need for educated, high-tech work force.

Implementation Strategies
Recruitment activities are conducted in-person with veterans. Admissions officer, who is a veteran, recruits on bases. and understands veteran issues. Make use of ACE Guide recommendations for transfer of credit Offer experiential learning opportunities that tie learning in the classroom to direct application in the STEM field. Build partnerships with STEM business and industry to create and communicate a pathway to STEM careers for Wounded Warriors. Invest in a student veterans center that has a full-time coordinator and space for meeting and studying. Offer a 1-2 credit orientation course, similar to a freshman experience course, with enrollment limited to veterans. Start a veterans student organization on campus. Formalize a peer mentoring program for veterans on campus. Offer continuing education for faculty that addresses Universal Design for Learning and trauma-informed strategies for engaging Wounded Warriors in the classroom.

22

HIGHER EDUCATION

Ease the transition for Wounded Warriors by being a veteran supportive campus. Offer college orientation opportunities specifically for veterans/Wounded Warriors. Connect veterans/Wounded Warriors early and frequently to peer supports. Prepare faculty to implement Universal Design for Learning and be appropriately responsive to Wounded Warrior learners.

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report Table 3. Recommendations for STEM employers and community resources

Recommendations
Provide STEM specific career counseling for veterans/ Wounded Warriors.

Implementation Strategies
Develop a community approach to career counseling that involves local career centers, campus career centers, STEM faculty, and STEM employers understands veteran issues. Provide opportunities for Wounded Warriors to learn about their needs for reasonable accommodations, their rights, and ways of requesting accommodations. Provide opportunities for employers to learn about reasonable accommodations and Wounded Warriors. Host national webinars led by veterans who have experience combat trauma discussing their recommendations for success and accommodations in the workplace. Staff a human resource position with a veteran or someone knowledgeable about the military.

STEM EMPLOYERS AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Prepare Wounded Warriors and employers for discussing needs for accommodations.

Increase STEM industry understanding of the advantages of hiring veterans.

Human resource staff, team leaders, and other staff participate in continuing education regarding the benefits of hiring veterans/ Wounded Warriors. Form veterans employee groups to encourage networking and collegiality.

Offer continued opportunities for peer support in the workplace.

23

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report Recommendations and Implementation Strategies, Part One

CURRENT LANDSCAPE
Supports available for Wounded Warrior:
Gra dua te 4-yea r 2-yea r tra ns i ti on

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE THINK TANK

Reach out early to veterans/Wounded Warriors to recruit for STEM degree/ certificate programs. Evaluate and accept (as appropriate) military training. Structure degree programs for STEM careers and disseminate information on need for educated, high-tech work force. Ease the transition for Wounded Warriors by being a veteran supportive campus. Offer college orientation opportunities specifically for veterans/Wounded Warriors. Connect veterans/Wounded Warriors early and frequently to peer supports. Prepare faculty to implement universal design for learning and be appropriately responsive to Wounded Warrior learners.

tr

Recruitmen Admissions understand

Make use o

Offer exper classroom t partnership commnicat

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Offer contin design for l Wounded W

CURRENT LANDSCAPE
Supports available for Wounded Warrior:
>5 4<5 yea rs 2<4 yea rs 0<2 yea rs tra ns i ti on

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE THINK TANK

Provide STEM specific career counseling for veterans/Wounded Warriors.

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Develop a c local caree STEM empl

Prepare Wounded Warriors and employers for discussing needs for accommodations.

Provide opp needs for re requesting learn about Host webin

Increase STEM industry understanding of the advantages of hiring veterans. Offer continued opportunities for peer support in the workplace.

Human reso continuing veterans/W Form vetera collegiality

24

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report Recommendations and Implementation Strategies, Part Two

M THE

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
transition 2-year 4-year Graduate

WHO

GOAL

ed /

Recruitment activities are conducted in-person with veterans. Admissions officer, who is a veteran, recruits on bases and understands veterans issues. Make use of ACE Guide recommendtions for transfer of credit. Offer experiential learning opportunities that tie learning in the classroom to direct application in the STEM fields. Build partnerships with STEM business and industry to create and commnicate a pathway to STEM careers for Wounded Warriors. Invest in a student veterans' organization that has a full-time coordinator and space for meeting and studying. Offer a t-2 credit orientation course, similar to a freshman experience course, with enrollment limited to veterans. Start a veterans student organization on campus. Formalize a peer mentoring program for veterans on campus. Offer continuing education for faculty that addresses universal design for learning and trauma informed strategies for engaging Wounded Warriors in the classroom.

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M careers ed for

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rs early

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M THE

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
transition 0<2 years 2<4 years 4<5 years >5

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Develop a community approach to career counseling that involves local career centers, campus careers centers, STEM faculty, and STEM employers. Provide opportuntiies for Wounded Warriors to learn about their needs for reasonable accommodations, their rights, and ways of requesting accommodations. Provide opportunities for employers to learn about reasonable accommodations and Wounded Warriors. Host webinars led by veterans who have experienced combat Human resources staff, team leaders, and other staff participate in continuing education regarding the benefits of hiring veterans/Wounded Warriors. Form veterans employee groups to encrouage networking and collegiality.

Broaden participation of Wounded Warriors in STEM careers by sustaining pathways that build on their military experience and training and that supports degree attainment

STEM Employers and Community Resources

ployers for ons.

ing of the

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25

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Conclusion and Next Steps

Transition STEM was the first of many conversations that need to occur locally, regionally, and nationally. Unanimously, the Transition STEM participants described the natural fit of Wounded Warriors and STEM fields. The participants described a range of services and resources needed by Wounded Warriors to support them in their STEM education and with connecting them to STEM careers. Transition STEM participants included people across the nation that are fully vested in improving services and systems for Wounded Warriors. The participant response to Transition STEM was overwhelmingly positive. Transition STEM was the launch to future conversations continuing to share (a) ideas for improving services, resources, and systems; (b) research identifying effective strategies, (c) data systems for documenting effective systems change, and (d) firstperson descriptions of lessons learned.

Having a veteran's club, having a, you know, social night or whatever, that's key to these individuals coming out. Because when we leave the service, we don't only lose our sense of mission, we also lose our friends. And our brothers and sisters, really. [Wounded Warrior]

The website www.transitionstem.org is a platform for continuing the work of the think tank. As informative briefs, video clips of the event, and other resources are developed, they will be posted to the website. Additionally, there is a web-based resource hub TSAR (Transition STEM Artifacts and Resources) that welcomes contributions. Lastly, as a community of practice, http://transitionstem.posterous.com/ was established. All Transition STEM participants are invited to join this online community forum and share updates about their work.

Figure 7. Next Steps Chart Excerpt 26

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

References
American Council on Education (2011). Accommodating student veterans with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder: Tips for campus faculty and staff. Retrieved from http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ProgramsServices/ MilitaryPrograms/serving/AccommodatingStudentVeterans_06222011.pdf. American Council on Education (2010). Veterans success JAM: Ensuring success for returning veterans. Retrieved from www.acenet.edu/links/military/ensuring_success.html Burnett, S. E., & Segoria, J. (2009). Collaboration for military transition students from combat to college: It takes a community. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22(1), 233-238. Church, T. E. (2009). Returning veterans on campus with war related injuries and the long road back home. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22(1), 224-232. Cook, B. J., & Kim, Y. (2009). From soldier to student: Easing the transition of service members on campus. Washington, DC: American Council on Education. Do-It (Disabilities, opportunities, internetworking, and Technology (2008). Think Tank: Serving Veterans with Disabilities. Proceedings retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/ doit/cbi/veterans/proceedings.html Lincoln, Y. & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Madaus, J. W., Miller, W. K., & Vance, M. L. (2009). Veterans with disabilities in postsecondary education. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22(1), 191-198. Shackelford, A. L. (2009). Documenting the needs of student veterans with disabilities: Intersection roadblocks, solutions, and legal realities. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22(1), 217-223. U. S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy. (2010). America's heroes at work: Young veterans think tank project. Washington, DC. Vance, M. L., & Miller, W. K. (2009). Serving wounded warriors: Current practices in postsecondary education. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22(1), 199-216. World Caf Foundation (2011). World Caf hosting kit. Retrieved from www.theworldcafecommunity.org

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Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Appendix
Survey Results
What do you believe to be the greatest challenges to STEM degree completion faced by Wounded Warriors?

Lack of faculty/educational administration understanding of veterans issues Veterans often dont think of getting an education as an option for them PTSD/mental health challenges No course credit for military service Culture shock

Please share your acquired wisdom. Briefly list your ideas for improving services and supports for Wounded Warriors seeking STEM careers.

Establish Vet Center on campus Wounded Warriors in these fields do not need to be coddled. They need to be challenged, but in a smart way. Organizations such as the Wounded Warrior Project and The Mission Continues do just that, they challenge. Schools should be more openly supportive of the organizations and others like them to challenge their Warriors, while remembering that a full school, home, and work load for anyone is stressful but for Wounded Warriors can be something close to the largest challenge of their lives. Every school should have a Veteran's Center. Coordinating with community services for vets (i.e. Veterans Upward Bound) One on one peer mentoring, allowing Veterans to stop out for a semester or so to address personal/medical issues that may arise. Training faculty We need to better prepare faculty and graduate TAs to know what to expect and what the needs of these students will be. We cannot expect instructors to have good instincts about what these needs and issues will be. Instructors will want to be supportive, but if they do not know what is needed or are not prepared to deal with these issues, they will likely resort to ignoring the situation. Providing counseling services The school counseling services must be able to deal with the W2s emotional and psychological issues which come with PTSD, TBI and combat. These are radically different from dealing with a college student who has ADHD.

28

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report What insights or answers are you hoping to gain from participating in Transition STEM?

How to best support veterans - I am hoping to walk away with some real insights about what I can do as a researcher and college educator to support our wounded warriors. Supporting veterans in educational settings Teaching large numbers of veterans and wounded warriors will be a very new and unsettling experience for many if not most faculty. They will need to have some tools and something of what to expect. Greater understanding of veterans and their issues My goal is to walk away from participating with a greater understanding of what Wounded Warriors feel, think, and see. I am a Wounded Warrior but my life is my own and I do not have the same views as others. I would also like to see plans made and put into action to assist our veterans into getting an education and becoming our countrys future leaders. I would like to know what are the pressing issues, from the veteran's perspective. I have worked with students with disabilities for over 20 years and think I have a pretty good idea of solutions to a variety of disability issues for their learning and making things accessible. Perspective is everything! What works for veterans I hope to gain insight into what others have found to work. Network with others facing the same issues I don't know at the moment, I still don't know what to expect, but I expect initially to gain a network of like minded people and organizations, that are willing to actually provide a real benefit for the student veteran or any veteran in transition.

What types of assistance or accommodations is available for wounded warriors at you college/ university? (mark all that apply)

Personal counseling-20 Disability support services-18 Tutoring-18 Academic supports such as writing labs, math labs, etc.-16 Assist with processing VA forms for educational benefits-17 Active student veterans organization-14

Academic advising/transfer credit evaluation process-12 Career counseling & job placement-11 Recognize and use the ACE Guide in evaluating military training courses and awarding course credit-9 Veteran-focused orientation-6 Campus veterans center-6 Vet-to-Vet peer mentoring-4 29

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Participant List
FirstName Christopher Jaclyn John William Gary Theresa Catherine Valerie Michael Kim LastName Andersen Anderson Bechtol Benzel Branch Bridges Brogna Brown Bruns Collins Org Ohio State University Kansas City Kansas Community College University of Wisconsin-Madison U.S. Department of Labor / VETS Southern Union State Black & Veatch Massasoit Community College UMKC Student Veterans Organization Disabled Veterans Outreach Program MIDWEST Alliance/University of Illinois AccessSTEM Alliance VetJobs University of MissouriKansas City Cerner Corporation Wright State University MU Veterans Center U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Community Liaison and OEF-OIF-OND Seamless Transition Program Manager Veterans Conservation Corps Blue Three Productions, LLC Veteran Corps U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wounded Warrior Project COTELCO - Institute on Disability and Public Policy Missouri Western State University UCM Whiteman Title Director, STEM Initiatives Director, Academic Resource Center Assistant Dean of Students State Director Dean of Student Development College/Diversity Lead Learning/Disabilities Specialist/Counselor National Representative Representative Clinical Psychologist City Columbus Kansas City Madison Waynesville Opelika Overland Park Brockton Independence Kansas City Champaign State OH KS WI MO AL KS MA MO MO IL

Lyla Ted Dee Laura John Carol Rex Shari

Crawford Daywalt Evans Evans Flach Fleisher Goodnight Grewe

Program Coordinator President Asst Dir UMKC Community & Public Affairs Talent Strategist Professor Director Chief, Engineering Division Department of Veterans Affairs, Heartland Network, VISN (15) Field Coordinator Founder/Director/Producer Veteran Navigator District Commander Manager, Alumni Research Associate

Spokane Roswell Kansas City Kansas City Dayton Columbia Kansas City Kansas City

WA GA MO MO OH MO MO MO

Jeremy Kyle Kara Anthony Abbie Kerry

Grisham HausmannStokes Hayes Hofmann Holland Schmit Honeycutt

Seattle Los Angeles Tacoma Kansas City Oak Brook Chevy Chase

WA CA WA MO IL MD

Shay

Howard Huffman

30

Jeffrey

Professor of Military Science DOJ Coordinator

Warrensburg

MO

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Participant List, continued

Kerry Honeycutt COTELCO - Institute on Disability and Public Policy Missouri Western State University UCM Whiteman Advantage Ohio State University University of Missouri, College of Veterinary Medicine Wounded Warrior Project Wounded Warrior Project Missouri Veterans Commission RTP New Mexico State University Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health DOL-OSHA, DEPMaritime University of Connecticut Springfield Technical Community College NMSU/Reaching the Pinnacle University of MissouriKansas City Business Executives for National Security University of Oregon WDVA/ Vet Corps Rockwell Collins, Inc. Midwest Alliance in STEM - University of WI - Madison Auburn University Montgomery University of Central Missouri NSF _RDE program coordinator Kansas City Kansas Community College Research Associate Chevy Chase MD

Shay Jeffrey Teresa Rebecca

Howard Huffman Johnson Johnson

Professor of Military Science DOJ Coordinator Instructional Consultant Director, Research Center for Human Animal Interaction Assistant Manager, Family Support Policy Analyst Executive Director Associate Professor Academic Program Manager Occupational, Safety and Health Specialist Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Coordinator of Disability Services

Warrensburg Columbus Columbia

MO OH MO

Michelle Bonnie Larry James Christine

Kacer Kaufman Kay King King

San Antonio Washington Jefferson City Las Cruces Baltimore

TX DC MO NM MD

John Donna Kris Randy Scott

King Korbel Kozuch Larry Laurent

Washington Storrs Springfield Las Cruces

DC CT MA NM MO

William Amy Timm Ken Jay

Lawson Lobben Lovitt Manley Martin

Director, Office of Services for Students with Disabilities Regional Director Associate Professor TBI Field Coordinator Senior Sourcing Specialist Principal Investigator

Kansas City

Kansas City Eugene Mountlake Terrace Cedar Rapids Madison

MO OR WA IA WI

Tamara Barbara

Massey Garrett Mayfield

Director ADA/504 Coord., Dir. of Accessibility Services & THRIVE The Ohio State University Executive Director

Montgomery Warrensburg

AL MO

Bianca Karalin

McArrell McKain

Columbus Leavenworth

OH KS31

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Participant List, continued

Bianca Karalin John Michele McArrell McKain McNeill McNeill NSF _RDE program coordinator Kansas City Kansas Community College Assistant Adjutant General Hunter College, The City University of New York University of Phoenix Research Institute University of MissouriKansas City University of Central Missouri The University of Kansas Veterans Upward Bound Veterans of Foreign Wars The Mission Continues AASD-STEM University of Central Missouri Midwest Alliance at UW-Madison University of Hawaii Center on Disability Studies Georgia State University UMKC-IHD MidAmerica ATTC UMKC Student Veterans Organization Center for Learning Connections of Edmonds Community College Student Veterans of America Emily Shepard Graphic Facilitation U.S. Navy UMKC Army ROTC University of Missouri - Kansas City The Ohio State University Executive Director Veterans of Foreign Wars Project Director Columbus Leavenworth Kansas City New York OH KS MO NY

Leslie Leo Delilah Julia

Miller Morton Nichols O'Dell

Executive Director of Research Chancellor Coordinator, Military and Veteran Services Associate Director

Orlando Kansas City Warrensburg Kansas City

FL MO MO KS

Daniel Mike Carl Paul Christine Kelly

Parker Pereira Pettis Polychronis Pribbenow Roberts

Associate Director, National Membership Fellowship Program Director Principal Investigator Director of the Counseling Center Associate Scientist Associate Professor

Kansas City St. Louis Montgomery Warrensburg Madison Honolulu

MO MO AL MO WI Hi

Phil

Rockwell

Doris Jamison Peter

Rogers Ryan Schmidt

Career Counselor and Staff Advisor to Student Vets of America Chapter Project Manager President Project Director, Veterans Training Support Center

Atlanta

GA

Kansas City Kansas City Lynnwood

MO MO WA

Dan Emily Jared Christopher William

Sewell Shepard Shorter Smiley Smith

Vice President, Leadership Council Graphic Facilitator Officer Programs Recruiter

Columbia Oakland Kansas City Platte City Kansas City

MO CA MO MO MO

Health Educator

32

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Participant List, continued

William Annette Al Robert Susan Linda Smith Sobel Souma Stodden Terry Thurston University of Missouri - Kansas City University of Missouri ACCESS STEM ALLIANCE University of Hawaii at Manoa University of Washington National Science Foundation University of MissouriKansas City Wright State University The Mission Continues Keene State College University of Missouri - Kansas City Brookhaven National Laboratory Health Educator Assistant to the Provost for Strategic Opportunities Counselor Director & Professor Director, Career Center Program Officer, Division of Human Resource Development Professor Director - Office of Disability Services Volunteer Coordinator Director Asst. V.C. for Community and Public Affairs Manager Kansas City Columbia Issaquah Honolulu Seattle Arlington MO MO WA HI WA VA

Appie Jeff Erin Jane Stancia Kenneth

Van de Liefvoort Vernooy Walker Warner Whitcomb Jenkins White

Lawrence Dayton St. Louis Keene Kansas City Upton

KS OH MO NH MO NY

33

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Detailed Agenda for Wednesday, July 27 Morning

8:00 am 9:00 am Registration and Continental Breakfast Opening Ceremony Facilitated by Dr. Ronda Jenson
Presentation of the Colors, UMKC Army ROTC Color Guard Welcome Address, Chancellor Leo Morton, University of Missouri-

Kansas City NSF Welcome Dr. Linda Thurston 9:20 am 9:50 am Setting the Charge Dr. Annette Sobel Warriors Adjusting Transition Success Stories Panel Presentation: Wounded Warriors on challenges and opportunities for transition into STEM education and careers. Facilitated by Larry D. Kay, Executive Director, Missouri Veterans Commission.
Timm Lovitt, Founder, Veterans Empowerment Team Kara Hayes, Veteran Navigator, Veteran Corps Jeremy Grisham, Field Coordinator, Veterans Conservation Corps Mike Pereira, Fellowship Program Director, The Mission Continues

11:10 am 11:30 am 12:15 pm

Break Keynote Address Ted Daywalt, President and CEO, VetJobs Lunch

34

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Detailed Agenda
1:15 pm Community Conversation #1 1.Readiness and Timeliness: When are the critical transition junctures in which Wounded Warriors need resources and support? When are Wounded Warriors most receptive to these resources and supports? 2.Resources and Supports That Work: What are the resources and supports reported to be effective in supporting transition to civilian life and to beginning college? 3.Filling in the Gaps: What improvements are needed in the systems to support transition to civilian life and to beginning college? 4.Getting the Word Out: How do you market STEM opportunities to people in the military before they transition to civilian life? 5.Dreams and Goals: How can STEM degrees and careers be more achievable? 2:15 pm 2:30 3:30 pm Break Warriors Earning Degrees Retention and Attainment Strategies for Higher Education Panel Presentation: What higher education needs to know and do to support Wounded Warriors who are majoring in and building careers in the STEM fields.
Kris Kozuch, Coordinator of Disability Services, Springfield (MA)

Technical College
Leslie A. Miller, Executive Director, Working Learners Research

Center of University of Phoenix Research Institute

Dan E. Sewell, Vice President, Student Veterans of America Bill Smith, Veteran and Health Educator, University of Missouri-

Kansas City 3:30 3:45 pm Break

35

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Detailed Agenda
3:45 4:45 pm Community Conversation #2 1.Veteran Friendly: What is veteran friendly and how do we make it real? 2.Recruitment and Visibility: How can public institutions increase recruitment and visibility in military communities? 3.Sticking with It: What can higher education do to help Wounded Warriors achieve STEM degrees? What types of information, supports, accommodations, or programs are needed? 4.Getting Faculty Up to Speed: What do faculty need to know about engaging Wounded Warriors in their courses? 5.Getting Creative: While understanding the restraints of funding and space, think outside the box. What can be done by higher education faculty/staff/administrators to help Wounded Warriors succeed in their STEM education? 4:45 5:45 pm 6:00 7:00 pm Afternoon Reception held on the Garden Terrace Keynote Address: SSG Kyle Hausmann-Stokes (US Army Ret.); Owner, Blue Three Productions. Viewing of Hausmann-Stokes short film Now, After. Dinner

7:00 8:00 pm

36

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Graphic Recording Charts

37

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Graphic Recording Charts

38

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Graphic Recording Charts

39

Transition STEM: A Wounded Warriors Think Tank Summary Report

Graphic Recording Charts

40

CONTEXT
PrivatetouroftheWorldWarI,welcome fromtheVeteransofForeignWars, UniversityofMissouriKansasCity,andThe MissionContinues.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
Throughcommunityconversations, participantsworktogethertoidentify solutionsandacollectiveresponse.

WORKING IN STEM FIELDS

Militaryandbusinessleadersoncareertrainingandbest practicesforWoundedWarriorrecruitmentandhiring.