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Creating a community of practice: serving student veterans in higher education

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Creating a community of practice: serving student veterans in higher education

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Content Running head: CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 1

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE: SERVING STUDENT VETERANS
IN HIGHER EDUCATION

by

Catherine Ward

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

May 2018

Copyright 2018 Catherine Ward

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 2

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The last three years challenged me in ways I did not expect. I learned lessons far beyond
my research topic – lessons that broadened my sense of self, expanded my worldview, and most
importantly, I learned to be more a more empathic and compassionate human being. These
lessons were learned because so many people were willing to share their stories, their
knowledge, their wisdom, and their encouragement with me. Indeed, there are too many to
name. Yet, I would be remiss if I did not first say “thank you” to all the professors in the Ed.D.
program who I had the privilege to learn from – who taught me about leadership and diversity
and learning and motivation in new and meaningful ways. I would especially like to
acknowledge Dr. Tambascia, who was willing to take me on mid-dissertation. Dr. Tambascia,
your skillfulness, patience, and kindness has been like a beacon guiding me to the finish line
amidst lingering worry and self-doubt.
To my work family – thank you for the countless times you listened to all the theory and
application strategies I was learning along the way and for bearing with my enthusiasm as I
tested out my learning in our staff meetings and trainings. Your support made it easier to face the
long days of work and studying, helping me to stay focused on the reason we are in the
“business” of education. To Melissa, I will always remember, joyfully, the days we carpooled to
school and walked the USC campus together struggling to believe we were students. The answer
to the question, “do we really belong” is “yes - yes we do…” I became a student affairs educator
because of Barbara McDowell, to whom I will be forever grateful for always believing in me and
supporting me over the years. I stayed in this profession because of the of hundreds of student
veterans I have had the honor to serve. Daniel, you will always be the center my “why.”
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 3

To my parents who left us long ago but whose love and encouragement has endured the
years of their loss. It is on the foundation they selflessly laid for me that I have built my life and
why I dare to achieve my dreams. I am so grateful for my 10 older brothers and sisters whose
lives and love have paved the way for me to see what is possible. And where in the path there is
only uncertainty, I have found some comfort. When I said goodbye to my dear sister Francine
who looked up at me from her hospital bed, when we both knew it would be last time we would
be together in this world – she cheered me on. She said three things: “I will always be with you,
do good in your studies, [and] keep playing your music.” These words guided me over the last
two years, they gave me strength, sustained my hope, and reminded me that I was not alone in
this journey.
As I literally complete this chapter in my life, my heart is filled with gratitude for my
husband, Mike, who is both my anchor and soft place to land. Words fail to describe your
unyielding support. Every day, your dedication to do good inspires me and the strength of your
work ethic pushes me to press onward. Completing this dissertation is just as much your
accomplishment, as it is mine. I love you.
Finally, what supersedes my dream to achieve this goal is my desire to inspire my
children and grandchildren to follow their dreams and to somehow model the power of
determination in the face of challenge, doubt, and fear. But where the truest power lies, is in the
love we share. You are my inspiration and my example of everything that is good in this world.
The ways you demonstrate fierceness in your lives, your courage, and your compassion fills me
with hope, joy, and contentment. My heart is full of love for you.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 4

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements 2
List of Tables 6
List of Figures 7
Abstract 8
Chapter One: Overview of the Study 9
The Statement of the Problem 10
The Purpose of the Study 12
The Significance of the Study 13
Limitations and Delimitations 15
Assumptions 16
Definitions 16
Conclusion 17
Chapter Two: Literature Review 18
The GI Bill and its Impact on Higher Education 18
Responding to Student Veteran Enrollment in Higher Education 21
Community of Practice 22
Obstacles with Reporting Student Veteran Academic Performance 26
Student Affairs Educators Who Serve Student Veterans 27
A Profile of Student Veterans 28
Demographics 29
Why Veterans Choose to Attend College 30
The Influence of Military Experience on the Student Experience 31
Transition to College 32
Women Veterans in Higher Education 38
Military Related Trauma 39
Strengths and Resiliency 41
Defining Student Affairs 42
Professional Standards and Competencies 42
How Student Affairs Educators are Prepared for Their Roles 45
Why Student Affairs Educators Join, Stay, or Leave the Profession 46
What is Missing in the Research 48
Conceptual Frameworks 50
Conclusion 53
Chapter Three: Methodology 54
Purpose of the Study 54
Research Questions 55
Site Selection 56
Population and Sample 56
Instrumentation 57
Data Collection 58
Data Analysis 62
Validity 63
Role of the Researcher 64
Conclusion 66
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 5

Chapter Four: Presentation of Data 68
Participant Demographic Overview 69
Participant Descriptions, Roles, and Responsibilities 71
Senior-Level Educator 71
Mid-level Educator 73
New Educator 73
Emergent Themes 74
Theme 1: Participants Professionalizing Student Veteran Support 74
Theme 2: Multiple Sources of Learning Needed 76
Theme 3: Interpersonal and Technical Skills Necessary to Be Effective 81
Theme 4: Aligning Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values with Core Competencies 85
Theme 6: Relationship Building Brings Value 95
Conclusion 96
Chapter Five: Discussion and Recommendations 97
Discussion 98
Interpretation of the Findings 98
Student Affairs Educators’ Experiences Influence Practice 100
Student Affairs Knowledge, Skills, and Disposition Influence Practice 102
Being in Connection with Others 112
An Unintended Finding 113
Opportunities for Future Research 120
Conclusion 121
References 123
Appendix A: Recruitment Email Communication 136
Appendix B: Pre-survey Questions 137
Appendix C: Friendly Reminder – Recruitment Email Communication 138
Appendix D: Request to Participate Email Communication 139
Appendix E: Thank you for Your Interest Email Communication 140
Appendix F: Information Sheet 141
Appendix G: The ACPA and NASPA’s Core Competencies Overview 143
Appendix H: Interview Guide 147

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 6

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Comparable NCES, ACE, and Urban Institute Student Veterans Demographics 32
Table 2: Student Veteran Enrollment and Number of Professional Staff Dedicated to
Serve Them 69
Table 3: Demographic Traits 70
Table 4: Education Levels by Degree Attainment 71
Table 5: How Educators Gained Their Knowledge About Student Veterans 77
Table 6: Skills Necessary for Educators to be Effective 81
Table 7: Opportunities for Professional Development 84

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 7

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Projected student veterans’ college enrollment growth. 20
Figure 2: Vacchi’s model of student veteran support. 49
Figure 3: A model of the connecting characteristics of a community of practice. 99
Figure 4: Vacchi’s model of student veteran support, revised. 118

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 8

ABSTRACT
This qualitative study examined the experiences of student affairs educators who serve
student veterans, their knowledge, skills, and dispositions, and how these experiences and
qualities influenced their practice and the community of practice that is shared within the field at
large. There is a dearth of research regarding these educators on college and university campuses
across the United States. This study aimed to understand those who have been given this charge.
The study participants were 13 new, mid-level, and senior-level student affairs educators. Three
learning theories served as the framework of this study: experiential learning theory, context
based learning, and organizational learning theory. These theories provided a basis for further
understanding how individual learning occurs, how it is shared within a community, and how
this learning is transferred to organizations.
Findings suggest that student affairs educators’ experience and personal characteristics
profoundly influence their practice and form the foundation for how community of practice is
developed, and that student affairs educators contribute in significant ways to the success of the
student veterans they serve. Moreover, the ability to cultivate relationships with students and
colleagues appears to have the most influence on educators’ understanding of how to effectively
support their students. Recommendations include the need for educators to engage students from
a place of empathy and care, for administrators to provide quality supervision to new and mid-
level educators as well as provide opportunity for essential training, and for policy makers to
equitably allocate staffing, space, and funding resources.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 9

CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
On September 11, 2001, the extremist group al-Qaeda coordinated a terrorist attack
against the United States that involved four airliners intended to strike the World Trade Center
Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and a fourth unknown target (U.S. Department of Defense, n.d.).
The United States responded quickly and forcefully through military intervention, resulting in
more than 15 years of conflict in the Middle East. Over 4 million U.S. military personnel served
during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and more than 2.8 million service members have been
deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq in support of the war effort (U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs, 2015). As these service members complete their terms of service and transition out of
the military, many of them become eligible for veterans benefits that include the Post 9/11 GI
Bill, legislation that provides educational funding and a housing allowance, if they are honorably
discharged and have served an aggregate of at least 90 days or acquired a service-connected
disability after 30 days of service (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, n.d.). To be eligible for
the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the veteran must have served after September 10, 2001, and enrolled in
college or university within 15 years of their separation from their military service. The original
GI Bill was established in 1944, after World War II to offer funding for veterans to attend
college (Vacchi & Berger, 2014). Since then, the GI Bill has undergone several revisions,
resulting in its most current version (Vacchi & Berger, 2014).
The Post 9/11 GI Bill was enacted in 2008 and implemented on college and university
campuses in 2009. Consequently, the number of veterans enrolled in colleges and universities
across the U.S. continues to increase (Barry, Whiteman, & MacDermid Wadswoth, 2014). In
2011, the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
reported 855,862 veterans attended college in the 2011/2012 academic year and this number was
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 10

projected to more than double. Initially, college administrators confronted the challenge of
managing new federal guidelines regarding the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Then, the matter of student
support emerged as administrators and educators became aware of the unique needs student
veterans present in and out of the classroom. Several colleges and universities responded by
developing a variety of programs and services to support these students, recognizing their
distinct experiences, needs, and challenges (McBain, Young, Cook, & Snead, 2012).
Consequently, best practices have been developed, shared, and published by organizations such
as the American Council of Education (ACE) and the Council for the Advancement of Standards
in Higher Education (CAS). There is also a growing body of literature regarding student
veterans, their experience transitioning to college life, and their academic success (Barry et al.,
2014; DiRamio, Ackerman, & Mitchell, 2008; Hammond, 2015; Jones, 2017; McBain et al.,
2012; Molina & Morse, 2015; O’Herrin, 2011; Vacchi & Berger, 2014; Whiteman, Barry,
Mroczek, & MacDermid Wadsworth, 2013). However, many experts have said more research is
needed to more fully understand how to best support this population as they continue to access
higher education and to better understand the impact of the recommended best practices on their
success (Barry et al., 2014; Cole & Kim, 2013; Kirchner, 2015; Vacchi & Berger, 2014).
The Statement of the Problem
Although there has been increased attention given to the student veteran experience, it is
becoming apparent that the research on veterans in higher education is limited in its scope. Most
of the current studies on student veterans are focused on the veteran, their military experience,
their transition to civilian and college life, health and mental health issues, and the challenges
veterans face as they strive to succeed in school (Hassan, Jackson, Lindsay, McCabe, & Sanders,
2010). A few large-scale surveys have attempted to capture the number of colleges and
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 11

universities that provide dedicated staff to serve student veterans and the programs and services
they offer, but the surveys lack depth. There is an absence of research that explores the
relationship between best practices and the academic outcomes of student veterans. Only a few
national research projects have examined student veteran retention and graduation rates, and the
outcomes are inconsistent. Furthermore, the educators who are engaging these best practices and
their influence on student success has yet to be examined. If the role of student affairs educators
is considered an important part of student academic achievement, it would seem necessary to
know who they are, to understand their experiences, knowledge, skills, and dispositions and how
these qualities may influence their practice and the community of practice that is shared within
the field at large (Duguid & Brown, 2000, as cited in Blimling, 2001; Smith & Rodgers, 2005).
Bensimon (2007) argued that a gap in research can be found in the general literature on
student success and reflects a dominant paradigm that exists in higher education: a belief that
academic achievement is mainly based on the qualities and characteristics of the student and the
responsibility of their success belongs to them. Bensimon further asserted that, although it is
commonly understood that educators play an important role in supporting student success, they
go mostly unexamined in the literature, and, thus, an incomplete understanding of student
achievement is perpetuated. Bensimon (2005) went on to challenge the dominant paradigm and
called for researchers to explore the influence of faculty and staff on the student experience. It is
important to note that Bensimon’s work focuses on the need to understand educators who
interact with racially marginalized groups, but it can be argued that student veterans, who are
also marginalized on many college and university campuses, should be included in the call for a
deeper understanding of how educators’ experience and practice may influence student veterans’
academic success.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 12

Bensimon is not alone in pointing out the role and influence of college and university
educators on student academic achievement. In 2004, the National Association of Student Affairs
Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA)
published a comprehensive guide, Learning Reconsidered: A Campus-wide Focus on the Student
Experience, and contended that colleges and universities need to integrate faculty and student
affairs educators’ efforts to ensure students’ academic outcomes. The authors asserted that
student affairs educators must be fully prepared for their role and “possess the knowledge and
skills necessary to design, implement, and carry out learner-centered approaches in collaboration
with faculty and students” (Keeling, 2004, p. 29). NASPA and the ACPA also published
recommended core competencies for student affairs educators that included knowledge, skills,
and dispositions that support effective practice (NASPA, n.d.b). Yet, there is scarce research that
can provide insight into these qualities and how they might influence practice, individually or
collectively. For student affairs educators whose primary role is to serve student veterans, scarce
research exists.
The Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the experiences,
knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student affairs educators who serve student veterans and
how these experiences and qualities may influence their practice and the community of practice
within the field. Three learning theories were used to frame this study: experiential learning
theory, a theory that defines how adults learn through personal experience (Kolb, 2014; Kolb,
Boyatzis, & Mainemelis, 2001; Kolb, & Kolb, 2005); context based learning, a theory that
includes the construct of community of practice and learning within a social context (Merriam,
2004); and organizational learning theory, which suggests organizational learning is influenced
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 13

by the learning of individuals who are participants of the organization, and the organization, in
turn, influences the individual learner (Huber, 1991). Within these frameworks, this study sought
to understand how members of the target population understand and fulfill their role, how their
educational background and training influences their practice, the skills they possess, and their
attitudes, beliefs, and values. This study used a qualitative case study approach and the process
of individual interviews to explore the shared experiences of student affairs educators who serve
student veterans. Three central research questions guided this study:
1. Has the experience of working with student veterans influenced the practice of student
affairs educators? If yes, how?
2. Do the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student affairs educators who serve student
veterans influence their practice? If yes, how?
3. Does the practice of student affairs educators who serve student veterans inform the
larger community of practitioners and contribute to the goal of supporting the academic
success of these students? If yes, how?
The Significance of the Study
A study exploring student affairs educators’ experiences, their knowledge, skills, and
dispositions is important for many reasons. First, this study adds to the research regarding
student veterans in higher education. Presently, research focuses on the student veteran
experience, their transition process, mental health issues, and the ways in which colleges and
universities have responded to their unique needs by developing programs and services to
support them. A few national articles have alluded to the role faculty plays on student veteran
success, yet there is no research that provides insight into the experience of student affairs
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 14

educators. Therefore, this study contributes to the research by focusing on student affairs
educators and their role in supporting student veteran academic achievement.
By studying the experiences of student affairs educators who serve student veterans, this
study also has the potential to improve practice. This study provides evidence in support of the
best practices that have been developed and shared among this community of educators and
insight into how educators could improve their practice. The study also provides an opportunity
to hear from the educators about what they need to be more effective. By improving practice, it
is logical to consider student outcomes will be improved. Also, by raising awareness of the vital
role student affairs educators play in the academic success of student veterans, the outcomes of
this study can encourage the hiring and appropriate training of additional staff that can result in
more effective practice and better student outcomes. This awareness can also inspire meaningful
collaboration and integration of support efforts with other student affairs educators or faculty
members and other campus partners, potentially leading to a more comprehensive system of
support and sustainable student outcomes. Also, by affirming best practices and having evidence
to support the claims of a given best practice, requesting funding and support from donors,
administrators, and policy makers may be more successful.
This study also has the potential to improve policy in the department, division, university,
and on the state level and national level. In a day where human and financial resources are
limited, and budgets are performance oriented, this study validates the investment in the decade-
long efforts of student affairs educators who serve student veterans. By demonstrating their
value, the innovation of their practice, and their contribution to effective student support, this
study may influence future admission and registration policy, funding and space allocation
policy, and training and professional development policy for student affairs educators who serve
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 15

any special population, as part of a deeper understanding of those who serve students from
diverse backgrounds with unique needs.
Limitations and Delimitations
One of the limitations of this study was its timeframe. This study was conducted within
the fall semester, which is only 16 weeks long. Therefore, the participants’ availability was
affected, impacting the range of participant experience that was studied. Another limitation was
the researcher worked for a university within the system where the study took place and had
professional relationships with the study participants. Researcher bias and participant reactivity
were potential factors (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016); however, efforts were made to minimize these
effects. Finally, this study took place in a single region of the United States, and, therefore, the
findings may have limited application to colleges and universities in other regions or parts of the
country due to diverse cultural, social, and political climates.
Three delimitations of this study were identified. First, the study only focused on public
4-year universities and not community colleges. The decision to focus on public 4-year
universities was based on the research that shows these universities are more likely than
community colleges or 4-year for-profit universities to have specifically designed programs and
services intended to support student veterans (McBain et al., 2012). Second, this study only
focused on student affairs educators and not educators who serve student veterans in academic
affairs. The reason for this distinction is that the division of student affairs is where co-curricular
activities that include the best practices developed in support of student veterans are usually
housed (Calhoun, 1996; Hamrick & Klein, 2015; Wolf-Wendel & Ruel, 1999). Third, this study
used a pre-survey to determine a purposeful sample of participants to interview individually
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), but did not use focus groups to gather data. The intention of this
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 16

method was to obtain data from personal experience and not what might be collected from a
group process that could be influenced by the reactions and responses of others.
Assumptions
As previously mentioned, it was assumed that student affairs educators play a significant
role in students’ academic success (Keeling, 2004). Therefore, it is logical to assume that student
affairs educators who serve student veterans also play a significant role in the academic
achievement of student veterans. This assumption is supported by the continued development of
the student affairs profession since the early 1900s (Evans & Reason, 2001), its increased
relevancy over the years as the student population changes to reflect the growing diversity in the
United States, and the mounting recognition of the value of supporting of the whole student in
and out of the classroom (ACPA, 1996; Keeling, 2004).
Definitions
A fulfilled civilian self – “a balanced core identity” that is the result of the integration of military
experiences and identity with civilian experiences and identity (DiRamio & Jarvis, 2011, p. 64).
Civilian-military cultural gap – The gap between civilian and military values, beliefs, traditions,
and social norms (Demers, 2011).
Disposition – NASPA defines this term as “attitudes, values, and beliefs” (NCATE, 2008, p. 80)
GI Bill – The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 was the original legislation that provided
education and home loan benefits to veterans (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, n.d.). The
term GI stands for “government issue” and was used as a label for enlisted service members but
the term is no longer used (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, n.d.).
Post 9/11 GI Bill – “Provides benefits to veterans who served on active duty for at least 90 days
after September 10, 2001. The program provides individuals who served on active duty for 36
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 17

months with the full cost of attendance at a public school and up to a maximum amount at
nonprofit and for-profit schools” (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2013, p. 4).
Population Camouflage – the feelings of invisibility (Livingston, Havice, Cawthon, & Fleming,
2011)
Student affairs educator – Student affairs professionals/practitioners are encouraged to see
themselves as educators. For this reason, this study referred to student affairs
professionals/practitioners as educators (Keeling, 2004).
Practitioner – this term was used interchangeably with student affairs educator.
Student veteran – “A student veteran is a student who is a current or former member of the
Active Duty Military, the National Guard, or Reserves regardless of deployment status, combat
experience or legal status as a veteran” (Vacchi, 2012, p. 17).
Vocational rehabilitation – “Provides services to veterans with service-connected disabilities.
These services help service members and veterans achieve their employment goals and can
include education benefits and counseling” (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2013, p. 4).
Conclusion
A decade has nearly passed since the implementation of the Post 9/11 GI Bill and
colleges and universities are still endeavoring to understand the needs of student veterans and
effective ways to support them. The following chapter reviewed literature that provides the
history and the context of these efforts. The next chapter also revealed a gap in the research, as
there is little to no literature on the student affairs educator whose primary role is to meet the
needs of student veterans and support their academic outcomes.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 18

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter reviewed the literature relevant to understanding the experiences,
knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student affairs educators who serve student veterans within
the framework of experiential learning theory, context based learning and organizational learning
theory. The literature provides a context to this study’s research questions:
1. Has the experience of working with student veterans influenced the practice of student
affairs educators? If yes, how?
2. Do the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student affairs educators who serve student
veterans influence their practice? If yes, how?
3. Does the practice of student affairs educators who serve student veterans inform the
larger community of practitioners and contribute to the goal of supporting the academic
success of these students? If yes, how?
First, a brief history of the GI Bill is offered, including the recent impact of the Post 9/11
GI Bill on colleges and universities in the United States. Current research on student veterans
and their transition to college experience is also presented and research regarding the student
affairs profession and the educators who work within its context is included. In the final section
of the literature review, three conceptual frameworks are presented that serve as the lens from
which this study is examined.
The GI Bill and its Impact on Higher Education
The first GI Bill, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, was enacted in 1944 (Vacchi &
Berger, 2014). The bill provided educational benefits that covered college tuition, on-the-job
training costs, or expenses related to vocational rehabilitation for those who served in the U.S.
military during World War II. By 1947, 7.8 million veterans enrolled in colleges or trade
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 19

schools across the country and accounted for 49% of the total student population (Jones, 2017;
Vacchi & Berger, 2014). Veterans from this era have been described as the “most educated and
financially successful generation in history” (Hart, 1983, as cited in Jones, 2017, p. 108). Over
the years, the GI Bill has been amended multiple times due to the changing political, economic,
and social environments in the U.S. These amendments influenced the availability of educational
benefits offered to veterans. For example, educational benefits were greatly reduced because of
the unpopularity of the Vietnam War (Olson, 1974, as cited in Vacchi & Berger, 2014) but were
then increased at the end of the war because it became apparent an incentive was needed to
support the recruitment and retention of what became an all-voluntary military force (Rostker
2006, as cited in Vacchi & Berger, 2014). Consequently, student veteran enrollment in college
has increased or decreased depending on the social and political climate of the country.
Seven years after September 11, 2001, Congress passed the Post 9/11 Veterans
Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This version of the GI Bill pays for college expenses and
provides a basic housing allowance for military members who served after September 10, 2001.
In 2009, the Post 9/11 GI Bill was implemented on college campuses across the country, and
veterans began registering for college in record numbers (Barry et al., 2014; DiRamio et al.,
2008; Hammond, 2015; Jones, 2017; McBain et al., 2012; Molina & Morse, 2015; O’Herrin,
2011; Vacchi & Berger, 2014; Whiteman et al., 2013). Between the years of 2005 and 2011, the
student veteran population increased by approximately 47% (Vacchi & Berger, 2014). In 2011,
NCES reported 855,862 veterans attended college in the 2011/2012 academic year and this
number was projected to more than double (Figure 1).
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 20

Figure 1. Projected student veterans’ college enrollment growth.
However, access to education alone does not ensure academic success (Vacchi & Berger,
2014). Research shows that traditionally under-represented students who face structural and
institutional barriers benefit from the support of family, faculty, and staff in addition to financial
aid and access programs (Harper, Patton, & Wooden, 2009; Sciarra & Whitson, 2007). In a
similar way, student veterans have unique needs and face distinct circumstances that require
understanding and responsive efforts that go beyond the provisions of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. It is
for this reason researchers encourage post-secondary education administrators, staff, and faculty
to strengthen their efforts to meet the unique needs of veterans who will continue to have an
increasing college presence (Barry et al., 2014; Cate, 2014; Cole & Kim, 2013; Grimes, Meehan,
Miller, Mills, Ward, & Wilkinson, 2011; Hammond, 2015; Lemos & Lumadue, 2013; McBain,
et al., 2012; Vacchi & Berger, 2104; Whiteman et al., 2013).

0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
Anticipated Student Veteran Enrollment Growth
Academic Year 2011/2012 Academic Year 2019/2020
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 21

Responding to Student Veteran Enrollment in Higher Education
With student veteran enrollment at an all-time high and the upward trend expected to
continue (Kirchner, 2015), several studies maintain many colleges are lagging in their efforts to
offer programs and services to support these incoming students (Barry et al., 2014; McBain et
al., 2012; Queen, Lewis, & Ralph, 2014). NCES, in 2011, conducted a survey of programs and
services offered to veterans in colleges and universities across the United States and found that
public and private colleges had established a broad range of programs and services, yet the report
also showed that few colleges and universities provided them. For example, of the 1,485 colleges
and universities that responded to the survey, only 19% had dedicated space for student veterans,
21% held veteran-specific orientations, 14% offered mentoring or advising, and 11% provided
group counseling (Queen et al., 2014).
In the same year, ACE, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities
(AASCU), NASPA and the National Association of Veteran’s Program Administrators
conducted a national survey of 2,929 colleges in the country, and, of the 690 responses, 62%
reported they provided programs and services intended to support veterans, but only 46% had an
established resource center dedicated to serve them (McBain et al., 2012). It is important to fully
understand the meaning of these statistics. If 62% of the responding colleges and universities
provided specialized programs and services, one could presume that 38% did not, and, if only
46% established a veteran resource center, then 54% had not established a center. Although not
all colleges and universities have large enough student veteran populations that would require
extensive programs and services, the literature demonstrates that a growing need remains for
institutions to respond appropriately to their respective populations. It is also important to
understand specialized programs and services can include a wide range of support from benefit
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 22

processing to holding cultural events. It is challenging to determine how survey respondents are
defining their level of support.
Further evidence of the unpreparedness of colleges and universities was revealed through
a systematic review of 13 empirical articles on the topic. After their review, researchers found
insufficient evidence to determine how well-equipped colleges were to meet the needs of student
veterans and called upon health researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to conduct more
research (Barry et al., 2014). Nevertheless, there is a surplus of anecdotal evidence that has
provided the basis for specialized programs and services to be developed over the years and
these programs and practices can currently be found on college and university campuses across
the country.
Community of Practice
Research indicates there is some consensus about the programs and services that should
be offered to student veterans, including having distinct points of contact, providing a dedicated
space for them, holding orientations specific to them, supporting their organizations, and
educating faculty and staff about veteran specific issues (Heineman, 2016; McBain, et al., 2012;
O’Herrin, 2011; Queen et al., 2014). Duguid and Brown (2000) referred to the consensus of best
or promising practices as a community of practice where the knowledge and experience of
educators who work in similar areas create benchmarks of practice for the field (as cited in
Blimling, 2001; Smith & Rodgers, 2005). This community of practice has been translated into a
set of 12 standards and guidelines titled The Veterans and Military Programs
and Services Standards by CAS, which suggests higher education institutions do the following:

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 23

• develop a mission to provide coordinated efforts;
• offer programs that support veteran transitions, deployments, and integration to campus,
leadership in knowledge of student veteran needs and experiences, leadership modeling
and strategic planning;
• provide human resources that include at least one point of adequately qualified contact,
• respect privacy, confidentiality, and fairness;
• understand legal responsibilities and laws affecting veterans;
• demonstrate a commitment to not discriminate based on disability, age, race, cultural
identity, ethnicity, nationality, family and educational history, and must advocate for
social justice;
• coordinate campus and external relations;
• provide financial resources to sustain support efforts;
• use technology that supports the achievement of the mission;
• provide facilities and equipment designed to advance the success of student veterans; and
• assessment and evaluation of the programs and services that are offered (Wells, 2015).
The CAS Veterans and Military Programs and Services Standards were the first
published guidelines that directed student affairs practice in this area. Another recent and
important development in the recommendations for student veteran support came from the
Department of Education, Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans Affairs in
2013, with the creation of the 8 Keys to Ve terans’ Success. The eight keys were described by the
Department of Education as common sense practices and offered guidelines for postsecondary
institutions in their effort to support military connected students: (a) creating a culture of trust;
(b) ensuring sustained support from campus leadership; (c) implementing academic, financial
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 24

and career early alert systems; (d) centralizing campus efforts and providing a dedicated space;
(e) collaborating with community services providers; (f) tracking and collecting demographic
and academic performance data; (g) offering professional development opportunities to staff and
faculty; and, (h) ensuring the sustainability of effective practices (U.S. Department of Education,
n.d.). While these recommendations may make sense as a guide for the development and
execution of programs and services and are currently shared as promising practices, there is no
empirical evidence that can link these suggestions to student veteran success (Vacchi & Berger,
2014).
Lack of research on program effectiveness. The lack of research on how to best
support this population is apparent (Cole & Kim, 2013; Kirchner, 2015; Vacchi & Berger 2104).
In a national study of over 2,500 student veterans from 132 colleges and universities, Cole and
Kim (2013) found that, although they could identify the types of programs and services that were
offered, there was little evidence of their effectiveness. Vacchi and Berger (2014) asserted that
historically, there has been little attention given to understanding student veterans’ educational
experience and that more research is needed to inform practice. Kirchner (2015) agreed and
stated that campus strategies thus far have not been suitably researched.
Perceived value of program and service engagement. Research regarding the
perceived value of engagement in veteran programs and services is mixed (Cole & Kim, 2013;
Durdella & Kim, 2012; Grimes et al, 2011; Jones, 2017; Lemos & Lumadue, 2013; Persky &
Oliver, 2010). A study of 2,505 student veterans revealed they are more likely than their non-
veteran peers to place a priority on studying than on co-curricular activities and spend less time
involved in extra-curricular activities (Cole & Kim, 2013). In a related study of 163 student
veterans, Durdella and Kim (2012) found that student veterans were less likely to get involved in
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 25

activities that were not academically focused. Interestingly, a study on combat veterans enrolled
in community college found they were not interested in being involved in student veteran
programming (Jones, 2017).
However, student veterans also reported that, although they did not attend college for
social interaction, they proposed colleges make efforts to engage them by supporting their need
for veteran peer connection, especially during their first semester and to include academic
components in program and service delivery (Grimes et al., 2011). In another study of 60
community college student veterans, participants acknowledged the need for programs that
supported a sense of belonging and camaraderie among their community (Persky & Oliver,
2010) and Lemos and Lumadue (2013) asserted that student veterans who felt connected to their
university and their veteran peers were more likely to be retained and graduate than those who
did not feel connected.
These findings leave several questions unanswered about the value of co-curricular
engagement and points to the need to further understand the student veteran experience from the
perspectives of veterans attending community college and 4-year universities who have combat
experience and those who do not and from the perspective of those who are designing and
facilitating the programs and services intended to support them (Kuh, 2009). It is possible that
traditional ways of engaging students may prove to be ineffective for veterans, so new ways of
involving them may be needed to influence engagement and support their’ academic success
(Cole & Kim, 2013; DiRamio et al., 2008; Grimes et al., 2011; Lemos & Lumadue, 2013; Vacchi
& Berger, 2014).

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 26

Obstacles with Reporting Student Veteran Academic Performance
Student veteran retention and graduation rates are tangible measures of academic success,
but they have been difficult for colleges and universities to track and report. Some of the
obstacles for tracking the data stem from the optional self-disclosure of veteran status on college
applications or issues of how the term veteran is defined. For example, some admissions
applications do not differentiate between active duty service members and veterans. Also,
accounting for veterans who stop out of school, eventually return to college, or transfer to
another college, adds to the challenge of accurate tracking this population (Cate, 2014; Kirchner,
2015; NASPA, 2013; Vacchi & Berger; 2104). The difficulties of collecting accurate data may
be reflected in the low numbers of colleges and universities that actually report their student
veteran retention and graduation rates (Cate, 2014).
The challenges associated with collecting and reporting retention and graduation rates has
been recognized by national organizations, especially as they respond to questions related to the
mounting cost of Post 9/11 GI Bill and how veterans are faring in college. In 2013, NASPA
surveyed 239 public and private colleges and universities and found that only 26% of
respondents tracked retention and graduation rates. One of the most prominent organizations
intent on providing evidence of student veteran academic performance is Student Veterans of
America (SVA). SVA, in collaboration with the National Student Clearinghouse and the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs, were the first to cite the national graduation rates of almost one
million student veterans attending college between 2002 and 2010. The report, titled The
Millions Record Project, claimed 51% of student veterans graduated with similar time-to-degree
completion rates as their non-veteran counterparts (Cate, 2014). The report was an attempt to
show these students were succeeding in college at the same rate or beyond their non-veteran
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 27

peers. A year later, the Veteran Economic Opportunity Report revealed that an average of 48.6%
of all student veterans graduated within six years (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2015).
The most recent graduation rates were published by the National Veterans Education Success
Tracker in partnership with the National Student Clearinghouse and reported graduation rates
were holding at 54% (Cate, Lyon, Schmeling, & Bogue, 2017). These national data provide
important information about academic performance, but do not offer any insight into how
colleges and universities are effectively supporting student veterans or about the student affairs
educators who serve them.
Student Affairs Educators Who Serve Student Veterans
There is limited research regarding the roles of student affairs educators who serve
student veterans and the training they receive. When the Post 9/11 GI Bill was first introduced in
2009, the priority for colleges and universities was to ensure the accurate processing of Post 9/11
benefits; the process involved a focus on admissions, registration, advising, and tuition and basic
housing allowance payments. As some colleges and universities endeavored to expand their
services, the roles of some student affairs educators changed. Some student affairs educators
serve in multiple roles, functioning as the benefits certification official and financial aid advisor
or work in admissions or academic advising as well. Some student affairs educators took on new
roles, such as veteran specific program coordinators or department directors. NASPA (2013)
reported that, of 239 colleges and universities surveyed, 75% had at least one staff member
designated to serve veterans, but their roles were undefined. In the same year, ACE conducted a
national survey and reported 69% of campuses had a designated staff member to serve student
veterans (McBain et al., 2012). Comparably, NCES (2011) reported that 82% of colleges and
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 28

universities had a dedicated person responsible for processing educational benefits and
information distribution.
Although most colleges and universities reported having a dedicated person on staff to
serve student veterans, the necessary training to fulfill their roles may be deficient (Kirchner,
2015; McBain et al., 2012; NASPA 2013; Queen et al., 2014). NASPA (2013) reported that only
two-thirds of the designated staff members received any training. McBain et al. (2012) found that
47% of colleges and universities in their study provided training on the transitional needs of
student veterans, and only 54.9% stated they had trained professional counselors or psychologists
on their campuses; NCES reported that, of the 82% of the colleges and universities that
responded to their survey, only 21% offered training to staff on veteran-specific transition issues,
21% provided training on veteran mental health, and 14% provided training on other veteran
health issues (Queen et al., 2014). Once again, these data reveal the percentages of colleges and
universities with designated staff members and some information about their training, but the
NASPA, ACE, and NCES surveys do not provide any additional information about the educators
and the effectiveness of their practice. These surveys are further evidence that more research is
needed to provide insight into how the experiences of student affairs educators may influence
their practice, if at all. These surveys also highlight the need to further understand the level of
training educators have and how they may understand the needs of student veterans individually
and as a unique student population.
A Profile of Student Veterans
Vacchi and Berger (2014) warned against overgeneralizing the veteran population,
asserting it can promote marginalization and stereotyping. In a qualitative study of 11 student
veterans, participants agreed there was a perception on their campus that all veterans were the
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 29

same; however, all of them described their military experience as unique (Vaccaro, 2015). The
participants of this study emphasized they differed in personality, points of view, and life
experience and that these differences were important to consider when endeavoring to
understand them. Being aware of relevant demographics associated with this population, their
military experience and the meaning they attribute to it, why they choose to go to college and
how their military experience might influence their transition, issues of identity, military related
trauma, and personal resiliency is vital to understanding who they are (DiRamio & Jarvis, 2011;
Kirchner, 2015; Livingston et al., 2011; Vacchi & Berger, 2014).
Demographics
Student veterans are considered a non-traditional student group; they are demographically
diverse and have a range of military experience (Table 1). Veterans serve in wartime and peace,
they serve abroad and in the United States, and they belong to one or more branches of the
military: the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard (Vacchi & Berger, 2014).
Veterans hold various military occupational specialties, some are combat veterans and many are
not, they hold different ranks of authority, have formerly served or are currently serving, and are
reservists or part of the National Guard. Many are entering or re-entering college for the first
time after they separate from the military, are more likely to be older than their non-veteran
counterparts, and are also likely to be first-generation college students (Cole & Kim, 2013;
Kirchner, 2015; Molina & Morse, 2015; Radford & Wun, 2009; Vaccaro, 2015; Vacchi &
Berger, 2014). A 2008 NCES brief showed that 31% of undergraduate student veterans were
between 19 and 23 years old and 28% were between 24 and 29 years old, 60% identified as
being White, 18% as Black, 13% as Hispanic, 3% s Asian American, and 6% indicated other as
their ethnic designation.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 30

Regarding gender and relationship status, 73% identified as being male, 47% were
married, and 47% had children (Radford, 2011). Gates and Ost (2004, as cited in, Vacchi &
Berger, 2014) found that approximately 3.8% of the student veteran population identify as
lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and/or transgender. ACE found comparable demographic data to that in
the NCES brief regarding age and ethnicity: 78.9% were 25 years or older, 73.3% identified as
male and 26.7% identified as female, 68% of those surveyed were White, 10.6% Black, 7.8%
Hispanic, 3.1% Asian American, 1.7% Multi-racial, and 7.1% reported another racial/ethnic
identity (Cole & Kim, 2013). A more recent ACE report included employment rates: 42% of
student veterans work full-time, 22% work part-time, and 36% of student veterans do not work
(Molina & Morse, 2015). Although demographics provide background data, there is much more
to discover about the student veteran that can provide a more accurate portrayal of their
experience.
Why Veterans Choose to Attend College
Financial matters are a main factor for choosing to attend college and critical to
understanding student veteran enrollment. As previously stated, the Post 9/11 GI Bill
provides the opportunity for veterans to go to college fully funded. In addition to tuition costs
being covered, a basic housing allowance is provided through the bill, easing concerns about
housing and living expenses. Therefore, accessing the Post 9/11 GI Bill has multiple rewards.
Enrolling in college provides for immediate financial needs, can lead to a college degree, and
potentially results in improved job opportunities and increased economic potential. All these
benefits are commonly stated as motivations for veterans to enroll in college (Durdella & Kim,
2012; Steele, Salcedo, & Coley, 2010; Vacchi & Berger, 2014). In a study that explored the pre-
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 31

college characteristics of veterans, Durdella and Kim (2012) found financial aid and the Post
9/11 GI Bill were the primary reasons veterans decided to attend college.
The Influence of Military Experience on the Student Experience
A major component of understanding the student veteran experience is understanding
their military service. A person’s military experience can create challenges to their transition to
college, it can be a foundation for their success, or it can be both. Some students believe their
military service provided an opportunity for them to mature, experience the world from a
different perspective, learn how to set goals, be self-sufficient and self-reliant, have more self-
confidence, and develop effective ways to manage conflict (DiRamio & Jarvis, 2011; Francis &
Kraus, 2012; Livingston et al., 2011; Rumann & Hamrick, 2010; Wheeler, 2012). Further, all
participants in one study stated they believed they could face challenging situations successfully
(Rumann & Hamrick, 2010); a strengthened sense of self, appreciation for life, and ability to
keep issues in perspective was most profound for those who deployed to war zones, especially
when they compared the challenges of their college experience to that of combat. Additional
commentary on military experience suggests that student veterans are likely to develop a strong
sense of leadership and bring useful value sets to their education and that can aid them in their
transition process (Francis & Kraus, 2012). As colleges and universities continue to make efforts
to effectively support veterans in their transition to college, it is essential to keep in mind their
prior military experience.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 32

Table 1
Comparable NCES, ACE, and Urban Institute Student Veterans Demographics
Student Veteran Characteristics NCES
(2008)
ACE
(2014)
Urban
Institute
(2004)
Age: 19-23-year-old 31%
Age: 24-29-year-old 28% 78.9%
Age: 25 years or older
White 60% 68%
Black 18% 10.6%
Hispanic 13% 7.8%
Asian American 3% 3.1%
Multi-racial 1.7%
Other Ethnicity 6% 7.1%
Male 73% 73.3%
Female (assumed) 27% 26.7%
Married 47%
Children 47%
Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender 2.8%
Employed Full-time 42%
Employed Part-time 22%
Un-employed 36%

Transition to College
Veterans can face unique challenges when transitioning from military life to civilian life,
but those who decide to go to college can experience compounded issues as they transition to a
new university environment. Re-engaging relationships, feeling isolated and alone, negotiating a
new identity, adjusting to the unfamiliarity of college culture, persistent stereotyping, and
overcoming the challenges associated with combat experience (which is discussed in greater
detail below) can create a complex transition (Ackerman, DiRamio, & Garza Mitchell, 2009;
DiRamio et al., 2008; Kirchner, 2015; Livingston et al., 2011; Rumann & Hamrick, 2010;
Wheeler, 2012). For many veterans, transitioning to college can be one of the most difficult
adjustments they experience after returning from their military service (DiRamio et al., 2008).
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 33

Re-engaging relationships. Research suggests the most profound difficulties when
returning from military service is transitioning back into relationships with family and friends
(Castro, Kintzle, & Hassan, 2015; Demers, 2011; DiRamio et al., 2008). In a study of 1200 Post
9/11 veterans, over two-thirds of survey respondents did not realize how much they had changed
because of their service; the changes they had experienced seemed to interfere with their ability
to relate to others (Castro et al., 2015). Another study of 48 student veterans revealed all
participants struggled with returning home and re-engaging relationships (Demers, 2011). The
participants in this study had feelings of wanting to reconnect with friends and family but pulled
away at the same time. They were afraid they might be a disappointment, and they wondered if
their relationships would ever return to their former states. In their study, DiRamio et al. (2008)
also found reconnecting to family was a significant challenge. Participants in their research
stated that family members did not understand their military service and the challenges they
faced returning home. The students were reluctant to share their experiences with their family for
fear of causing worry or emotional pain even though it might have helped family members be
supportive. Adding to the stress of transitioning was the demand on student veterans to work and
go to school full-time because educational benefits were often not sufficient to support the
veteran and their family (Castro et al., 2015; Radford, 2011). This puts into context the time
constraints and financial difficulties experienced by so many student veterans that can impact
their transition to college.
Adjusting to cultural differences from military to campus culture. Navigating the
differences between military culture and campus culture is a common challenge for student
veterans (Ackerman et al., 2009; Demers, 2011; DiRamio et al., 2008; Wheeler, 2012). Military
culture is based on values, such as selfless service, honor, discipline, respect for authority, and
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 34

leadership; it is steeped in traditions of loyalty, duty, and sacrifice (Ackerman et al., 2009;
DiRamio et al., 2008). Although civilian values may include these ideals, on college campuses,
these values are often not utilized as consistently or with as much conviction. For example, the
general campus community can appear to be more focused on individual needs, appear
undisciplined, and be less respectful of authority. As such, there is a civilian-military cultural
gap that can be difficult to bridge (Demers, 2011). In a case study of nine student veterans,
students reported difficulty traversing between the values, beliefs, and social norms of their
military experience with the unaccustomed values, beliefs, and social norms of students on their
campus (Wheeler, 2012). The participants in this study identified differences between military
and campus culture; immature behavior, lack of respect, and the absence of a strong work ethic
among their college peers were cited as evidence of the difference. The challenge of navigating
between these two cultures left participants feeling distracted, discouraged, and, for many,
isolated (DiRamio et al., 2008).
The need for peer connection. Interestingly, student veterans often say what they miss
the most about their military service is the sense of camaraderie they felt while they were serving
(Hammond, 2015; Osborne, 2014; Persky & Oliver, 2010; Ryan, Carlstrom, Hughey, & Harris,
2011; Wheeler, 2012); they called each other brothers and sisters, a family bound by their
willingness to sacrifice their lives for each other (DiRamio & Jarvis, 2011). This sort of trust,
commitment, and profound sense of duty to their fellow-marine, soldier, sailor, airman, or
guardian is unique to their relationships and irreplaceable in the civilian world (DiRamio et al.,
2008; Wheeler, 2012). The loss of this deep sense of camaraderie is the reason feelings of
disconnection, loneliness, and isolation can run so deep when they transition out of the military
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 35

and into their civilian and college life (Barry et al., 2014; Demers, 2011; Hammond, 2015;
Livingston et al., 2011; Rumann & Hamrick, 2009, 2010; Ryan et al., 2011; Wheeler, 2012).
Connection to veteran peers appear to be both a buffer against academic and personal
challenges and an ongoing source of support for student success (Demers, 2011; DiRamio et al.,
2008; Hammond, 2015; Lemos & Lumadue, 2013; Wheeler, 2012; Whiteman et al., 2013).
Whiteman et al. (2013) found that relationships with veteran peers was an essential part of
veterans’ transition to college, their persistence, and ultimately their academic success.
Livingston and colleagues (2011) concurred, stating the most meaningful support fellow-
veterans experienced was provided by their peers.
Feeling isolated and alone. Without the connection to peers, feeling isolated and alone
in the transition process can be a common experience among student veterans (DiRamio et al.,
2008; Francis & Kraus, 2012; Hammond, 2015; Livingston et al., 2011). Family responsibilities,
financial obligations, and not engaging in traditional campus activities generated feelings of
isolation (Francis & Kraus, 2012). Simply identifying as a veteran can also create feelings of
separation. In a study of 19 student veterans that explored perceptions of identity, many of the
participants reported feeling significantly separate from their faculty, staff and non-veteran peers;
prevailing stigmas were reasons participants did not feel comfortable disclosing their veteran
status or sharing their military experience (Hammond, 2015). Even though some students may
choose not to disclose their veteran status, Livingston et al. (2011) found that veterans in general
often feel invisible among the greater student body and perceive this as an advantage. This
phenomenon is known as population camouflage, a metaphor for the student veteran experience
where not being seen is useful. Being invisible can be a benefit because it reduces the risk of
being stereotyped and expected to behave in preconceived ways. However, being invisible can
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 36

also be a disadvantage because staff and faculty cannot discern how to be effective supporters if
they are unaware the student veteran is present (Livingston, et al., 2011). DiRamio et al. (2008)
revealed there is another possibility. The researchers found some student veterans just wanted to
blend in or fit in, in other words. So, a paradox for student veterans exists: they can experience
profound feelings of being invisible and alone, yet they have the deep desire to be included.
Navigating this paradox includes understanding the emerging and intersecting identities of being
a veteran, a civilian, and a student.
Negotiating a new identity. As illustrated previously in this chapter, student veterans
come from several different family, ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, and military backgrounds
and the process of developing a cohesive identity, a fulfilled civilian self, is initiated at the onset
of becoming a veteran and continues within the college experience (DiRamio & Jarvis, 2011).
For some, transitioning from service member to veteran can come with certain risks, particularly
on a college campus (Demers, 2011; DiRamio & Jarvis, 2011; Hammond, 2015; Rumann &
Hamrick, 2010; Wheeler, 2012). The main purpose of initial military training is to “socialize
recruits by stripping them of their civilian identity and replace it with a military identity”
(Demers, 2011, p. 492). However, there is not a subsequent process that supports the transition
from their military identity to an integrated civilian identity when they return home (DiRamio &
Jarvis, 2011). Consequently, veterans can feel trapped between who the military taught them to
be and who they expect they should be as a civilian and a student (Rumann & Hamrick, 2010).
As a result, some students hesitate to take on a veteran identity because they are not sure how to
negotiate who they are and who they want to be (Wheeler, 2012). Others report that their veteran
identity is salient and part of their core sense of self; they are proud of their service and
undoubtedly recognize how their military experience influences how they see themselves and
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 37

how they want to be seen in the world (Hammond, 2015). Negotiating a cohesive identity
involves continually affirming and integrating their experiences, abilities, and perspectives
throughout their college journey (Hammond, 2015; Rumann & Hamrick, 2010); reflecting on the
meaning of their military experience and finding ways to connect what they
learned about themselves and the world to their new experiences is an important part of the
complex process of veteran identity development.
In a qualitative study of 19 combat veterans, researchers found that all participants
anticipated they would need to negotiate among combat veteran, civilian, and student identities
throughout college (Hammond, 2015). Colleges and universities must do more to understand
student veterans’ identity development and how the intersections of their identity impact their
college experience (Dhamoon, 2010; Hammond, 2015; Jones, 2013; Smith, 2014; Vaccaro,
2015). DiRamio and Jarvis (2011) stated,
The status of student veteran adds yet another layer to the complexity of intersecting
identities. In addition to the social identities of race, culture, sexual orientation, and
gender, other pre-entry variables, such as, first-generation status, officer or enlisted rank,
socioeconomic status, and disability all differentially affect the veteran as he or she enters
the academy. (p.56)
Therefore, understanding the intersectionality of student veterans’ identities is a vital component
to understanding their experience and can inform college and universities’ policy, programs, and
student affairs practice (Smith, 2014). Admissions policy, course and transfer requirements,
credit and funding allocations, benefits processing, orientation programs, the design of student
spaces, and the ways in which student affairs educators interact with veterans are a vital part of
the transition and re-integration process these students experience as they engage higher
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 38

education. An example of the importance of being attentive to identity can be found in the
unique experiences and needs of women veterans.
Women Veterans in Higher Education
Currently, women make up approximately 27% of the student veteran population (Cole &
Kim, 2013; Radford, 2011), and they are acquiring bachelor’s and advanced degrees at a higher
rate than their male veteran counterpart; 20.7% of female veterans are obtaining bachelor’s
degree in comparison to 15.9% of their male counterpart, and 13.8% of female veterans are
acquiring master’s degrees in comparison to 10.7% of male veterans (U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs, 2011). Yet, these women’s experience is not well understood and largely
absent in the research. While little is known about how colleges and universities respond to
women veterans in higher education (Vacchi & Berger, 2014; Vance & Miller, 2009),
researchers have found that, like male veterans, women veterans’ college experiences are
influenced by their military experience (DiRamio, Jarvis, Iverson, Seher, & Anderson, 2015). In
a study of 167 student veterans, 13 females reported they became accustomed to being dismissed
and not taken seriously during their military service because of their gender. They anticipated a
similar experience in school; they expected college to be a male-dominant culture, to not fit in,
and they did not want to be perceived as a weak link among their peers. They believed they
would need to prove themselves as trustworthy and capable again. The women in the study
underutilized benefits and did not feel worthy of accessing campus resources that were meant for
their male counterparts whose service was perceived to have more value. These unique
experiences and perceptions can often convert to unique needs that impact the female veterans’
academic experience. Therefore, it is imperative for colleges and universities to pay attention to
this population and include support for women veterans in their overall student veteran agenda.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 39

Military Related Trauma
Finally, it is vital for educators to understand the complex nature of military related
trauma and its effects on student veterans inside and outside the classroom; having combat
experience and being exposed to the psychological trauma of war can complicate the transition to
college process for some (Ackerman et al., 2009; Church, 2009; DiRamio et al., 2008; Elliott,
2015; Elliott, Gonzalez, & Larsen, 2011; Hammond, 2015). The combat veterans in Ackerman
and colleagues’ (2009) study faced several distinct challenges related to trauma their non-veteran
peers did not face. Managing painful memories, losing friends, being wounded, and being
involved in or witnessing the brutality of war is beyond any average college student experience
and for many of their non-combat veteran peers. It is necessary to acknowledge that not all
student veterans are combat veterans, and not all trauma is combat related. For example, basic
training, training accidents, non-combat-related accidents or incidents, and military sexual
trauma can also lead to post-trauma symptoms and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and
can impact the student veterans’ academic experience (Church, 2009; DiRamio et al., 2015).
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2016) reported that 23% of Afghanistan and
Iraq veterans suffer from PTSD. Although similar psychological injuries have been identified
and connected to other war eras, PTSD is considered a signature injury of the Afghanistan and
Iraq wars. It is a considerable diagnosis, but PTSD is understood as a normal reaction to
extraordinary experiences, both combat and non-combat related (Church, 2009). PTSD includes
a wide range of symptoms that can interfere with students’ efforts to be successful in school;
they include (a) reliving the trauma event, (b) avoidance behaviors, (c) negative thoughts and
beliefs, and (d) hyper-arousal (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2016). These symptoms can
greatly impact both transition to college experience and academic success. In a quantitative study
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 40

of 626 student veterans, PTSD was positively associated to relationship stress, financial issues,
and frustration with academic performance (Elliott, 2015). Hammond (2015) found that these
students’ behaviors and interactions in and out of class were dictated by symptoms related to
their PTSD diagnosis; students reported they were aware of symptom triggers and avoided
certain classroom seating arrangements, campus crowds, campus support services, and
relationships.
Military related trauma has received a great deal of attention, both in public and academic
spaces. Much of research and literature on student veterans is about trauma and the need for
colleges and universities to be prepared to respond to students who experience PTSD; an
emphasis is placed on counseling, and the abundant workshops, webinars, and writings on the
topic is evident of this focus (Taylor, Parks, & Edwards, 2016). Vacchi (2012) went so far as to
note that “some scholars exaggerate the difficulties of student veterans and draw improper
inferences about student veterans based upon larger veteran population stereotypes” and that a
mischaracterization of these students as suffering from PTSD and other disabilities (p.16). As
previously mentioned, trauma is a complex issue and an important one for educators to be aware
of, but, if the focus is mostly on meeting the needs of students with PTSD, the majority of these
students’ experience and needs are left out of consideration for how to best support them. Hassan
and colleagues (2010) cautioned educators to consider how the prominence of the research and
literature on these students and trauma influences how they are seen and treated on college
campuses. The authors cited an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education from 2008 that
reported “there has been an emphasis on veteran students’ special needs and challenges in areas,
such as…physical and mental illnesses” (Hassan et al., p. 30). Hassan et al. went on to say
practitioners need to shift from an emphasis on “pathology, problems, and shortcomings [of
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 41

student veterans] to a more holistic view addressing collective strengths,” and to consider their
resolution to realize their potential, as a necessary way to support them in their academic
endeavors (p. 29).
Strengths and Resiliency
Experts agree there is value in considering student veterans’ strengths and resiliency
when endeavoring to support their transition to college and pursuit of a college degree (Church,
2009; Hassan et al., 2010). Hassan et al. (2010) encouraged colleges and universities to make
greater efforts to “realize the human capital of veteran students and effectively utilize and
develop them to enhance their performance and potential contributions to classrooms [and]
campuses” (p. 31). Hassan and colleagues further stated veterans have undergone and endured
tests, training, and real-life situations that have left them resilient and confident; yet, like all
students, they would benefit from faculty and staff who are poised to support their academic
achievement. Church (2009) agreed, stating that colleges and universities must engage student
veterans from the basis of their strengths and develop programs and services that support them
from this perspective.
Student Affairs Educators Who Serve Student Veterans
While it is apparent that additional research is necessary to further understand the student
veteran experience and the effectiveness of support programs, not much is known about the
student affairs educators who serve student veterans. In the absence of literature and research on
this specific population of educators, it is important to understand the context from which they
work and what is known about the student affairs profession.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 42

Defining Student Affairs
Student affairs is an organizational division in institutions of higher education that
supports the academic, personal, and professional success of students through co-curricular
programs and services (Calhoun, 1996; Hamrick & Klein, 2015; Wolf-Wendel & Ruel, 1999).
While divisions differ among colleges and universities, the following programs and services are
traditionally included in a student affairs’ division: academic and career advising, counseling,
service and internship learning, diversity initiatives, resource centers, disability support services,
clubs and organizations, judicial affairs, and housing and residence life. The educators who
work in the division of student affairs are responsible for executing the co-curricular vision of
the institution through the development of relevant programs and the delivery of services that
support student success (Liddell, Wilson, Pasquesi, Hirschy, & Boyle, 2014; Mather, Bryan, &
Faulkner, 2009). Student affairs is considered an evolving profession; social, political, and
economic trends and the advancement in research contribute to the profession’s perceived
position and value in higher education (Hamrick & Klein, 2015; Ortiz, Filimon, & Cole-Jackson,
2015).
Professional Standards and Competencies
Indications of the evolution of the student affairs profession can be found in the changes
in the standards of practice and competencies that have occurred over time (Carpenter &
Stimpson, 2007; Chickering & Gamson, 1999; Blimling, 2001; Evans & Reason, 2001; Hamrick
& Klein, 2015; Smith & Rodgers, 2005; Wolf-Wendel & Ruel, 1999). For example, since its
establishment in 1979, CAS has published multiple editions of its recommended standards of
practice and guidelines (Cuyjet, Longwell-Grice, & Molina, 2009). As previously mentioned in
the review of literature on community of practice, the ninth edition of the CAS standards include
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 43

the Veterans and Military Programs and Services Standards in response to the nation’s most
current military conflicts (Wells, 2015).
Another example of the student affairs profession’s development of competencies can be
found in connection with The Seven Principles of Good Practice that were published in 1987.
This document intended to guide faculty’s practice in the classroom; the principles focused on
the student-faculty relationship, engaging active learning, and cultural awareness (Chickering &
Gamson, 1999). After the publication of The Seven Principles of Good Practice, experts in the
field of student affairs recognized they did not have a guiding document to outline good practice
for the student affairs profession (NASPA, n.d.a). Thus, in 1997, the ACPA and NASPA
modified the original The Seven Principles of Good Practice and published The Principles of
Good Practice for Student Affairs (Chickering & Gamson, 1999; Blimling, 2001; Smith &
Rodgers, 2005). The document’s modification included the “development of values and ethical
behaviors, high expectations of student learning, empirically based inquiry to enhance student
and institutional outcomes, stewardship of resources, collaboration, and inclusive and supportive
communities” (Evans & Reason, 2001, p. 369). Likewise, in 1996, the ACPA published Student
Learning Imperatives: Implications for Student Affairs (Evans & Reason, 2001). The imperatives
emphasized the value of experiential learning opportunities, internships, and social interaction
making the case that essential student learning occurs both inside and outside the classroom
(ACPA, 1996; Evans & Reason, 2001; Smith & Rodgers, 2005; Wolf-Wendel & Ruel, 1999).
These three formative documents provide a timeline of how the student success paradigm has
progressed from a focus on student learning inside the classroom to a more comprehensive view
that includes student affairs and the value of co-curricular learning opportunities.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 44

In 2010, 13 years after the publication of the Principles of Good Practice in Student
Affairs, ACPA and NASPA adopted the first set of student affairs core competencies (NASPA,
n.d.b). These core competencies have been updated throughout the years and currently include
• personal and ethical foundations, consists of the “knowledge, skills, and dispositions”
that support the integrity of the professional and personal growth that comes through
interest, reflection, and self-authorship;
• values, philosophies, and history, involve the connection between the “history,
philosophy, and values of the profession” to the professionals practice;
• assessment, evaluation, and research, is the use of these tools to inform practice and
policy;
• law, policy, and governance, includes how these constructs impacts personal practice;
• organizational and human resources, encompass the “management of institutional and
human capital” understanding that student affairs professionals bring to their job personal
strengths that allow them to continue to grow as professionals;
• leadership, consists of the professional engaging individual leadership and demonstrating
leadership in processes of collaboration to effect change;
• social justice and inclusion, involves striving to meet the needs of all groups, allocating
resources equitably, and elevating social consciousness;
• student learning and development, includes the ability to apply theory to practice;
• technology, promotes student learning; and
• advising and supporting, entails advising students with respect to their self-knowledge
and the promotion of the wellness of the professional, students, and colleagues (NASPA,
n.d.b, pp. 12–15).
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 45

Each of these competencies are meant to guide student affairs practice at each professional
development stage. The competencies can be found in graduate preparation curriculum and as
new educators, mid-level educators, and senior administrators move through their careers. The
core competencies also become more complex and the expectation to master the competencies
increase as student affairs professionals become established in their roles (Renn & Jessup-Anger,
2008).
How Student Affairs Educators are Prepared for Their Roles
After considering the function of the student affairs division in higher education and the
standards of practice and core competencies that guide student affairs professionals in their work,
it is important to consider how they are prepared for their roles. Cilente, Henning, Skinner-
Jackson, Kennedy, and Sloan (2006) stated that approximately 15% to 20% of new student
affairs educators begin their careers straight out of “student affairs, college student personnel,
and higher education” graduate programs (p. 319). Therefore, it is important to understand how
graduate programs prepare individuals for the profession (Cuyjet et al., 2009; Renn & Jessup-
Anger, 2008) and how the 75% to 80% of individuals who did not pursue positions in student
affairs right out of college gain the skills necessary to be successful in their roles.
Graduate program curriculum commonly focuses on foundational and professional
coursework, such as the history of the student affairs profession, student development theory,
student affairs practice, research methods, and supervision and is frequently grounded in the
professional standards and competencies put forwarded by CAS, ACPA, and NASPA (Ortiz et
al, 2015; Renn & Jessup-Anger, 2008). Graduate students in these programs and their
supervisors believe that the education they received equipped them with the knowledge and
skills to be effective student affairs professionals. In a comparison study of 139 new student
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 46

affairs educators’ and 86 supervisors’ beliefs about the effectiveness of graduate programs, both
the new educators and the supervisors agreed that graduate programs sufficiently prepare
individuals for a career in student affairs (Cuyjet et al., 2009). However, it is not clear if
graduate programs sufficiently prepare students to work with specific student populations like
military veterans and if the knowledge and skills that are necessary to be effective in specific
roles are expected to be gained elsewhere.
Why Student Affairs Educators Join, Stay, or Leave the Profession
While there is no research to inform us as to why student affairs educators who serve
student veterans join, leave or stay in the profession, looking at student affairs educators in
general may be useful. A study of 300 master’s level students revealed that 80.3% of the
respondents stated they were encouraged to consider a career in student affairs by an advisor or
an employer who worked in student affairs, 72.7% reported they wanted to work on a college
campus, 72% said they wanted to be involved in fulfilling work, and 57% stated they wanted to
support student development (Taub & McEwen, 2006). Student affairs educators stated the
reasons for staying in the profession was the opportunity to take responsibility for their
professional growth, to work with engaged and collaborative co-workers, to have a sense of
autonomy, and to work in a caring environment. Additional reasons for student affairs educators
continuing in the profession were found in a study of 377 mid-level student affairs educators that
revealed value congruence, career contentment, and community connection influenced their
decision to remain in the profession (Wilson, Liddell, Hirschy, & Pasquesi, 2016).
If student affairs educators stay in the profession, taking personal responsibility for their
professional development and effective supervision appear to be a way to grow in their career
(Janosik, Carpenter, & Creamer, 2006; NASPA, n.d.a; Tull, 2006). Janosik et al. (2006) stated,
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 47

“student affairs professionals who wished to keep their skills and knowledge current have to rely
on reading journals, consulting with their colleagues, attending conferences and workshops, and
bringing speakers to campus,” and these strategies are not likely to be adequate in the face of the
changing demands of the profession (p. 128). The researchers also found, in their study of 2,346
mid-level student affairs educators, that 93% wanted more intentional professional development
opportunities, such as developing a professional development curriculum, professional
development certifications, and credit for voluntary professional development achievement.
Additionally, Tull (2006) found, in his study of 435 members of ACPA, “that the quality of
supervision could be a reason for some new professionals to thrive and for others to leave” the
profession (p. 474). If student affairs educators hope to pursue careers in education, much of
their professional development is dependent on the degree of their initiative and the quality of
supervision. This is a remarkable expectation when considering the level of sophistication that is
required to be successful, especially when serving a special population like student veterans.
Though people state strong personal and professional reasons for joining and staying in
the student affairs profession, high attrition rates continue to be an issue in the profession; 50%
to 60% of new student affairs educators leave the profession within five years (Renn & Jessup-
Anger, 2008; Tull, 2006; Ward, 1995). Some of the reasons individuals give for leaving their
jobs include issues with job satisfaction, lack of quality supervision, feelings of entrenchment in
roles, and few advancement opportunities (Barham & Winston Jr., 2006; Liddle et al., 2014
Renn & Jessup-Anger, 2008; Tull, 2006). The research on why student affairs educators leave
the profession can also inform strategies to retain them; however, much more research is needed
to more fully understand the student affairs educator.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 48

What is Missing in the Research
Scholars agree research is needed to help educators better understand how professional
standards and core competencies translate into effective practice (Burkard, Cole, Ott, & Stoflet,
2005; Carpenter & Stimpson, 2007; Pope & Reynolds, 1997; Reynolds, 2011; Waple, 2006), and
scholarly attention is needed to understand the educators who are endeavoring to operate from
these standards (Bensimon, 2007; Pope & Reynolds, 1997). In the article The Underestimated
Significance of Practitioner Knowledge in the Scholarship on Student Success, Bensimon (2007)
asserted practitioners were largely “missing” from the literature (p. 443) and further stated, “if,
as scholars of higher education, we wish to produce knowledge to improve student success, we
cannot ignore that practitioners play a significant role” (p. 446). While Bensimon addressed the
need to understand practitioners who work with ethnic minorities, her argument can be applied to
student affairs educators who serve student veterans. Taylor et al. (2016) precisely stated there is
a “significant gap in professional knowledge” about student affairs educators’ experience and
interaction with student veterans (p. 48). Other than the data that was previously mentioned
regarding the job titles of student affairs educators who serve student veterans and the training
that is afforded to them, no additional research exists. As stated earlier, the current research
mostly focuses on the student veteran and the challenges they face transitioning to college, while
best practices and the student affairs educators who develop and implement these best practices
have been clearly overlooked.
Vacchi and Berger (2014) also asserted that there is a lack of a conceptual model to frame
research on student veterans and to assist educators in their efforts to support their success. In a
recent effort to consolidate the research on the student veteran experience and information about
the programs and services offered to support them, Vacchi and Berger created a model of support
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 49

that included (a) general and unique services, (b) peer and external campus support, (c) academic
interactions inside and outside of the classroom, and (d) transition support (Figure 2). Although it
is one of the first attempts to establish an original comprehensive student veteran-centered
approach to program and service offerings, like the current research on student success, the
student affairs educator is missing from the model’s design.

Figure 2. Vacchi’s model of student veteran support. Adapted from “Student Veterans in Higher
Education” by D. T. Vacchi, & Berger, J. B. (2014). Higher education: Handbook of theory and
research (pp. 93-151). Springer Netherlands.

Student
Veteran
Services
General
Unique
Academic
Interactions
In Class
Out of Class
(w/Faculty)
Transition Support
Orientations
Veteran Course
Academic Plan
Access to Courses
National Guard &
Reserves
Support
Buddy/Peer
External Campus
Support
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 50

Despite efforts to understand the student veteran experience and to create a model to
assist student affairs educators who serve these students in their practice, what remains lacking is
insight into who these student affairs educators are and how they engage their practice. The
current body of research on student veterans reveals what is known about them and what
colleges and universities are doing to respond to their needs, but we know very little about who
is responsible for supporting them and if the work is effectively supporting their academic
success.
Therefore, this study used three learning theories as a conceptual framework to
understand the experiences, knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student affairs educators
whose primary role is to serve student veterans and how these experiences and qualities may
influence their practice and the community of practice that is shared within the field at large. The
framework consisted of experiential learning theory, context based learning, and organizational
learning theory.
Conceptual Frameworks
Experiential learning theory is an adult learning theory that focuses on the creation of
knowledge through experience, observation, reflection, and experimentation (Kolb, 2014; Kolb
et al., 2001; Kolb & Kolb, 2005). Six propositions guide this theory and are founded in the work
of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, Jean Piaget, William James, Carl Jung, Paulo Freire, and Carl
Rogers (Kolb & Kolb, 2005). These propositions are that (a) learning is best understood as a
process, (b) all learning is based on prior learning, (c) leaning involves conflict and requires
reflection and action to resolve the conflict, (d) learning is a process that involves the whole
person and includes their thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors, (e) learning is an
outcome of the learner interacting with their environment, and (f) learning is constructed socially
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 51

and individually (Kolb & Kolb, 2005). Although Kolb’s (2014) experiential learning theory has
come under criticism for its lack of thoroughly connecting to the work of John Dewey and Kurt
Lewin, for being too “individualistic, cognitivist, and technical,” (Freedman & Stumpf, 1980;
Kolb & Kolb, 2005, p. 196; Miettinen, R., 2000; Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer, & Bjork, 2008); this
study remained focused on the six propositions of experiential learning theory that have been
acknowledged as an established approach to adult learning (Miettinen, 2000) and to inform the
analysis of the experiences of student affairs educators who serve student veterans and how they
conceptualize and operationalize their learning.
Context based learning is also an adult learning theory that is characterized by its
emphasis on the individual learner, learning within a social context that results in conceptualized
and operationalized learning. Within context based learning, the construct of communities of
practice emerged, and the term was coined by Lave and Wenger (1991). Communities of practice
are “groups of people who share insights and ideas and who help one another solve problems and
develop a common practice” (Merriam, 2004, p. 210). Wenger (1998) claimed “belonging to a
community involves a learning process, a form of collective meaning making—of interpreting,
acting, and reflecting on action” (as cited in Merriam, 2004, p. 210). Over the last decade,
student affairs educators who serve student veterans have been sharing their learning processes,
their knowledge, and ideas of how to improve individual and collective practice to meet their
students’ needs and support their academic success at local, regional, and national conferences
and within professional associations. Kim (1998) provided additional insight into the meaning of
individual learning and its role in organizational learning and stated learning has two meanings:
learning is the acquiring of know-how and know-why, otherwise known as operational and
conceptual knowledge. This knowledge is eventually transferred to collective knowledge if the
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 52

individuals are part of an organization which then advances organizational learning (Kim, 1998).
Merriam (2004) agreed and stated, “organizations learn only through the experience and action
of individuals” (p. 6).
Therefore, organizational learning theory is also appropriate to apply to this study as the
community of practice of student affairs educators who serve student veterans are a part of a
larger institutional system. Organizational learning theory is a complex theory that encompasses
multiple perspectives of how organizations learn. Huber (1991) proposed that organizational
learning theory involves constructs and processes of knowledge acquisition, information
distribution, information interpretation, and organizational memory. Knowledge acquisition
includes how information is gained, information distribution is how information is shared,
information interpretation is the process by which meaning is given to the information that is
received, and organizational memory consists of how information is collected for use in the
future. Kim (1998) expanded the definition of organizational learning as the product of
individual learning and the process of transferring this learning to influence the organization’s
goals, vision, values, and practice. Kim (1998) stated:
In the early stages of an organization’s existence, organizational leaning is often
synonymous with individual learning because the organization consists of a small group
of people and has minimal structure. As an organization grows, however, a distinction
between individual an organizational learning emerges, and a system for capturing the
learning of its individual members evolves. (p. 6)
In this case, the individuals are student affairs educators who serve student veterans
within a public 4-year university that operates within a larger state system. So far, there has not
been a focused effort to capture and document these educators’ learning, and here lies the
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 53

importance of this study. Using experiential learning theory, the process of individual learning
(Kolb, 2014; Kolb et al., 2001; Kolb & Kolb, 2005), context based learning, the idea of the
learning being a part of a community of practice (Merriam, 2004), and Huber’s 1991
organizational learning theory constructs and processes model, this study sought to further
understand the experiences, knowledge, skill, and dispositions of student affairs educators who
serve student veterans, how their experiences and personal qualities may influences their
practice, and, consequently, the community of practice that is shared within the larger state
system.
Conclusion
Since the implementation of the Post 9/11 GI Bill in 2009 and the increase of student
veteran enrollment in higher education, colleges and universities have been endeavoring to find
ways to effectively support them. As the body of research regarding student veterans continues
to grow and student affairs’ professional standards and core competencies strive to stay current, a
strong community of practice has developed among student affairs educators who serve these
students; yet, very little is known about the educators who apply these practices. Therefore,
experiential learning theory, context based learning and organizational learning theory were used
as a lens to examine their experiences, knowledge, skills, and dispositions, and how their
experiences and personal qualities may influence their practice and the community of practice
that is shared within the field at large. Chapter Three outlines the study in more detail, including
the methodology, site selection, description of the participants, research methods and data
collection, conceptual framework, issues of trustworthiness, ethical issues, and limitations and
delimitations.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 54

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
This chapter describes the qualitative methodology that was used in this study. A
qualitative research method was chosen for this study because it allows for a process of
investigating individuals or groups experiences (Creswell, 2013; Maxwell, 2013) and strives to
increase understanding of the study’s participants “cognitions, affect, [and] intentions” that
influences behavior (Maxwell, 2013, p. 30). In addition, qualitative research, as an applied
research approach, has the potential to resolve “site-specific problems,” make recommendations
to fields of practice (McEwan & McEwan, 2003, p. 21) and effect change (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). This study sought to gain insight into the experiences of student affairs educators who
serve student veterans and explored their community of practice. Therefore, this chapter outlines
the purpose of the study, the research questions, the research design, the site selection, the
population and sample, the instrumentation that was used, the data collection and analysis
process, and the role of the researcher.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of student affairs educators who
serve student veterans, their knowledge, skills, and dispositions and how these experiences and
qualities may influence their practice and the community of practice that is shared in the field at
large. As demonstrated in the literature, most of the research on student veterans in higher
education is focused on the student and their educational experiences; yet, not much is known
about the student affairs educators who have the responsibility to support them through their
academic experience. It is imperative to understand these student affairs educators’ experiences,
level of training, competencies, dispositions, and how they practice because they potentially
influence their students’ academic success. Increased understanding of their experience and how
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 55

they perceive their experience will aid in more fully understanding how to prepare student affairs
educators, how to support their professional development, and how to support effective practice,
individually and collectively.
A qualitative case study approach was used to understand the experiences shared among
student affairs educators who serve student veterans as a community and to develop an “adequate
description, interpretation, and explanation” of their thoughts, feelings, and dispositions
(Maxwell 2013, p. 79). These educators are likely to hold similar roles and responsibilities, face
common campus circumstances, and serve a very distinct student population. Therefore, the unit
of analysis in this study consisted of student affairs educators who serve student veterans within
a bounded system with the aim to more keenly understand them and their common practice
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Research Questions
The qualitative research questions outlined what this study were intended to understand
(Maxwell, 2013) and allowed for themes and patterns to emerge from the inquiry process
(Creswell, 2013). Three central research questions guided this study:
1. Has the experience of working with student veterans influenced the practice of student
affairs educators? If yes, how?
2. Do the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student affairs educators who serve student
veterans influence their practice? If yes, how?
3. Does the practice of student affairs educators who serve student veterans inform the
larger community of practitioners and contribute to the goal of supporting the academic
success of these students? If yes, how?

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 56

Site Selection
Universities within the Regional State University (RSU) system (a pseudonym) were
used for this study. The mission of the RSU system emphasizes supporting the academic,
personal, and professional success of its students. RSU is a public university system that
educates over 400,000 students every year. Student veterans represent 2.8% of the total student
population in the system.
The universities in the system are all situated within a reasonable commute from the
state’s military installations and are committed to supporting the student veteran population on
its campuses. This commitment is reflected in the support services available; 51% of all
universities in the system have a dedicated staff member to serve student veterans, and 87% of
the universities have a veterans resource center (RSU website, 2017). The chancellor’s office
also employs a director of veterans affairs whose responsibility is to ensure campuses are in
compliance with state and federal regulations and serves as an advocate for all campuses across
the system.
Twenty-five percent of student veterans enroll in public 4-year universities (Cate et al.,
2017), and public 4-year universities are more likely to have programs and services intended to
serve student veterans than any other type of college or university (McBain et al., 2012).
Therefore, examining student affairs educators who serve student veterans at public 4-year
universities is appropriate for this study.
Population and Sample
The population for this study consisted of student affairs educators who serve student
veterans at campuses in the RSU system because they are directly responsible for championing
student veteran’ success. There are approximately 75 educators serving in this role system-wide.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 57

They have the opportunity to share ideas and best practices in formal settings such as monthly
conference calls, annual professional development conferences, and special event collaborations,
and in informal settings such as campus consultations or phone calls. Purposeful sampling is a
non-randomized process of choosing individuals who meet a specific set of characteristics and
was utilized in this study (Johnson & Christensen, 2008). Each campus varies in terms of student
veteran enrollment, funding, administrative support, educators who are specifically dedicated to
serve student veterans, and the practices that are implemented, so the sample included
participants from various campuses. The sample included new, mid-level, and senior-level
student affairs educators who hold various responsibilities such as benefit certifying officials,
academic and personal counselors, program coordinators, and program directors. New educators
were those with fewer than three years of experience working in student affairs, mid-level
educators either had three to five years of experience or held a position that reflected mid-level
responsibilities, and senior-level educators either had six or more years of experience in higher
education or high-level duties and responsibilities. Therefore, a balance of years of experience
and positions was distributed among 13 participants to sufficiently represent the scope of
variation among the profession (Maxwell, 2013). Also, the sample represented a range of age,
gender, military affiliation, educational background, and years of experience in student affairs
working with student veterans.
Instrumentation
A pre-survey was sent to all veteran affairs points of contact in the RSU system as part of
the purposeful sampling screening process. The pre-survey assisted the researcher in determining
which participants met the criteria for participation in the interview, not based on opinion but on
their distinct experience and, in some cases, their expertise (Creswell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell,
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 58

2016). The pre-survey also served as the catalyst for an intentional criterion-based selection
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) of participants that allowed for maximum variation and the possibility
of gaining insight into respondents’ essential shared experiences.
Interviews were conducted with individuals who met the characteristics established by
the researcher, determined by the pre-survey, and who were willing to participate in the study.
Twelve of the interviews were conducted face-to-face, and one interview was conducted over the
phone. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews to capture common experiences and
points of view. Semi-structured interviews allowed the researcher to combine structured
interview questions with the freedom to determine the order of the questions that were asked and
the wording that was used to ask the questions (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Field-
testing, a process to check the appropriateness of the questions before the actual interviews, was
also performed; three individuals who have expertise in serving student veterans in higher
education reviewed the pre-survey questions and the interview questions and provided feedback
to improve the quality and the usefulness of the interview protocol (Creswell, 2013). Finally, a
protocol to review public and private qualitative documents and artifacts was initiated (Creswell,
2013). However, only one participant provided an artifact to be reviewed. Although the artifact
had particular meaning to the participant, it did not add further insight into the content of their
interview. Therefore, artifacts and documents were not included in the final analysis.
Data Collection
The pre-survey was sent to 25 administrative staff members who serve student veterans at
each of the 17 universities in the RSU system by the director of veterans affairs in late
September. The pre-survey included direct questions about geographic location, overall
enrollment numbers, student veteran enrollment, racial and ethnic diversity of the student veteran
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 59

population, the veteran specific programs and services that the university offers, job titles that are
given to those who role it is to serve student veterans, whom they report to, and, as previously
noted, their personal demographics, such as, age, gender, military affiliation, educational
background, and years of experience. Approximately two weeks were allocated for the potential
participants to respond to the survey. The researcher sent a reminder email a week before the
closing date of the pre-survey. Once the closing date passed, a thank you email was sent to the
participants who responded to the pre-survey and a separate email was sent to potential interview
participants by the researcher.
From the pre-survey, a sample of 17 participants who met the study criteria received an
invitation email from the researcher. These 17 participants were chosen because they provided
the researcher with the range of experience and job responsibilities the researcher sought to
examine to reach saturation (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The email included the purpose of the
study, the role of the researcher, the participant’s role, a discussion of confidentiality, and the
timeframe of the study. Within seven days, a follow-up phone call was made by the researcher to
personally ask if respondents were still interested in participating in the study. Thirteen educators
agreed to participate and a date, time, and location for the interviews to take place was
established; date, time, and location was chosen at the convenience of the participant to
accommodate the complex and often location-bound schedules of student affairs educators. Most
interviews were conducted at the participant’s office or their university’s veterans resource
center. Also, a $25 gift card was provided as compensation for participating in the study. Only
one participant could not be interviewed at their university, so a phone interview was scheduled.
A confirmation email was sent to confirm the date, time, and location and to thank the
participants for their willingness to take part in the study. An information sheet was attached in
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 60

the email for their reference. The information sheets provided the participant guidelines of how
the interview would be conducted, how anonymity would be ensured by assigning a pseudonym
to the campus and to the participant, that the interview would be recorded, that they had the
option to answer or not answer any of the questions presented, and that they could end the
interview at any time. One additional document accompanied the email: the ACPA and
NASPA’s core competency overview. This overview was used to familiarize the study
participants with these organizations’ recommended core competencies, and participants were
asked to reflect on their knowledge, skill, disposition within the context of these competencies. A
reminder email was sent, and a phone call was made for a final confirmation of the interview a
week prior to the interview date.
Turning the focus to the interview process, an interview guide was used to direct the
interview (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The guide contained specific questions that were asked of
all participants and several open-ended questions that could be used throughout the interviews. A
list of open-ended questions was designed to encourage participants to richly describe their
experiences serving student veterans and their thoughts and feelings about their work. This study
used various types of questions that explored (a) experience and behavior, (b) opinion and
values, (c) feelings, (d) knowledge, (c) sensory experiences, and (d) background and
demographics (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The inquiry also included hypothetical, opposing
view, ideal position, and interpretive questions. For example, questions asked how the
interviewees came to work with the student veteran population, their roles and responsibilities,
how they were prepared for their job, how they learned about the student veteran population,
what sort of professional development or continuing education opportunities they had, how they
felt about their work, how they knew if they were meeting the students’ needs, and what they
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 61

needed, if anything, to be more effective in their role. Follow-up questions were used to clarify
participants’ responses. At the end of the interview, the researcher asked the participants if they
have any artifacts that they would like to share with the researcher that signified their learning or
demonstrated the meaning of their practice. If the participant had any such artifact, the researcher
requested the participants email a paragraph or two about the meaning of the artifact. If the
participant did not have an artifact but had an example of a time when they believed they made
an impact in the life of a student veteran that they did not share during the interview, they were
also provided the opportunity to email the researcher the description of the example and its
personal meaning.
A hand-held voice recorder was used during the interviews. The researcher also took
handwritten notes during the interviews and directly after them. The recorded data and the
handwritten notes were transported in a locked travel case; electronic devices were password
protected to secure the confidentiality of the participants and to safeguard the interview
responses. As interviews were conducted, the recordings were forwarded to a reputable agency
for transcription. After the transcripts were retrieved and utilized, recordings were deleted from
all digital sources and notes were shredded at a secure shredding site.
The researcher also accessed a fall 2017 survey document that reflected the study site’s
veterans resource center’s best practices from the site’s website. The authenticity of the
document was verified by the author of the document. The researcher was provided assurance
that the document was original and had not been modified (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 62

Data Analysis
The first step of the data analysis began by creating a way to prepare and organize the
transcripts, personal notes, documents and artifacts (Creswell, 2013). Each interview and the
corresponding university were assigned a number to ensure the interviews could be easily
referenced. As each interview was conducted and transcribed, the interviews were read, and
notes were written in the margins of the transcript to reflect the researcher’s thoughts, ideas, and
themes that emerged early (Creswell, 2013). The third step was to develop an open coding
system (Creswell, 2013; Maxwell, 2013) to indicate the data’s relationship to the study’s
conceptual framework and emerging themes (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Next, hard copies of the
coded data were scanned and saved on the researcher’s laptop, sent to a personal email address,
saved on a cloud-storage site, and saved on a flash-drive.
Data analysis was initiated during the organization of the data but was precisely engaged
when the interpretation of the data began; inductive reasoning was used to compare and interpret
the coded pieces of the data and from this process, themes and categories emerged that made up
the study’s findings (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Ongoing review of the interviews and data
occurred until saturation was reached. Saturation is the term that is used to describe when no new
information is found in the data (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). After coding of the data was
complete, the data were designated into categories of similarity, differences, and ways they were
connected (Maxwell, 2013). Finally, these categories were interpreted using experiential learning
theory, context based learning, and organizational learning theory as the frameworks to assess
the data (Creswell, 2013).

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 63

Validity
Examining the validity of a study’s findings is a vital part of the data analysis process
because validity supports the trustworthiness of the findings. In this qualitative research, two
threats to validity existed: researcher bias and reactivity (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). The task was to not to remove researcher bias but to understand the researcher’s bias and
how their knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions may influence the research process and the
interpretation of the data. In the same way, reactivity, which is how the researcher influences the
environment and the participants, was also understood and used appropriately. It was the
responsibility of the researcher to intentionally seek to understand their bias and how the
participants in the study might have reacted to the researcher in the research process.
Trustworthiness was established by using detailed and varied data, member checks, and
triangulation (Creswell, 2013; Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Detailed and varied
data, also known as rich description of the data, was used to describe the study sites and the
individuals who participated in the study, using participant quotes, field notes, and documents to
support the description, with careful consideration to protect the site and the individual’s identity
(Creswell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The researcher also member checked throughout the
data analysis process, requesting feedback from the participants on the study’s initial findings to
see if the findings accurately reflected their experience (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). Triangulation in this study included different sources of data to support the findings, such
as the study-site document previously mentioned and participant interviews (Creswell, 2013;
Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 64

Role of the Researcher
In qualitative research, ultimately it is the researcher’s credibility, ability, “training,
experience, and intellectual rigor” that influences the validity of the study (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016, p. 260). The researcher of this study is a female civilian with nine years of experience
working in student affairs serving student veterans in this same system. As the interim director of
the veterans resource center, the researcher is responsible for the supervision of new student
affairs professionals and program and services development and delivery. Over the nine years of
working in the field of student veteran support, the researcher has attended several local,
regional, and national conferences about serving student veterans in higher education and has
presented workshops at many of them. The researcher has developed strong working
relationships with some of the student affairs educators who serve student veterans in the RSU
system, collaborating on projects and events, attending conferences together, has been asked to
consult on various work-related issues, and provided mutual support for each other’s work. Also,
the researcher has a professional relationship with the RSU director of veterans affairs who
assisted in the distribution of the pre-survey and provided access to RSU documents that may be
included in the data analysis.
The researcher’s years of experience were an asset to the interview process by providing
a level of common understanding and context of the work that is performed; however, it had the
potential to be a detriment if the researcher used her professional experience as a measure of
what the participants’ experience should encompass. As a trained counselor who is expected to
stay neutral and not impose her own values and opinions in the counseling process, the
researcher used the same skills to hold her values and opinions outside of the interview process
and allowed participants to describe their own experience. However, the researcher was mindful,
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 65

her position and experience were likely to have an influence on the interview process:
participants may have wanted to impress the researcher, may not have wanted to reveal
weaknesses, shortcomings, or specific challenges they face, and may have been careful not to
speak ill of their colleagues or institution. It was important to communicate the researcher
understands each university within the RSU has unique needs, resources, and levels of support to
fulfill their department and university’s specific goals for their student veteran population.
Also, some of the interviews conducted for this study took place at the university where
the researcher worked because the university’s veterans resource center had been established for
almost a decade, employed a large and diverse staff, provided comprehensive services, and was a
convenient location. Because the researcher was also the supervisor of three of the staff
members, the researcher took into consideration how interviewing staff members might impact
the supervisor-staff relationship and how the staff members might answer questions or the way
they describe their experiences. In these instances, member-checking and triangulation was used
to minimize the effect of any researcher bias and acknowledged awareness of reactivity to
support the validity of the data obtained from this campus.
Deciding how to conduct research comes from the “intersection of philosophy, research
designs, and specific methods” (Creswell, 2013, p. 5). The researcher’s philosophy or worldview
was important to understand to gauge its influence on how the study was designed and the
methods that were used to conduct the research; all three components were aligned. The
researcher’s personal experience, education, interactions with student veterans, and the current
research on student veterans underscored the development of a personal philosophy that guided
her work. The researcher believed that individuals have both strengths and weaknesses that
influence their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, but a focus on a person’s strengths is most
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 66

beneficial in support of individual achievement and that understanding a person’s experience
must include insight into a person’s cultural background and the socio-political issues that
influence their experience. The researcher also believed that being self-directed is essential for
personal well-being and growth, that connection, belonging, and mattering are also significant
factors in a person’s academic, personal, and professional experience and potential for success,
especially for student veterans, and that acceptance, empathy, and compassion are necessary in
the world. Accordingly, the researcher subscribed to a transformational strengths-based
perspective that combines the work of Donald Clifton’s strengths as traits work (Hodges, &
Clifton, 2004) and Martin Seligman’s signature strengths (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)
with her own experience working with student veterans, bearing witness to their strength and
resiliency. This perspective influences the researcher’s work with veterans and the development
of the programs and services that are offered at the veterans resource center where she was
employed. The researcher’s worldview informed how this study was designed and was
conducted. This qualitative study was designed to gather data from an interview process that
allowed participants to share their own experiences, thoughts, beliefs, strengths and areas in need
of growth and how these experiences and qualities influenced their practice and contribute to the
academic success of the student veterans they serve.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this chapter outlined the methodology that was used in this case study. The
study included a pre-survey, semi-structured one-on-one interviews, and documents and artifacts
to answer the research questions. The study sample included new, mid, and senior-level student
affairs educators whose primary role is to serve student veterans and sought to understand their
experiences, knowledge, skills, and dispositions. As previously mentioned, this study used
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 67

experiential learning theory, context based learning, and organizational learning theory as a
framework to examine how these experiences and qualities influenced their practice, the
community of practice that is shared within the field at large and contribute to the goal of
supporting student veterans’ academic success.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 68

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF DATA
This chapter introduces the participants in the study by presenting demographic data and
profiling the participants’ roles as student affairs educators. The study findings are also outlined
in this chapter through the description of six emergent themes: (a) participants professionalizing
student veteran support, (b) multiple sources of learning needed, (c) interpersonal and technical
skills necessary to be effective, (d) aligning attitudes, beliefs and values with core competencies,
(e) creating a community of practice, and an overarching theme (f) relationship building brings
value. These themes were identified in the analysis of the one-on-one interviews. The study’s
three research questions were
1. Has the experience of working with student veterans influenced the practice of student
affairs educators? If yes, how?
2. Do the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student affairs educators who serve student
veterans influence their practice? If yes, how?
3. Does the practice of student affairs educators who serve student veterans inform the
larger community of practitioners and contribute to the goal of supporting the academic
success of these students? If yes, how?
Although there is an increasing body of literature regarding student veterans in higher
education, the student affairs educators who are charged with supporting their academic success
have not been researched. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine how the
experiences, knowledge, skills, and disposition of student affairs educators who serve student
veterans influence their practice. Using the frameworks of experiential learning theory, context
based theory, and organizational learning theory, the study also sought to further understand how
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 69

these student affairs educators created their community of practice and, ultimately, how this
community of practice may influence the success of the student veterans they serve.
Participant Demographic Overview
Thirteen student affairs educators who serve student veterans participated in the study.
They represented eight universities throughout RSU (Table 2). All participating universities had
an established veterans resource center, with a wide range of student veteran enrollment and
dedicated staff to serve them. The average student veteran population enrolled in the eight
universities is 580 students, and two-thirds of the universities represented in the study had three
or more professional staff members dedicated to serve them.
Table 2
Student Veteran Enrollment and Number of Professional Staff Dedicated to Serve Them
University Veterans Resource
Center Student Veteran Enrollment Dedicated Staff
1
Yes 100 1
2
Yes 350 1
3
Yes 435 3
4
Yes 535 3
5
Yes 570 4
6
Yes 650 5
7
Yes 800 8
8
Yes 1200 3

Of the 13 study participants, 54% identified as female, and 46% identified as male. Most
participants, 46%, were between the ages of 26 and 35. Twelve participants reported being
military connected. For the purpose of this study, the term military connected is defined as
having personally served in the military or someone who has a family member who served or is
currently serving in the military. One female out of the seven females who participated in the
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 70

study reported she served in the military, and one male out of the six participants who identified
as male did not report military service.
The researcher found that years of experience did not determine position level. Regarding
years of experience in their current role, 15% of the study participants had less than one year of
experience, 54% had one to five years of experience, and 31% had six to ten years of experience.
Lastly, the majority of participants, 54%, held senior-level positions, 15% held mid-level
positions, and 31% were new in their role (Table 3). Participants’ education level was ranked by
degree attainment (Table 4). Forty-six percent of participants had bachelor's degrees, 31% had
doctorates, 15% had master's degrees, and 1% did not have a college degree. Of the degrees that
were held by the participants, nine academic disciplines were represented. Sixty-seven percent of
the areas of study were not directly related to education.
Table 3
Demographic Traits
Demographic Trait Number of Individuals
Female 7
Male 6
20-25 Years Old 1
26-35 Years Old 6
36-45 Years Old 1
46-55 Years Old 3
56-65 Years Old 2
Served in the Military 6
Spouse/Partner Served in the Military 2
Parent Served in the Military 3
Sibling Served in the Military 1
Did Not Serve in the Military 1
Less than 1 year in their role 2
1-5 years in their role 7
6 -10 years in their role 4
Senior-Level Educator 7
Mid-Level Educator 2
New Educator 4
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Table 4
Education Levels by Degree Attainment
Level of Education Type of Degree
Bachelor's Degree Business Administration
Bachelor's Degree Communication
Bachelor's Degree Communication Studies
Bachelor's Degree Human Services
Bachelor's Degree Psychology
Bachelor's Degree Public Health
Doctorate Educational Leadership
Doctorate Educational Leadership
Doctorate Educational Leadership
Doctorate Organizational Change
Master's Degree Public Administration
Master's Degree Student Affairs
No Degree

Participant Descriptions, Roles, and Responsibilities
To protect the study participants’ confidentiality, pseudonyms were used, and only broad
descriptions of the participants are indicated in this next section. Gender neutral pronouns are
also used to uphold the participants’ identity in the majority of instances. The study participants
are grouped into three categories based on the level of their responsibilities in their role. The
position categories were senior-level educator, mid-level educator, and new educator.
Senior-Level Educator
Skyler, Pat, Finely, Jessie, Rory, Ellis and Taylor all served in full-time director roles in
their university’s veterans resource center. They represented five male and two female
participants in the study and were between the ages of 32 and 65. Five of them had prior military
service, one had a family member who served in the military, and one did not have any prior
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 72

military experience. Their education levels ranged from bachelor’s degrees to doctoral degrees in
various disciplines, and their years of experience spanned one and half years to eight years.
Roles and responsibilities. All participants described their role in general as managing
the day-to-day operations of their department: overseeing department goals, budget,
programming, crisis, assessment, and staff supervision. Specifically, the veterans resource center
directors described their responsibilities in three overarching ways: upward facing, outward
facing and inward facing. This included being visionary and being willing to advocate for their
vision for their centers. Pat defined being upward and outward facing as, “communicating a
vision to centers of influence on the campus and in the community.” Skyler’s comments were
similar and further defined the director role as responsible for building personal relationships
with those in decision-making positions. Skyler also referred being a manager of processes and
people: “my job is to make sure that everything we do for veterans gets accomplished [and to]
make sure I have the right people and that they have everything they need to do their job.”
Additionally, Taylor described their role as an advocate, “my role is to make sure [student
veterans] are well served on campus, to support them with any questions or concerns they may
have.” Taylor gave a contrasting perspective to Pat’s and Skylar’s upward and outward facing
portrayal of the role of a director. Taylor indicated they were responsible for building
relationships with the student veterans by being collaborative, building a team, and creating a
sense of family; in other words, being inward facing. Jessie agreed and stated,
The main thing [student veterans] need from me: they want me to be available to them, so
they want me to be visible and not necessarily to answer their questions or to fix
something for them but just be where I am spending time with them and being, you
know, just a part of their day and a part of their lives.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 73

Mid-level Educator
Payton and Morgan held mid-level positions in their center. They both identified as
female and were between the ages of 25 and 35. Payton and Morgan were military connected.
They both had bachelor’s degrees, and their years of experience in their roles ranged from one to
six years.
Roles and responsibilities. Both mid-level educators described their role and
responsibilities as being primarily inward facing, where close and constant student contact was
emphasized. Payton described their role as serving as a liaison between the Department of
Veterans Affairs and student veterans as well as between campus departments and the students.
They said, “it’s a lot of student interaction.” Yet, Payton added, “making sure student’s benefits
are paid and the university is making the necessary accommodations for students who are
recipients of the GI Bill,” which is somewhat outward facing, was also part of their
responsibility. Morgan’s role also put them in close contact with students but needed to be well
connected on the campus and in the community. They described their role as responsible for
students’ success. They said, “I help them find resources to be successful; kind of being like a
[parent] unofficially.”
New Educator
Four participants, Mica, Jordan, Avery, and Sawyer, were new educators in the field. One
male and three females made up this set of participants and they ranged from 27 years old to 53
years old. One of the participants served in the military, two had family members who served in
the military, and one did not report military connection. Three held bachelor’s degrees and one
had not completed a degree.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 74

Roles and responsibilities. The new educators who participated in the study had a
variety of roles and responsibilities but when asked, “How do you described your role?” Mica
said they were in transition, Avery stated their role was challenging, Jordan said they had a lot of
responsibility, and Sawyer said their role had, “a great deal of meaning.” When asked again to
describe their role, the participants depicted their responsibilities as exclusively student- and
task-focused. Jordan said they were responsible for building relationships and establishing trust
with the student veterans. Mica strongly agreed their role was about relationship building but
stated in direct answer to the question, “My role is mainly making sure that things are getting
done for the programs that we have.”
Emergent Themes
Six themes emerged in this study: (a) participants professionalizing student veteran
support, (b) multiple sources of learning needed, (c) interpersonal and technical skills necessary
to be effective, (d) attitudes, beliefs and values align with core competencies, (e) creating a
community of practice, and an overarching theme (f) relationship building brings value.
Theme 1: Participants Professionalizing Student Veteran Support
Of the 13 participants, seven reported they were responsible for the initial establishment
of the veterans resource center on their campus, four participants applied directly for their
current job, one began their career as a work-study student, and one was introduced to the
profession as an intern. All participants stated they came to serve this student population in
response to the growing need of support services on their campus. Ellis stated,
At the time, there was a push to recognize our veterans on our campus, so we established
an actual service center in 2010. So, once we were given space, we need[ed] to do more
programming because, prior to that, we were just basically a window.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 75

Jessie said, “there were no services for veterans to speak of. It was, you found in the registrar’s
office how to get your GI Bill and you didn’t talk to anybody, you left a paper at the front
counter.” Jessie went on to say,
I took over the vets’ program and we had nothing. Even though we did not have the
space, we had a cubicle in registrar’s office, but we build a coalition of students. We
started out with surveys and focus groups and really started to capture their stories and
when we knew the direction we wanted to go.
Serving student veterans is a duty, a passion; it is personal. Regardless of the
participant’s position level, 77% described serving student veterans as a sense of duty, a calling,
a passion for the community, and as personal. Jessie shared,
People really put their lives on hold, put their families on hold, and risked their lives, or
in some cases, lost their lives, too, for something they didn’t have to do, so like I feel that
it’s an ethical obligation. We have a duty to help. They helped us.
Taylor said, “I love what I do. It’s a passion for me. It’s not about money for me. It’s more about
what are you doing to change the world? And, we’re doing it one student at a time.” Pat shared
several of their friends and family members served in the military:
A lot of my friends are veterans, a lot of my family. My son is in the military, and so I
have a connection, a genuine respect for veterans and I have for a really long time. I have
a genuine passion for seeing them succeed.
As a veteran, Finley added, “it’s a calling. I want to help others with similar life experiences.”
Jordan had a similar feeling: “if I can help prevent a service member from going through what I
went through, well, that’s the point.” Payton, who was not a veteran also spoke of their passion:
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 76

Even though I [am] not a veteran myself, I felt very connected with the community, and
this is where my passion began. When I work with student veterans, I ultimately think
about my dad. Like what can I do to help support him?
Skylar poignantly stated, “So, you know, what it means to me. It’s not just a profession. It’s
personal.”
After entering the student affairs profession of serving student veterans, gaining the
needed knowledge and skills to effectively serve them became the issue at hand. Skylar recalled
their experience being new: “It was trial by fire. We had to learn everything and get everything
done and, of course, I didn’t not have the knowledge.” Ellis further stated,
I remember in the beginning, nobody understood anything, but then later on, as a couple
of years went by, we started looking at how do [student veterans] succeed? What are
some of the obstacles they are having? How are they succeeding?
Therefore, acquiring knowledge about student veterans and developing the skills necessary to be
effective became a focus for educators who served student veterans on their campus.
Theme 2: Multiple Sources of Learning Needed
The study participants reported they acquired their knowledge about student veterans in a
variety of ways. Many of the participants stated they learned what they knew from multiple
sources (Table 5). Ten participants said their military experience or the military experience of a
family member was a basis for their knowledge, nine stated they learned about student veterans
directly from their interactions with students, seven reported they gained their knowledge from
existing research, three said they relied on colleagues, three said their supervisors supported their
learning, and two cited conferences as a source of information about the student veteran
population.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 77

Table 5
How Educators Gained Their Knowledge About Student Veterans
Participant Personal
Experience
Students Research Colleagues Supervisor Conferences
1 x x x x
2 x
3 x x x
4 x x
5 x x x
6 x x
7 x x x
8 x x x
9 x x
10 x x x x
11 x x
12 x x x
13 x x x
Total 10 9 7 3 3 2

Personal experience. The researcher used experiential learning theory as one of the
conceptual frameworks to investigate participants’ experiences. According to Miettinen (2000),
Kolb’s four stage model of adult learning proposed learners must possess four types of abilities
(a) concrete experience abilities (CE), (b) reflective observation abilities (RO), (c) abstract
conceptualizing (AC), and (d) active experimentation abilities (AE). Miettinen explained,
[Learners] must be able to reflect on and observe their experiences from many
perspectives (RO). They must be able to create concepts that integrate their observations
into logically sound theories (AC) and they must be able to use these theories to make
decisions and solve problems (AE) (p. 61).
This learning process was reflected in participants’ description of how they learned about student
veterans’ individual and group experience.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 78

Transferring personal experience into an individual’s general knowledge of student
veterans was prevalent among participants. When participants were asked how they learned what
they know about student veterans, being a veteran provided a distinct perspective. Ellis stated,
“being a veteran, receiving benefits, going through higher ed myself helps me understand
students now.” In response to the question, Pat said, “I am a veteran, and I know a lot of
veterans.” Finley also shared, “I am a veteran. I can relate to enlisted veterans, how to succeed,
to use what we know, .and then I ask what would have helped me as a student.” Skylar
subscribed to a similar thought, that being a veteran helps, but warned that having military
experience does not mean an individual can relate to all veterans on all points:
I got out of the Marine Corps a really long time ago, so my experience was a lot different
than people who are getting out of the service or who have gotten out of the service in the
last decade, really. When I see our veterans today, I can’t relate to them in that I’ve been
deployed, yes, I’ve been there, yes, I’ve seen all that kind of stuff. I can’t.
Jessie share a similar comment, “I don’t want to make the assumption that I can speak for every
vet. I can’t really speak for someone in the Marine Corps that was in Iraq three times, you know,
in direct combat. It’s a different lived experience.”
As a civilian, Taylor also relied on family military connection to inform learning. Taylor
shared that growing up in a military family helped them understand the veteran culture, “my dad
and my uncles served over 30 years in the Marine Corps and, you know, it was boot camp at
home. I learned about respect, trust, and teamwork.” Mica acknowledge they, too, had a point of
reference because their spouse was a Marine Corps veteran, but like Skylar, they recognized
there are limits to using their own experience as a standard: “I only knew my experience. I only
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 79

knew what I had seen from my [spouse’s] service.” Mica sought additional information through
current research on the topic.
Relationships with students. Mica learned much about veterans by building
relationships with them, “so, I did a lot of asking the students. I don’t go engaging the student
with any pre-conceived notions of who I think they are. I just let them tell me their story.” Jessie
also highlighted ways to learn about the student veteran population “through the voices of the
students themselves. You have to try to connect with them on somewhat of a deeper level,
understand them as a person.” Sawyer summed it up by saying,
It’s really about building a relationship with students and them being willing to share
their stories…getting to know them, having one-on-one discussions about their
experience transitioning from military to civilian life. That’s the way I have learned about
veterans.
Relationships with colleagues. Skylar said another source of their learning was from
colleagues:
I really had to learn from others. We have a really close-knit group of people that are
directors in our system…building those connections has been helpful. You know, a quick
email, a phone call with people around the state. It made all the difference in the world.
Rory said, “other professionals helped guide me by asking them questions, by asking, you know,
every part of the way, every step of the way.” Payton agreed and indicated their learning was
due to others and said, “all the training and social interaction I had with other colleagues and
professionals in the field.”
Relationships with supervisor. Mica also shared that supervisors served as teachers:
“took me under her wing and I learned everything from her.” Avery pointed to their supervisor
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 80

as a support and source of their learning, “[My supervisor] with their knowledge has been
phenomenal. We went over a lot of the basics. They taught be a lot of what I needed to know.”
Jordan shared, as a new professional, their supervisor has helped them understand what a means
to be an educator in the field:
It is my personal experience that I draw from mostly, when it comes to know what I think
I know about student veterans, because I was a student and I am a veteran. But, my
supervisor has really helped me understand what I need to know to be able to be of
service to [student veterans] now.
Research. Seven of the study participants reported they looked to research about student
veterans to learn about them. Mica said,
[My supervisor] would give me research, and I would read it and explore the student
veteran population research myself. So, a lot of my learning had to come from my own
wanting to learn. I looked for ways to learn about this population.
Jessie also stated, “I’m constantly researching on my own through academic journals and things
like that, staying knowledgeable.” Payton also shared,
I know what I know by reading research and updates from the [Department of Veterans
Affairs], there are websites that basically highlight certain things that are going on, like,
politically and economically that relate to the student veterans when they were in service
or currently serving.
Finally, local, regional, and national conferences also came up as a venue for learning.
Conferences. Two participants said that attending conferences was one of the ways they
learned about the student veteran population. Rory said,
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 81

I didn’t have any prior experience working with veterans. You know, it’s a student
population that was new to me, so I started going to conferences both regionally and
national conferences and keying in on, focusing on the veteran population and their
needs.
Sawyer shared that local and national conferences were helpful as they endeavored to learn about
the student veteran population but communicated that it was the student panels and hearing their
stories at conferences where they learned the most. This was common among the participants’
responses regarding their learning about student veterans.
Theme 3: Interpersonal and Technical Skills Necessary to Be Effective
When asked about the skills participants believed were necessary to be effective in their
role, 12 participants identified a set of interpersonal skills and four participants included
technical skills. Study participants cited communication skills, leadership and management
skills, and empathy as a skill (Table 6).
Table 6
Skills Necessary for Educators to be Effective
Participant Communication Empathy Leadership/Management
1 x x
2 x
3 x x
4 x x
5 x x
6 x x
7 x x
8 x
9 x x
10 x x
11 x x
12 x
13 x
Total 9 9 4
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 82

Nine participants reported communication skills as necessary to be effective.
Communication skills included oral communication, counseling, advising, and presentation
skills. Nine participants also said empathy was an essential skill for student affairs educators to
possess, which included spending time with students and engaging in active listening. Active
listening was defined by participants as a willingness to really hear the students’ stories without
judgement or bias and understand the students’ experience from the students’ perspective. Four
study participants stated leadership and management skills were crucial to be successful.
Leadership and management skills included organization, problem solving, and vision and goal
setting. No additional leadership or management traits were discussed.
Communication, leadership, and management. The majority of study participants
reported communication skills were central to their work. Taylor said, “effective communication
skills, being direct and concise with what you’re sharing with the team is important.” Mica
added, “definitely having communication skills, whether it is verbally or written, depending on
how you are engaging the student, but it is necessary to connect with people effectively.”
Regarding leadership and management skills, Mica stated that “organizational skills are
imperative, having foresight, being able to plan ahead and backwards and trouble-shooting in the
process.” Finley said, “as a manager, I need to be able to set vision and the overall goals of the
department.” Yet, Pat made a distinction between being a manager and a leader:
The number one skill that is needed to fulfill my role is vision. Vision is what separates a
leader from a manager and the ability to communicate vision. I am constantly striving to
paint a picture of what my vision is.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 83

Empathy as a skill. Mica shared a story that demonstrates empathy as a skill when
endeavoring to support a student, “They just needed someone to be there with them, in their pain.
I had to kind of go to where I felt like that before and just be there with them.” Jessie said,
I think the biggest skill that you really need is empathy and compassion. You have to
have understanding of the person you are sitting across from. They just want to say, “I
did good on my test, I did great on this exam, or I don’t like this professor, or this
professor is great.” They enjoy having an administrator that’s within the university that
they can have access to, to share their problems or their successes.
Sawyer said,
I would say being empathic toward students is a necessary skill. I feel like it really comes
in handy, sometimes being able to sit with a student and really understand where they’re
coming from, understanding their stress or just being encouraging, that they can keep
going. This is really important to their success.
Skill building through professional development opportunities. Only three study
participants reported being fully prepared for their role, five participants stated they were not
prepared for their role, and five replied they were both prepared and not prepared. Of the seven
participants who said they were prepared for their role, six held senior-level positions. This was
to be expected because these six had prior experience working in student affairs or looked to
their military experience as a source of preparation. Only two of the six mid-level or new
educators felt prepared for their role when they began work in the field.
All study participants stated that attending local, regional, and national conferences was a
primary way they were afforded professional development. Yet, personal relationships with
colleagues and supervisors also appeared to help participants continue to grow in their profession
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 84

(Table 7). Four participants said their colleagues were a source of their professional
development, and three participants indicated their supervisors supported their professional
growth. Only one participant reported that existing research was a basis for professional
development.
Table 7
Opportunities for Professional Development
Participant Conferences Colleagues/Supervisor Research
1 x x
2 x x
3 x
4 x x x
5 x x
6 x x
7 x
8 x
9 x
10 x x
11 x x
12 x
13 x
Total 13 7 1

Skill building through conferences and research. Although attending conferences
surfaced as the primary way participants accessed professional development, being afforded the
opportunity was a concern. Payton shared, “I’m awarded the opportunity to go to conferences
where I can learn about best practices, learn about new research, and see what’s new in student
affairs as what serving student veterans is like.” Yet, Mica said, “you have a budget, and,
sometimes, we can attend the conferences we think we would benefit from, and, many times, we
can’t.” Morgan cited conferences as a means for professional development and adds it is the
opportunity to interact with colleagues as the most valuable piece:
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 85

We get professional development in the way of conferences. Those are sometimes
helpful. I think the biggest things that come from those conferences is building a network,
meeting people who understand your everyday struggles and can help you claim your
accomplishments even when you’re having a hard time.
Jessie reported that they typically attended national conferences as a means of professional
development but stayed connected to the research to stay informed and apprised of current trends
and practices. This study also found that participants’ attitudes, beliefs and values were
connected to core competencies and translated into practice.
Skill building as a matter of relationships. Again, relationships with colleagues and
supervisors emerged as an important piece of continued professional development. Ellis said,
“early on, I visited other campuses, and now I try to pay it forward whenever there is someone
new. Being able to tap your colleagues works wonders.” Pat said, “My boss is a great sounding
board. They are super supportive, and I have really learned a lot from them.” Jordan said, “We
go through trainings here. My colleagues and my supervisor are constantly holding events and
trainings to help educate us and the community. But, really, I learn a lot from my relationships
with them.” Jessie had a contrasting thought to the value of conferences and added, “I don’t think
conferences is really where professional development happens, for me at least. To me,
professional development happens when I am working with other campuses or out in the
community learning from other folks.”
Theme 4: Aligning Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values with Core Competencies
Participants’ disposition included their attitudes, beliefs, and values. Participants’
attitudes are discussed in the community of practice theme as a paradigm that was revealed as an
important part of how practice was approached and performed. In this section, participants’
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 86

beliefs and values are presented along with how they were demonstrated as core competencies.
When asked the most important thing to know about student veterans, all participants shared a
multifaceted perspective: student veterans are like other students on their campus, they are not
like other students, they are a homogeneous group, and they are a diverse group among
themselves. In other words, student veterans are both similar and different from others and each
other. Eleven participants also cited persistent myths that are held among their peers and the
importance of guarding against the stereotypes.
P ar tic ip an ts’ beliefs about student veterans. Participants recognized that the student
veteran community faces stereotyping and misconceptions of who they are. Skyler said,
Veterans are people, too. We think of veterans as being a block of people with a common
experience and, therefore, a common attitude about the world, and the reality is every
single veteran has 18 years of life before they go in the service, lives that make them who
they are, and then they get an extra coat of paint when they go into the service, and how
they wear that is very unique to each one of them. So, we can make some assumptions
and we can paint with broad brushes, but, when you get right down to it, they’re just
people.
Jessie voiced a similar sentiment:
[Being] a veteran, that’s only one part of who you are. There is this assumption that all
vets think the same, all vets saw and lived the same experiences. I really strive to make
sure people know that veterans are a diverse group.
Rory added, “There is no stereotype. [Student veterans] are as diverse as any other student in our
university.” “All our students are diverse. They all come from very different backgrounds,” Ellis
said. Skyler addressed other’s beliefs about veterans and said,
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 87

They all don’t have PTSD. They don’t all have traumatic brain injury. Most have not
served in a combat scenario. They wanted to do something good with their lives, but even
that is very different between them. We have some really amazing people, and we have
some that are jerks and we have some that, you know, are just trying to get by just like
anyone else.
Payton noted similarly,
I think the most important thing student affairs professionals need to know is that they are
regular students. They’re not just student veterans. I think student affairs professionals
often automatically think he’s a student veteran, [so] he must have a [traumatic brain
injury], he must have PTSD, and the way they interact with the student is very different
from the way they would interact with other students.
Mica put it plainly, “Veterans are not their stigma, they are humans like everyone else and each
veteran brings their own unique experience with them like everyone else.”
Participants ’ values. When participants were asked about the values they hold, empathy
and integrity, which includes honesty and trustworthiness, emerged as the most commonly held
values. Ten participants mentioned empathy or integrity or both as values that guide their work.
Ellis stated, “It is always about empathy, knowing how I felt coming into this system and I think
about my frustrations. So, we want to say you don’t have to wait in another line. You come to us
and we will take care everything. We will be the last stop.” It was Mica that said, “empathy is
really important, being able to communicate you are willing to really listen, to really see them for
who they are and what they are going through matters.” Skylar said, “honesty and integrity, all of
those kinds of things, I think, are core values that are really critical. They reside and guide me.”
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 88

Taylor added, “You have to build trust and you do that by being honest. You have to do what
you say you’re are going to do.”
P ar tic ip an ts’ core competencies. ACPA and NASPA’s core competencies were used as
a scaffold to investigate participants’ competency strengths and areas of needed growth. As a
review, the 10 core competencies are (a) personal and ethical foundations; (b) values,
philosophies, and history; (c) assessment, evaluation, and research; (d) law, policy, and
governance; (e) organizational and human resources; (f) leadership; (g) social justice and
inclusion; (h) student learning and development; (i) technology; and (j) advising and supporting
(NASPA, n.d.b, pp. 12-15). Only one participant was familiar with ACPA and NASPA’s core
competencies. However, after providing a brief time to review them during the interview, 12
participants said ethical and personal foundations were one of their strongest competencies.
Seven participants reported social justice and inclusion as a strength. Six participants stated
student learning and development was one of their strengths. Five participants identified
leadership as a core competency they believed they had and four participants stated values,
philosophies, and history was a strong core competency. Assessment, evaluation, and research
was the core competency that was mentioned most as an area in need of improvement, as seven
participants identified it was an opportunity for growth. Law, policy, and governance was
reported by five participants as an area of weakness. Interestingly, four participants said that
student learning and development was a core competency that needed improvement. The core
competencies participants identified informed the community of practice that had been created
among the participants over the years.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 89

Theme 5: Creating a Community of Practice
Study participants reported four practices they believed were of value to their work and
that contributed to student veteran success. Many of them shared multiple and interconnected
practices. Four participants said orientation, career preparedness, and having resources were
extremely important to the success of their students, and peer mentoring was mentioned by three
participants as a significant best practice.
In addition to sharing what they believed were effective and necessary practices,
participants emphasized how they performed these practices as critical. Twelve participants
stated that making time to engage students, being available for students to engage them, and
facilitating engagement among student veteran peers was a primary practice, eleven participants
said that having adequate space to engage student veterans was vital, and five study participants
shared that having sufficient staff to serve student veterans was a necessary for effective practice.
Eleven participants acknowledged that operating from a place of caring and from a paradigm of
student’s strengths underscored their practice. Furthermore, when participants were asked how
they measured effective practice, student engagement was the outcome standard. Others shared
personal stories about times they successfully supported students. These accounts also serve as
meaningful evidence of effective and common practice.
Individual practices become a shared practice. Context based learning the second
conceptual framework used in this study, proposed that individuals’ learning occurs within the
context of the shared experience of a community. According to Merriam (2004), communities of
practice are developed among “groups of people who share insights and ideas and who help one
another solve problems and develop a common practice” (p. 210). This type of connection was
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 90

evident in the participants’ description of the relationships they had with one another and how
their learning translated into a community of practice.
The study participants’ individual efforts reflected of a common set of experiences that
translated into a shared practice. These practices are a result of four types of participant
interaction with each other over several years: (a) visits to each other’s campuses, (b) phone calls
and emails, (c) monthly conference calls, and (d) annual professional development conferences.
Study participants believed these were valuable ways to share ideas, stay current, and grow as
educators in the field. Rory said,
I have colleagues across the state that have really great programs, and I’ve learned how
they set up their programs and it’s been really helpful to me. Also, our once a year
conference has been great. We meet for two days and discuss the issues we are all going
through, what are the trends, the new policies we are coming up with, and the needs that
we all have and we all work together.
Rory went on to say, “We also have a monthly conference call where people are constantly
helping each other. You’re only an email away from the answer you need.” Morgan said, “We
have the opportunity to share on our monthly conference calls and at our annual conference or
it’s just about making contact with others just to see how they do things.” Finally, Jessie shared,
“I look at other campuses practices. I’ve gotten so much from [them]. When we started this
building, we took most of their ideas.”
Essential practices. Student engagement was considered a common and principle
practice. First, Jessie relayed students’ need for connection to staff:
You’re trying to create a center that revolves around student access, so you know creating
a welcoming environment for them is essential. You’ve got to be ready to stop what
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 91

you’re doing and spend time with the students who want to spend time with you…they
want connection.
Skyler shared a slightly different perspective, one that revealed the value of staff initiating
engagement:
I just want to get to know people. It’s good to just go set up in the lounge and listen to
people talk and hear what their concerns are, learn a little about people. If I have someone
that has a problem, I want to learn where they are coming from and where the problem is
coming from.
Mica highlighted the need for staff and students to engage with each other, and said,
You have to get to know the students, know who they are, you can’t make assumptions
about what you think the students need. The best way to do that is to engage them, but it
takes time to get to know them, to build rapport, for them to feel confident enough to
come to you. But, when they do, you can really help them with they need.
Taylor included faculty as an important piece to engagement, “Faculty engagement is a key pillar
to the success of our veterans.” Taylor went on to explain it is faculty who refer the veteran to
the center, so that staff can
Find out what’s really going on, hear the whole story. Just having that relationship and
making it seem like it’s a normal process for them is important because it makes them
feel valued, and that’s what, at the end of the day, is important. It’s that value and feeling
that connection.
Connection to peers also emerged as part of the engagement narrative and was linked to needing
adequate space and staff to facilitate the students’ engagement with each other. Mica said,
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 92

We try to create programming that encourages students to engage with each other and
where they want to be a part of the center, where connecting to the center is about the
space but it is mostly about connecting to each other.
Jessie agreed and said engaging student veterans in their own space was of value, although
encouraging engagement elsewhere was also important:
It is important for [students] to have a place to make their own, but it’s also a safe space
where they could talk to other veterans, where they can be themselves. Once they have
that foundation, I feel that they are ready now to go and step out and explore what else
there is on campus, but it starts with having a place to call their own and more staff to
support them.
Lastly, Sawyer reflected about student engagement, having a place of connection and staff to
facilitate the space:
It’s important to have a safe place that’s comfortable, you know, it’s kind of their spot,
that’s always available throughout the day that is very inclusive, where students can
gather and find the help they need, almost like a home away from home.
A caring and strengths-based paradigm. Study participants shared it was important to
genuinely care about their students and come from a position of believing in their strengths and
ability to do well. Morgan stated, “I think we give a lot. We make sure that the students have
what they need, really caring about them.” Avery, shared a similar sentiment: “There’s a
commitment to helping them, checking in on the ones that need a little extra care, going the extra
mile that makes the difference.” Jordan said, “It’s about genuinely caring about the students,
understanding who they are and what they need to be successful and then caring enough to do
the work.” Regarding student veterans’ strengths, Mica communicated, “so many people think of
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 93

veterans as damaged, but we see their strengths and all the experience they bring to their
education.” Payton added,
So, we always talk about “how do we move away from the broken student veteran and
focus on their strengths, their assets?” We are developing the student veteran and not
looking at them as broken, but as successful veterans who has certain skills that they can
focus on and magnify.
Student stories: evidence of effective practice. When asked about how participants
knew they were being effective in their role, student engagement was the most common measure
that was cited. Every participant had a story that involved engaging students and signified how
they successfully helped a student. Many of them stated there were too many stories to count.
Rory shared about at time when he facilitated a group for individuals exploring their career
goals. In the process, the youngest of the group realized he did not have to follow the academic
path he had assumed was the best path forward. Rory said, “He was able to focus on what was
really his passion and what was really something he wanted to do. He ended up changing his
whole plan, and it changed him dramatically.” Skylar remembered a student who faced
significant challenges. Some of the challenges were military related and others were not:
childhood experiences, depression, and PTSD. Skylar said,
Everything that you know we say all veterans have, he’s that guy, he’s got them, and he
came by them honestly, the guy really went through some stuff, and he’s just an amazing
human being. [When thanked for what I had done], I really hadn’t done anything for him
except have conversations with him every once in a while, but when he’s resolved the
things that can be resolved and interacts with the things that can’t in a positive way, his
energy and his life are going to be really spent well.
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 94

In addition, all participants had a story about a time when they were not able to help a student in
the way they wished they could. They are stories that involved institutional barriers, professional
limitations, student’s conscious and unconscious choice, and instances that were beyond
anyone’s control that influenced the outcomes. Skylar shared this about one of their students who
had a multitude of issues and although they had worked with the student, the situation was not
improving:
This guy, he’s a challenge to work with, and I just don’t know if he is going to be
successful. He’s been re-triggered for all kinds of other stuff, and it’s just not going away,
and he’s going to push everyone’s buttons, and people are going to push back, and this
system is bigger than he is, so that’s going to be a challenge.
Jessie reflected on a story about one of their students:
I didn’t learn until later on he had significant cognitive issues. I didn’t know that. I
thought, when I met him, he was just going through some readjustment stuff. I thought I
could work with him, but I couldn’t. I tried getting him plugged in, but his condition
continued to deteriorate, and he never did graduate.
When Jordan considered a time when he was not able to help a student, they said, “I take it
personally, because I wish I could have done something more. I try, but sometimes there are
limits to what I can do.”
Organizational learning theory added the final segment of this study’s conceptual
framework to summarize how study participants created a community of practice. This theory
involves how knowledge is acquired, the process the organization uses to distribute information,
how they interpret information, and organizational memory (Huber, 1991). Kim (1998) stated
that individual knowledge is eventually transferred to collective knowledge:
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 95

In the early stages of an organization’s existence, organizational leaning is often
synonymous with individual learning because the organization consists of a small group
of people and has minimal structure. As an organization grows, however, a distinction
between individual an organizational learning emerges, and a system for capturing the
learning of its individual members evolves. (p. 6)
Kim’s (1998) assertion that individual learning has a role in organizational learning was reflected
in what the participants of this study shared about the opportunities they had to transfer their
learning to the collective knowledge of the study site and to the greater field at large.
Furthermore, what is central to the conceptual frameworks used in this study is the notion that
learning and the creating of a set of practices is the result of shared learning and congruent with
this study’s overarching theme of the value of relationships and being in connection to others.
Theme 6: Relationship Building Brings Value
The value of relationship building with students, colleagues, or community members was
found in every participant’s narrative and appeared in every emergent theme. Participants’
experience, knowledge, skills, disposition, core competencies, and the creating of a community
of practice was reported to be, in part, an interpersonal process. When Skylar was asked what
informs their practice, they said,
Being a veteran helps. In fact, sometimes being a veteran helps more than I think it helps.
I think I have a sense of the student population that I couldn’t have gotten any other way,
but that helped me not a bit when it came to what we do. I really had to learn from others.
Mica shared, “The support that’s given to students, how connected the students are, it starts with
building a relationship with them.” Taylor also remarked, “It takes from you emotionally,
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 96

spiritually, and physically, too, but having those great moments is what pays. There are a lot of
stories when we say we are here for you.
Conclusion
This study sought to explore the experience, knowledge, skills, and dispositions of
student affairs educators who serve student veterans and how they might influence practice and,
ultimately, the success of the students they serve. Six themes emerged as a result of the
interviews: (a) participants professionalizing student veteran support, (b) multiple sources of
learning needed, (c) interpersonal and technical skills necessary to be effective, (d) aligning
attitudes, beliefs and values with core competencies, (e) creating a community of practice, and an
overarching theme (f) relationship building brings value. Participants’ paths to serving student
veterans as a profession were varied. Many of them built the programs where they continued to
work, some were a result of a work-study or internship opportunity, and, for others, the pathway
was a matter of a direct hire. Most participants did not believe they were prepared for their job
but gained their knowledge and skills through a combination of research, workshops and
conferences, and through relationships with colleagues and students. A community of practice
developed over the years as participants shared and continued to share their experience and their
learning. The value of relationship building, being in connection with others, was an overarching
theme that could be found in every participants’ contribution to this study. In the next chapter,
the researcher discusses how the data answers the research questions, connects to prior research,
and reveals an unintended finding, implications for practice, and the opportunity for future
research.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 97

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This qualitative study examined the experiences, knowledge, skills, and dispositions of
student affairs educators who serve student veterans and how these characteristics may influence
their practice and the community of practice in the field at large. The study also sought to
understand how this community of practice may contribute to the academic success of student
veterans.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a discussion regarding the six themes that
emerged from this study: (a) participants professionalizing student veteran support, (b) multiple
sources of learning needed, (c) interpersonal and technical skills necessary to be effective, (d)
aligning attitudes, beliefs and values with core competencies, (e) creating a community of
practice, and an overarching theme (f) relationship building brings value. The discussion also
includes how these themes answered the study’s research questions:
1. Has the experience of working with student veterans influenced the practice of student
affairs educators? If yes, how?
2. Do the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student affairs educators who serve student
veterans influence their practice? If yes, how?
3. Does the practice of student affairs educators who serve student veterans inform the
larger community of practitioners and contribute to the goal of supporting the academic
success of these students? If yes how?
This chapter also addresses the issues outlined in Chapter One and connect the study findings to
the existing literature presented in Chapter Two. Implications for practice and opportunities for
future research are also presented.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 98

Discussion
As previously stated, although the body of literature regarding student veterans is
growing, the research lacks depth. The research is mostly focused on the student veteran
experience and not much is known about the student affairs educators whose job it is to support
them. The absence of this research reflects a broader paradigm in higher education where
educators are rarely the focus of examination and the responsibility for student success is placed
solely on the student (Bensimon, 2007). The paradigm supposes students’ success or failure is a
result of their efforts and the advantages or risks they bring to their educational endeavors. This
study’s assumption is that student affairs educators play a vital role in student learning and
development that can also be found in NASPA and ACPA’s (1996) Learning Imperative:
Implications for Student Affairs:
the key to enhancing learning and personal development is not simply for faculty to teach
more and better, but also to create conditions that motivate and inspire students to devote
time and energy to educationally-purposeful activities, both in and out of the classroom.
(p. 118).
Therefore, this study’s intention was to investigate student affairs educators’ experience,
knowledge, skills and dispositions and if these characteristics influenced their practice and the
creating of a community of practice that was effective in supporting student veteran success.
Interpretation of the Findings
The interpretation of the findings is presented using the emergent themes, current
research and literature, and the study’s conceptual framework. The emergent themes were
closely connected and overlapped in a complex narrative of the participants’ responses. It
became apparent the study would not result in a linear depiction of findings, but, rather, in a
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 99

circular representation of the interconnectedness of the participants’ experience, knowledge,
skills, and dispositions with every subsequent theme that emerged (Figure 3). Every emergent
theme was also connected the others and linked to an overarching theme related to relationship
building with students, colleagues, and the community.

Figure 3. A model of the connecting characteristics of a community of practice. Student affairs
educators’ experience, knowledge, skills, and dispositions are central and can be translated into a
set of core competencies. These core competencies are the basis for many of the practices that
have been shared within the community of student affairs educators. Student success is a
combined effort of the students and the educator. Overall, these complex connections occur in
relationship to others: students, colleagues, and community members.

Relationship
Building
Student Success
Community of
Practice
Core
Competencies
Student Affairs
Educator
Experience,
Knowledge,
Skills,
Disposition
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 100

Student Affairs E d u c ator s’ Experiences Influence Practice
The first theme, participants professionalizing student veteran support, emerged as
participants considered their experience working with student veterans. They explained working
with students provided the opportunity to learn about them, provided insight into the students’
transition to college experience, and revealed what students needed to be successful. Participants
initially shared their personal stories of having served in the military or being connected to
family members who had served in the military. These personal stories served as a foundation for
their work. They described serving veterans as a calling, a passion, a sense of duty, which was
clear in the interviews, in the language the participants used, and in their emotional connection to
the work. Serving veterans in education was more than a job or a career; it was personal. Serving
student veterans was a way to give back, a way to show appreciation, and a way to connect with
a community that had given so much to serve their country.
Twelve out of 13 participants shared that interacting with student veterans was a vital part
of how they learned about these students’ individual and collective experience. Participants
articulated that this learning was the basis for how they developed their practice through a
process of trial and error, but they strived to be responsive to the needs of the students as they
understood them. This was especially true in the early years when educators were recognizing
the growing need to provide programs and support services. The study’s findings regarding
participants’ experience and knowledge were reflected in the lessons they learned and
demonstrated in corresponding practice:
• student veterans are individuals with unique backgrounds that influence their academic
experience,
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• student veterans share a common set of military experiences that can also influence their
academic experience,
• students seek out engagement with student affairs educators,
• there is value in student affairs educators engaging students,
• students seek out engagement with their peers,
• student affairs educators can facilitate peer-to-peer engagement,
• being in partnership with student veterans as they strive to be successful in college can
have a positive result,
• this partnership can be actively facilitated by the student affairs educators at all
professional levels or can be effective by making referrals to campus and outside
resources,
• one of the goals for student affairs educators is to help student veterans integrate into the
larger campus community,
• not all student veterans will be successful due to, many times, institutional barriers,
professional limitations, student’s conscious and unconscious choice, and instances that
were beyond anyone’s control,
• interacting with students from genuine place of care mattered,
• seeing student veterans from a lens of their strengths, also mattered,
• being aware of the myths that are perpetuated about student veterans is necessary to
effectively support them as individuals with individual stories, and
• building relationships from a place of empathy and integrity was vital in the service of
student veterans.
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Rory captured how educators relied on their learning to inform their practice in years past
and offered this advice, “Just listen, you know. Talk to students and listen to their experience and
then design your program and events around those experiences.” Accordingly, the answer to the
first research question and, in part, to the second research question is, yes, student affairs
educators’ experience and knowledge influences their practice by informing them of the
population they are striving to serve.
Student Affairs Knowledge, Skills, and Disposition Influence Practice
The second research question examined the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student
affairs educators and how these characteristics might influence their practice. The question was
largely based on Bensimon’s (2007) assertion that there is a “lack of scholarly and practical
attention toward understanding how the practitioner – her knowledge, beliefs,
experiences…affects how students experience their education” (p. 444). Since educators’
knowledge was a significant part of the answer to the first research question, participants’ skills
and dispositions are the focus of this section. The study’s findings that emerged in the third and
fourth theme are represented here. Communication skills, empathy, and leadership and
management skills are the skills participants cited as being necessary to their effectiveness. How
skills are developed was also an important part of the study findings. Participants’ disposition,
their attitude, and most salient beliefs and values are also reviewed. It is concluded that
educators’ dispositions are inextricably connected to their practice.
Leadership and management skills. Of those who mentioned leadership and
management skills, three out of the four participants held senior-level positions. Participants
defined leadership as being visionary and management as being goal-oriented, upward and
outward facing, and responsible for the daily operations of the centers they lead. Upward and
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outward facing was a term used to describe the role of representing and communicating the
department’s vision and goals to campus administration, community members, and developing
relationships with people in positions of power. However, participants mentioned being inward
facing was also necessary to support staff’s ability to do their job and necessary to students who
needed and wanted the participants’ consideration. Participants conveyed the value of taking care
of their staff. They spoke of this care in terms of providing mentoring and encouraging their
personal and professional growth. Skylar said,
You know, our people are important. Nothing else matters. In the Marine Corps, they
always tell you over and over again it’s your mission and then your men. What I have
found is, if you take care of the men, they will take care of the mission.
In other words, if those who hold senior-level positions take care of their staff, the staff have
what they need to take care of the students. Existing research supports the idea that quality
supervision matters to new and mid-level staff. According to Taub and McEwen (2006), one of
the reasons student affairs educators enter and stay in the profession is for the opportunity to
work in a caring environment. Additionally, Tull (2006) found, “that the quality of supervision”
mattered to student affairs educators and could be a reason why they thrive in their roles (p. 474).
This study also found that having access to senior-level educators was important to
student veterans. Senior-level participants shared multiple stories of times students sought them
for guidance and support. Therefore, although the role of senior-level educators may require
them to spend much of their time facing upward and outward, finding time and making the effort
to face inward is imperative to their work.
Communication and empathy. Communication and empathy are the skills participants
reported most often as necessary to be effective in their role. Communication skills included the
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ability to accurately relay information, successfully interact with colleagues and community
members, offer direct support to student veterans, and provide appropriate referrals and
resources. The ability to communicate was fundamental to every participants’ role and
responsibilities and was underscored by values of honesty, trust, integrity, and empathy.
Here, empathy was defined by participants as a skill. When asked to further define
empathy, participants spoke of the willingness to understand the student veteran from the
students’ perspective. Participants also shared that empathy was an action, a demonstration of
their willingness and ability to assist the student based on the students’ experience and needs.
Participants used words to describe their empathic practice as being student-centered or veteran-
centered and participating in active listening. These terms represent a position where the primary
guide to determining the best course of action is from the students’ point of view.
Empathy is defined by Rogers (1959) as the ability to understand someone’s internal
frame of reference. Empathy is also defined as “the action of understanding, being aware of,
being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of
another” (Webster’s Dictionary online, n.d.). Therefore, empathy can be described as a cognitive,
affective, and behavioral ability; it is not just a way of thinking or a personal value, but an action
that requires skill to demonstrate effectively. Empathy was reported to be a daily practice and
crucial to the foundation of effective practice.
P ar tic ip an ts’ beliefs. Participants’ beliefs manifested as a way they see students. They
believed students were both a unique population and like many other non-traditional students.
Participants stressed the importance of understanding how students’ military experience
influences their educational efforts while recognizing they may have other experiences that
impact them, seeing the student as a whole person. Also, participants stated persistent myths and
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stereotypes can get in the way of effective practice and emphasized how important it is to be
aware of how these stereotypes and bias can impact practice. This notion is echoed in the
research on student veterans which suggests that they are both a population that shares a unique
experience and considered a diverse student group. Vaccaro (2015) found that although, these
students had similar military experiences, their experiences were also unique, and that these
differences were important for educators to consider, as they endeavored to serve them
effectively. Additionally, Vacchi (2012) argued that some researchers perpetuate stereotypes by
focusing only on the challenges veterans face and that educators should be cautious to not
parallel their practice based on these stereotypes. Hassan et al. (2010) proposed educators
shift from a singular focus on pathology, problems, and shortcomings to a more holistic
view addressing collective strengths, we encourage institutions of higher education to
acknowledge the positive aspect of veteran students’ human experiences and strengths
while highlighting veteran students’ internal resolve to achieve their potential. (p. 31)
P ar tic ip an ts’ values. Most participants said that empathy was a value they held.
Participants at each position level stated that meeting students from the point of their experience
was important to their role. The value of empathy underscored the participants’ interactions with
students and informed how they strategized and demonstrated their support. When participants
engaged empathy as a value, it allowed them to see students in the moment, to be with them in
their experience, and be more sensitive to their individual needs. This finding aligns with
existing research on the value of empathy to educators’ practice. Burkard et al. (2005) stated that
chief student affairs officers reported that empathy was an essential skill for student affairs
educators, and Reynolds (2011) purported that empathy was “one of the most important helping
skills when working with students” (p. 364).
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Integrity also emerged as critical to the work of student affairs educators. Participants
used words to describe integrity such as honesty and trustworthiness. Integrity was not just a
value that was held but a value that was lived out in their daily interactions with students.
Participants also spoke of integrity as foundational to their work, understanding the profound
need for student veterans to be able to trust the educator in a variety of circumstances. Being
honest and trustworthy is how and why educators are able to establish relationships, is the basis
for further student engagement, and participants reported, if integrity was missing, it could
damage student’s feelings of connection and negatively affect their access to support. The weight
of this interpersonal dynamic is found in the research and must first be understood within the
context of military experience. DiRamio and Jarvis (2011) and Wheeler (2012) asserted that the
trust between their fellow marines, soldiers, sailors, airmen, or guardians is unique to these
relationships that are established during their military service. It is a trust that is based on their
willingness to sacrifice their lives for each other: the ultimate measure of integrity. With this in
mind, it is easy to see how valuable integrity is to effective practice and how detrimental it can
be to the success of student veterans. If veterans do not trust the educator who is in the position
to support them, their sense of connection, access to important resources, and their ability to
build relationships may be impacted. Participants’ beliefs about student veterans and their
personal values were consistent with the core competencies they identified as their strengths.
Participants ’ beliefs and values aligned with their core competencies. ACPA’s and
NASPA’s core competencies were used as a framework to discuss participants’ professional
competencies (NASPA, n.d.b). The three most common competencies are discussed. Twelve
participants stated ethical and personal foundations were a strength. Ethical and personal
foundations are
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the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to develop and maintain integrity in one’s life and
work; this includes thoughtful development, critique, and adherence to a holistic and
comprehensive standard of ethics and commitment to one’s own wellness and growth.
Personal and ethical foundations are aligned because integrity has an internal locus
informed by a combination of external guidelines, and internal voice of care, and our own
lived experiences. Our personal and ethical foundations grow through a process of
curiosity, reflection, and self-authorship (p. 14).
When applied to practice, this core competency mirrors the participants’ stated beliefs and values
of personal integrity, understanding the individual from a holistic perspective, and sense of
caring. The literature supports these beliefs and values as an important part of the educator’s
practice. Lovell and Kosten (2000, as cited in Carpenter & Stimpson, 2007) identified personal
integrity as a necessary trait for educators to be successful Also, The Student Learning
Imperative: Implications for Student Affairs emphasized a holistic view of students as an
appropriate approach to student affairs practice (ACPA, 1996). Wolf-Wendel and Ruel (1999)
supported this assertion when they stated, “one of the major purposes of American higher
education is to develop the whole person” (p. 35).
The voice of care and reflective practice was also found as part of this study findings and
was an integral part of the community of practice theme. Participants related that caring
genuinely about students was an important part of their motivation to serve them, as Avery said,
“It’s important to go the extra mile, it’s how I show my students that I really care about them.”
Qualities of reflective practice are also found in the literature on community of practice, “the
learning process [is] a form of collective meaning making—of interpreting, acting, and reflecting
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 108

on action” (as cited in Merriam, 2004, p. 211). More of this research will be presented in the
discussion on community of practice.
Social justice was the second most common competency participants mentioned as a
strength. Seven participants said serving student veterans was a matter of social justice. Social
justice is defined as
Both a process and a goal which includes the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed
to create learning environments that foster equitable participation of all groups while
seeking to address and acknowledge issues of oppression, privilege, and power. This
competency involves student affairs educators who have a sense of their own agency and
social responsibility that include others, their community, and the larger global context.
Student affairs educators may incorporate social justice and inclusion competencies into
their practice through seeking to meet the needs of all groups, equitably distributing
resources, raising social consciousness, and repairing past and current harms on campus
communities (NASPA, n.d.b, p. 14).
This competency was evident in the study’s findings when participants described ongoing efforts
to create engaging centers, environments for learning, spaces that are inclusive, centers that had
adequate staffing, appropriate resources, and the need to raise awareness about the student
veteran population on campus and in the community.
Six participants identified student learning and development as a core competency they
possess. Student learning “addresses the concepts and principles of student development and
learning theory. This includes the ability to apply theory to improve and inform student affairs
and teaching practice” (NASPA, n.d.b, p. 14). This competency speaks to the partnership among
students, faculty, and student affairs educators that is encouraged by NASPA and the ACPA in
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their 2004 article Learning Reconsidered: A Campus-wide Focus on the Student Experience.
This publication stressed that colleges and universities need to integrate faculty and student
affairs educators’ efforts to ensure students’ academic outcomes. It is a shared responsibility that
brings to bear multiple theories of learning and motivation, student development, and student
engagement. Skylar communicated a similar sentiment,
I think student affairs is often mislabeled as the fun place on campus, and, while we are
that, we are a support network for students, and we do that in a lot of ways that are quite
serious and not always fun. The truth of the matter is we do really serious work here. Our
job is to support the academic mission of the university. We help a lot in those areas. It’s
also my role to make sure that our faculty colleagues understand that it’s not all fun and
games over here and that we’re dealing with some really serious stuff. They need to have
a better understanding of what it is that we do, so they can recognize the support we give
them and the students.
It is worth repeating that, although the participants could identify their strongest core
competencies or areas that needed improvement during the interview, only one participant was
familiar with the professional competencies. This may have implications to practice and affect
senior-level educators’ ability to provide meaningful supervision to new and mid-level educators
in need of professional development in these areas. As previously stated, many student affairs
educators are expected to master these competencies as they become more established in their
roles (Renn & Jessup-Anger, 2008). If they are not even aware of these competencies, then
mastering them and supporting the development of them in others may be a challenge.
Attending conferences or workshops where these competencies are highlighted might
provide the necessary exposure to these competencies new and mid-level educators need;
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however, participants in this study reported that attending professional conferences and
workshops were not afforded to all staff members. Consequently, many educators may not ever
have the opportunity to learn about these professional competencies. Some educators may learn
about these professional competencies while attending a master’s program that include these
competencies as part of their curriculum. Master’s programs are wise to teach competency
theory, but it has been noted as important to also teach how to apply these competencies when
working with diverse student populations. Nevertheless, the core competencies the participants
in this study identified as their strengths pointed to the third research question and mirrors the
fifth theme: how individual practice may influence the larger community of practitioners and
contributes to student veterans’ academic success.
Individual practice contributes to academic success. The community of practice that
has developed among the participants is a result of individual learning that has been shared
among the participants over the years. Participants told stories of visiting each other’s campuses,
calling each other on the phone, and emailing each other, as ways they shared their knowledge
and evolving practice. Their learning has expanded to the establishment of local and regional
consortia that are now venues for educators to share their ongoing learning, new ideas, and
portfolio of practices. Current monthly conference calls facilitated by the site’s director and
annual professional development conferences organized by the regional university system were
named as essential opportunities to share practices with the larger community of practitioners.
Participants communicated processes and programming strategies, challenges and success
stories, and their developed set of essential practices they believe are necessary to support
student veteran success.
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Among the study’s participants, practice was not only defined as effective or necessary
programs, events, and services but also as a way of practicing. Participants shared best practices
such as having a student lounge, veteran specific orientations, peer mentoring programs, career
development programs, and offering resources and referrals. Yet, participants mostly spoke
about the value of student engagement: the how, the way and manner educators should practice.
Participants expressed the necessity of being accessible for students to engage them, being
willing to engage students themselves, and facilitating student engagement with their peers, as
the most valuable practice. Participants’ attitudes, beliefs, and values underscored how they
engaged students and became evident as they shared stories of their interactions with students.
Participants shared stories of going above and beyond their job descriptions and their
willingness to do transformative work. Part of this transformative work was demonstrating a
strengths-based perspective as they engaged the student. Participants conveyed their belief that
student veterans come to their education with remarkable set of experiences, strengths, and assets
and believed that engaging student veterans at this point of strength was useful for their success.
This attitude aligns with Hassan et al. (2010) and Church (2009) who proposed the value of
considering student veterans’ strengths and resiliency when striving to support their academic
success.
Participants’ accounts of occasions they successfully supported students was evidence of
successful practice and reflective of transformative efforts. Stories emerged of participants
assisting students in profound ways. Participants worked with students over years, listening to
their struggles and celebrating their successes, advocating for them, mentoring them to advocate
for themselves, finding ways for students to be successful when students could not see a path
forward, and providing opportunity for meaningful careers, which are all examples of their
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contributions to student success. When participants were not able to assist students the way they
wished they could, it was not because of a lack of effort. Institutional barriers, professional
limitations, students’ conscious and unconscious choice, and circumstances beyond anyone’s
control were reasons students were not academically successful. Participants shared these stories
with a remarkable amount of humility and a desire to find a way to effect change that could make
it better for the next student. Participants recognize they cannot do this work alone and rely on
the relationships they have with each other to discuss ways to improve and advance their
practice.
Being in Connection with Others
The value of building relationships was a theme that connected every emergent theme in
this study. The value of relationships was found in how student affairs educators came to the
profession, as participants shared their experience in connection to military service and family
members who have served in the military. Student affairs educators’ knowledge, skills, and
dispositions were intricately connected to the how and why participants built relationships with
their students and their colleagues. Finally, creating a community of practice was a result of the
relationships student affairs educators built with their students and colleagues.
These relationships were forged with intention and the knowing that they needed each
other to understand this new population they were striving to serve, especially in the early years
of program and service development. Yet, participants stated they still valued being in
connection with others. These relationships reminded them of why they were in this profession,
motivated them to continue to do the work, provided the support they needed when they faced
challenges, and encouraged new ideas and the inspiration to contribute to their students’
academic success.
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An Unintended Finding
An unintended finding was the distinct experience of civilian participants and how they
are perceived by students. Seven participants mentioned the value of having military service
when serving this population or the challenges it can create if an educator does not have military
experience. Mica shared,
I definitely came in here thinking, who I am to help veterans? Because I am not a veteran.
I was really insecure about that, so it was definitely important to learn that, even though I
am not a veteran, I can help. It is a constant challenge. I have to tell myself I am fit for
this job. It does create barriers, creating relationships with community members and even
with students. I mean, there are students who just believe that someone who hasn’t
experienced what they have can’t really help them.
Payton said,
I’ve been told, “You’re not a veteran, what do you know? So, it’s difficult when you are
trying to help a student who doesn’t want to listen to you. I think they are looking for
connection with professional staff, and I think it’s because I don’t have that specific trait,
they kind of question, “Are you really here to help me?”
Skylar reflected on a time when they had hired a student who served in the Marine Corps:
He said, “I just can’t wait to work for a Marine again,” and I was, like, well listen, buddy,
I don’t really run the place like the Marine Corps, but he said, “It doesn’t matter. Just
knowing is good enough for me.”
Seven participants were civilians, which is slightly more than half of the total sample. Yet, there
was no apparent difference in their commitment to the veteran community, their efforts to learn
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about who their students are and the best way to serve them, and their wanting to be effective in
their practice.
Implications for Practice
This study revealed several implications for practice that can be categorized as
recommendations for educators, administrators, and policy makers. Understanding the student
affairs educators’ experience, knowledge, skills, and dispositions and how their community of
practice is created and connected to student success is vital in a rapidly changing political, social,
and educational environment. Therefore, the contribution of this study is timely, as the
profession of student affairs continues to evolve with the changing demographics and needs of
students and as the role of the affairs educators becomes more pivotal in higher education
(Carpenter & Stimpson, 2007; J. Hoffman, personal communication, January 3, 2018).
Implication 1: It is imperative for student affairs educators in all levels of their
profession make time to engage students, be available for students to engage them, and to
facilitate engagement among student veteran peers. Educators need to set aside time in their
schedule to spend time with students, to learn about who they are, listen to their stories, and
inquire about their goals. Holding office hours or having an open-door policy are ways educators
can ensure they make time to meet with students. Initiating engagement in student spaces, at
events, and designing programs around engaging educators are ways educators can reach out to
students.
Also, educators need to advocate for and establish centers for student veterans to connect
with each other. However, it is not having space alone that encourages connection, as educators
must facilitate connection and engagement. Peer connection can also happen in other spaces and
at campus-wide events that helps facilitate more complete social integration. Still, educators can
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 115

be key to student veterans finding their way to other places to engage their peers. This
proposition supports existing research on the value of peer engagement but expands the notion
that student veterans also personally, academically, and professionally benefit from connection
to the educators who are either responsible for or directly providing the programs and services
that are designed to support student veteran success. It is also critical for educators to connect
with each other, colleagues, and community members. This study’s findings serve as evidence of
the value of building relationships with others who are doing similar work. Associating with
colleagues and community members provide opportunity to share common challenges, solutions,
and effective practices. Finally, as student affairs educators move into senior-level positions and
their roles look more upward and outward, relationship building at this level is equally crucial to
securing policy and resource allocation that is in favor of the support student veterans.
Implication 2: Establishing and maintaining a culture of genuine care for student
veterans is vital to the service of supporting their success. This care involves being student-
centered, taking a strengths-based perspective, believing students are not their stereotypes, that
student veterans are both a part of a unique community and share many common characteristics
with other non-traditional students. This type of care involves making a commitment to
communicate from a place of empathy, integrity, and trust, which is an important part of
relationship building with students. In this study, this concept of care was found necessary to be
effective in practice and matches findings in prior research regarding what student veterans say
they need from educators. This notion is similar to the ethics of care model used by professionals
in other support fields that stresses the importance of modeling caring behavior, engaging in
conversation with students, and paying close attention to what they are experiencing (Shevalier
& McKenzie, 2012).
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Implication 3: This study’s findings support the idea that student affairs educators are an
essential part of student veterans’ personal, academic, and professional success and should be
included in how student veteran success is conceptualized. Participants in this study revealed an
abundance of ways they supported their students from a whole person perspective. Consistent
with recommendations from NASPA and the ACPA’s (1996) Learning Imperative: Implications
for Student Affairs (1996), NASPA and the ACPA’s Learning Reconsidered: A Campus-wide
Focus on the Student Experience (Keeling, 2004), the responsibility of student success must shift
to a shared responsibility among students, faculty, and student affairs educators. That being said,
student affairs educators would do well to be proactive in seeking opportunities to engage faculty
members in their mutual efforts to support students. In addition, this study showed student affairs
educators contributed to their students’ academic success and focused on supporting their
personal and professional success as well. Therefore, student affairs educators can be assured
their efforts are part of a more comprehensive student success goal and are encouraged to
understand their practice from this perspective. Their experience, knowledge, skills, and
dispositions can contribute in significant ways to student success. Veterans’ resource centers and
the educators within them can do this is a multitude of ways from efficiently processing
educational benefits, assisting with institutional processes, advising on coursework, supporting
personal matters, facilitating social and academic integration, strategizing with students toward
their degree attainment, and connecting students to meaningful career opportunities.
Furthermore, Vacchi’s Model of Student Veteran Success that was referred to in Chapter
Three is revised as an implication of this study to demonstrate a more complete picture of the
inter-connectedness of the support that encourages student veteran success (Figure 4). Student
affairs educators are included in this model as an integral part of the support system. This study
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 117

revealed student affairs educators often facilitate the practices that were originally represented in
the model and are both in support of and in connection to faculty’s efforts, in and out of the
classroom.
Implication 4: Administrators at the highest levels of administration in the university and
administrators who are serving in senior-level positions in veterans’ resource centers are
encouraged to understand the high touch nature of the work that is being conducted in the centers
and is proven to be necessary to student veteran success. Participants in this study repeatedly
spoke of their practice as involving interactions with students that took time, genuine care, and
follow-up. Yet, the number of full-time staff within the centers in this study averaged one staff
person to 143 students. It is challenging to serve students with the level of care participants
described as effective with this student to educator ratio. Recent national studies conducted by
NASPA, ACE, and NCES reported that an average of 75% of colleges and universities had at
least one dedicated staff to serve student veterans on their campuses but did not cite specific
educator to student ratios. However, NASPA (2013) stated,
Institutions with at least 100 student veterans, regardless of total student enrollments, are
more likely to have a dedicated office instead of a single staff member to support active
duty and student veterans. A majority of dedicated offices are located within their
institution’s student affairs division, indicating that institutions are appreciating the
unique needs of these student populations, but are embedding supports within general
student support structures. (p. 1)
This report alludes to the need of additional full-time educators within these offices or veterans
resource centers.
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Figure 4. Vacchi’s model of student veteran support, revised. Student affairs educators who
serve student veterans are included in this model as an integral part of the support of student
veterans. Student affairs educators often facilitate the practices that are represented in this model
and are both in support of and in connection to faculty’s efforts, in and out of the classroom.
Adapted from “Student Veterans in Higher Education” by D. T. Vacchi, & Berger, J. B. (2014).
Higher education: Handbook of theory and research (pp. 93-151). Springer Netherlands.

Implication 5: The need for additional training and quality supervision was also apparent
in this study. Administrators need to ensure student affairs educators have the appropriate
training and supervision they need to be effective in their roles. Participants in this study
revealed their need for additional training in counseling and advising skills, program
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development and service delivery, and the ACPA and NASPA’s core competencies, especially in
the areas of student learning and development, assessment, evaluation, and research, and laws,
policy, and governance.
The ability to effectively demonstrate empathy emerged as a necessary practice.
Administrators must ensure those who are serving student veterans directly are proficient in the
practice of empathy. Understanding the student from the perspective of their experience, both as
a veteran and as an individual with various ways of identifying, is needful for effective practice.
Having the skill to create space for students to be vulnerable and honest about what they are
going through and what they need is imperative to offering effective support programs and
services. Being willing to sit with students in their pain and in their joy, in their challenges and in
their accomplishments, is all a part of skillfully supporting student veteran success.
Administrators can provide training and professional development by offering
opportunities to attend local, regional, and national conferences and workshops, facilitating
opportunity for relationship building and sharing of experiences with colleagues and community
members, and by spending time with them focused on areas of learning that the educators state
they need. The study participants clearly stated the value of having supervisors who encouraged
them, provided resources for them, and shared their learning with them. The value of
relationships between new and mid-level educators with their supervisors is reflected in research
as being vital to educators’ professional growth, job satisfaction, and for persisting in the field
(Tull, 2006).
Implication 6: Understandably, issues of budget and federal, state, and university policy
can restrict the hiring of additional staff and limit necessary training and professional
development opportunities for new and mid-level educators. Study participants stated that budget
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constraints were the main reason they were not able to attend conferences and workshops that
would be beneficial to them. It is therefore, incumbent for administrators to review budget and
policy priorities and find a way to provide the necessary training and professional development
for student affairs educators who are in the direct line of service. NASPA and the ACPA (1996)
stated,
The key to enhancing learning and personal development is not simply for faculty to
teach more and better, but also to create conditions that motivate and inspire students to
devote time and energy to educationally-purposeful activities, both in and outside the
classroom. (p. 1)
It is not enough to invest in hiring more faculty members. Hiring additional student affairs
educators is vital to serving student veterans effectively and supporting their success.
Implication 7: As a final implication for policy makers, it is necessary for on-campus
and off-campus policy makers to recognize and implement equitable allocation of resources. The
need for adequate staffing, space, and funding to provide appropriate programs and serviceshas
been established by this study and is supported by existing research (Heineman, 2016; McBain,
et al., 2012; O’Herrin, 2011; Queen et al., 2014). Therefore, when policy makers are making
decisions around resource priority, matters of diversity and inclusion, and return on investment
of resource allocation, they are admonished to reflect on the value of the role of student affairs
educators to the larger goal of student success and support the total effort for all students.
Opportunities for Future Research
There is a need for future research. This study focused on public 4-year universities.
There is much more to be understood about the experience of student affairs educators at the
community college level and in private universities and how their practice may contribute to
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 121

student veterans on their campuses. Community colleges and private universities are more likely
to have veterans who enroll straight from their military service. These veterans who are new in
their transition to civilian and college life may present with a different set of needs and learning
characteristics that might influence the educators’ experience. Research that explores the
experiences of civilian student affairs educators who serve student veterans would be useful to
answer questions regarding whether an educator needs to share the lived experience of the
student population they serve to be effective or whether not sharing the lived experience of
student veterans influences their perception of an educator’s ability to effectively serve them.
There is also a need for further research on the practices that have been established among the
community of student affairs educators and their relationship to student veterans’ personal,
academic, and professional outcomes. To the researcher’s knowledge, no research exists that
connect best or promising practices with student veteran success. Lastly, additional research
examining student affairs educators is necessary as the profession continues to evolve. As our
society continues to become more diverse, educators must be responsive to the unique needs of
all student groups and strive to more clearly understand their role in supporting the achievement
of the students who are in their charge. This study can provide a starting point to examine student
affairs educators’ influence on the student experience from diverse perspectives and how the
partnership among student, faculty, and student affairs educators can be maximized in the effort
to support all students’ success.
Conclusion
Since the implementation of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, policy makers, administrators, and
educators have endeavored to understand the needs of student veterans and develop best
practices to serve them. Still, additional research is needed to more fully understand the student
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 122

veteran experience and what influences their personal, academic, and professional success.
Therefore, it is important to study the experience, knowledge, skills, dispositions, and the
community of practice of student affairs educators to understand how they support student
success.
It was affirmed that study participants’ experience and personal characteristics did
influence their practice and the community of practice within the field at large. Moreover, these
practices contributed to the success of the students they served. The participants’ personal
experience serving in the military or with family members who served in the military played a
role in what they believed about their students, the values they attached to their practice, and the
programs and services they developed. Yet, it was the relationships they built with their students
that appeared to have the most meaning when it came to their learning about who student
veterans are, their experience, their needs, and the most effective ways to support them. At all
points of this study, the value of relationships with students, colleagues and the community were
highlighted. Participants’ experience, knowledge, skills, attitudes, beliefs, values, and the
development of a common set of practices were all linked to their relationship with students and
each other. Furthermore, empathy and integrity were central to this phenomenon and operating
from a genuine place of care was essential.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 123

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APPENDIX A
Recruitment Email Communication
Dear [Name],
My name is Catherine Ward, and I am a doctoral candidate in the Rossier School of
Education at University of Southern California. I am conducting a research study as part of my
dissertation, which examines the experiences, knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student
affairs educators who serve student veterans and how these qualities may influence practice,
individually and collectively. You are cordially invited to participate in the study.
If you are interested in participating in the study, you are asked to complete a brief online
survey that contains 15, yes or no or short answer questions (see survey link below). The online
survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. This survey will assist me in
collecting general descriptive data and determine a purposeful sample of 10-15 study
participants. If you meet the participant criteria for the purposeful sample, I will contact you to
schedule a date and time for your individual interview, preferably at your institution. Each
interview is anticipated to last approximately 60 minutes and may be audio-taped, with your
permission. Participation in this study is completely voluntary and your identity as a participant
will remain confidential at all times during and after the study. If you are selected to participate,
as part of the purposeful sample, a $25 Amazon gift card will be presented to you at the end of
your interview. If you are not selected to participate in the study and you are interested in the
findings, an executive summary of the study’s findings will be made available.
Online survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CSUVETDissertation
If you have questions or would like to participate, please contact me at: wardcl@usc.edu or 562-
822-4065.
Thank you for your consideration,
Catherine Ward
Doctoral Candidate - Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California

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APPENDIX B
Pre-survey Questions
Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability:
1) Name: ____________________________________________________________________
2) Name of institution: __________________________________________________________
3) How many veterans are enrolled in your institution? ________________________________
4) Does your institution have a Veterans Resource Center? _____________________________
5) If different from a Veterans Resource Center, what is the name of the department in which
you work? _________________________________________________________________
6) What division does your department belong? ______________________________________
7) Other than your position, how many positions does your university have that are dedicated to
serve student veterans? _______________________________________________________
8) Job Title or name: ___________________________________________________________
9) How long have you worked in your current position? ________________________________
10) What is the highest level of education you have completed? __________________________
a. If you have a degree, what degree do you hold? ______________________________
11) Military Affiliation: __________________________________________________________
12) Age: ______________________________________________________________________
13) Gender: ____________________________________________________________________
14) Would you be willing to participate in a 60-minute interview as part of this study exploring
the experiences, knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student affairs educators who serve
student veterans? ____________________________________________________
a. If yes, please provide your contact information below

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 138

APPENDIX C
Friendly Reminder – Recruitment Email Communication
Dear [Name],
My name is Catherine Ward, and I am a doctoral candidate in the Rossier School of
Education at University of Southern California. This is a friendly reminder that I am conducting
a research study as part of my dissertation, which examines the experiences, knowledge, skills,
and dispositions of student affairs educators who serve student veterans and how these qualities
may influence practice, individually and collectively. You are cordially invited to participate in
the study.
If you are interested in participating in the study, you are asked to complete a brief online
survey that contains 14 yes or no or short answer questions (see survey link below). The online
survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. This survey will assist me in
collecting general descriptive data and determine a purposeful sample of 10-15 study
participants. If you meet the participant criteria for the purposeful sample, I will contact you to
schedule a date and time for your individual interview, preferably at your institution. Each
interview is anticipated to last approximately 60 minutes and may be audio-taped, with your
permission. Participation in this study is completely voluntary and your identity as a participant
will remain confidential at all times during and after the study. If you are selected to participate
as part of the purposeful sample, a $25 Amazon gift card will be presented to you at the end of
your interview. If you are not selected to participate in the study and you are interested in the
findings, an executive summary of the study’s findings will be made available.
Survey link: Surveymonkey.com
If you have questions or would like to participate, please contact me at: wardcl@usc.edu or 562-
822-4065.
Thank you for your consideration,
Catherine Ward
Doctoral Candidate - Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 139

APPENDIX D
Request to Participate Email Communication
Dear [Name],
Thank you for participating in the pre-survey and being willing to participate in my study
examining the experiences, knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student affairs educators who
serve student veterans and how these qualities may influence individual and collective practice. I
will be calling you within the week to set up a day, time, and location to conduct the interview at
your convenience. As a reminder, each interview is anticipated to last approximately 60 minutes
and may be audio-taped, with your permission. Participation in this study is completely
voluntary and your identity as a participant will remain confidential at all times during and after
the study.
A reminder, you will receive a $25 Amazon gift card for participating in this study.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at: wardcl@usc.edu
or 562-822-4065.
Thank you again for your willingness to participate in this study.

I look forward to speaking with you soon,
Catherine Ward
Doctoral Candidate - Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 140

APPENDIX E
Thank you for Your Interest Email Communication
Dear [Name],
Thank you for participating in the pre-survey and being willing to participate in my study
examining the experiences, knowledge, skills, and dispositions of student affairs educators who
serve student veterans and how these qualities may influence individual and collective practice.
The information you provided in the survey will be of tremendous value, as I seek to understand
the make-up of the educators who serve student veterans in the CSU system as part of the study.
Because this study will use a relatively small purposeful sample with specific participant criteria
and because (fill in the specific reason they did not meet the eligibility criteria), you were not
selected to participate in the study. However, please accept my sincerest gratitude for filling out
the survey, and for your time and effort. I am hopeful this study will yield useful findings for all
of us who serve student veterans on our campus.

Respectfully,
Catherine Ward
Doctoral Candidate - Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 141

APPENDIX F
Information Sheet
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
3470 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089-4033

INFORMATION/FACTS SHEET FOR EXEMPT NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH

STUDENT AFFAIRS EDUCATORS WHO SERVE STUDENT VETERANS:
EXAMINING THEIR EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND DISPOSITION
AND HOW THESE QUALITIES MAY INFLUENCE PRACTICE

You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by Catherine Ward under the
supervision of Dr. Tracy Tambascia, at the University of Southern California. Research studies
include only people who voluntarily choose to take part. This document explains information about
this study. You should ask questions about anything that is unclear to you.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
Currently, little is known about student affairs educators who serve student veterans and the
community of practice that has developed since the implementation of the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
Therefore, this research study aims to understand the experiences of student affairs educators who
serve student veterans, to examine their knowledge, skills, and dispositions and how these qualities
may influence individual and collective practice. The research findings may highlight the need for
additional research, support recommendations for professional development and best practices,
and may influence institutional, state, and federal policy in support of the academic achievement
of student veterans.

PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to participate in a 60-minute audio-
recorded interview that will include a request of a written account of an artifact or interaction (and
its meaning for you) that you believe would be useful in understanding your experience as a student
affairs educator who serve student veterans. You do not have to answer any questions you do not
want to answer and can decline to be recorded. Handwritten notes will be taken in this case. If
recording has been initiated, you will be able to stop being recorded at any time.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
You will receive $25 Amazon gift card for your time. You do not have to answer all the questions
to receive the gift card. The gift card will be given to you at the conclusion of the interview.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Any identifiable information obtained in connection with this study will remain confidential. Data
saved on the researcher’s computer will be password protected and any hard-copy data will be
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 142

shredded after the study has been completed. Your responses will be coded with a false name
(pseudonym) and maintained separately. You have the right to review the audio recording and
transcripts of your interview. The audio-tapes will be destroyed once they have been transcribed
and the interview transcriptions will be shredded once the study is completed.

The members of the research team, and the University of Southern California’s Human Subjects
Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews and monitors research studies
to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.

When the results of the research are published, or discussed in conferences, no identifiable
information will be used.

INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about the research study, please contact the following
Catherine Ward at wardcl@usc.edu or phone at 562-822-4065 or Faculty
Advisor Dr. Tracy Tambascia at tpoon@rossier.usc.edu or (213) 740-9747.

IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
University Park Institutional Review Board (UPIRB), 3720 South Flower Street #301, Los
Angeles, CA 90089-0702, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 143

APPENDIX G
The ACPA and NASPA’s Core Competencies Overview
Competency Area Description Professional Development
Personal and Ethical
Foundations
(PEF)
Involves the knowledge, skills, and
dispositions to develop and
maintain integrity in one’s life and
work; this includes thoughtful
development, critique, and
adherence to a holistic and
comprehensive standard of ethics
and commitment to one’s own
wellness and growth. Personal and
ethical foundations are aligned
because integrity has an internal
locus informed by a combination of
external ethical guidelines, an
internal voice of care, and our own
lived experiences. Our personal and
ethical foundations grow through a
process of curiosity, reflection, and
self-authorship.
Foundational outcomes
emphasize awareness and
understanding of one’s
values and beliefs, especially
as related to professional
codes of ethics and principles
for personal wellness.
Professional development to
advanced level proficiency
involves higher order
critique and self-awareness,
applications to healthy living
and professional practice,
and modeling, mentoring,
and facilitating the same
among others.

Values, Philosophy,
and History
(VPH)
Involves knowledge, skills, and
dispositions that connect the
history, philosophy, and values of
the student affairs profession to
one’s current professional practice.
This competency area embodies the
foundations of the profession from
which current and future research,
scholarship, and practice will
change and grow. The commitment
to demonstrating this competency
area ensures that our present and
future practices are informed by an
understanding of the profession’s
history, philosophy, and values.
Progression from
foundational to advanced
level proficiency for this
competency area largely
involves movement from
basic understanding of VPH
to a more critical
understanding of VPH as
applied in practice and then
to the use and critical
application of VPH in
practice.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 144

Assessment,
Evaluation, and
Research
(AER)
Focuses on the ability to design,
conduct, critique, and use various
AER methodologies and the results
obtained from them, to utilize AER
processes and their results to inform
practice, and to shape the political
and ethical climate surrounding
AER processes and uses in higher
education.

Professional growth in this
competency area is broadly
marked by shifts from
understanding to application,
and then from smaller scale
applications focused on
singular programs or studies
to larger scale applications
that cut across departments
or divisions. Many advanced
level outcomes involve the
leadership of AER efforts.

Law, Policy, and
Governance
(LPG)
Includes the knowledge, skills, and
dispositions relating to policy
development processes used in
various contexts, the application of
legal constructs, compliance/policy
issues, and the understanding of
governance structures and their
impact on one’s professional
practice.

Progression from
foundational to advanced
level proficiency reflects
shifts from understanding to
critical applications enacted
primarily at the departmental
level to institutional level
applications that are mindful
of regional, national, and
international contexts.

Organizational and
Human Resources
(OHR)
Includes knowledge, skills, and
dispositions used in the
management of institutional human
capital, financial, and physical
resources. This competency area
recognizes that student affairs
professionals bring personal
strengths and grow as managers
through challenging themselves to
build new skills in the selection,
supervision, motivation, and formal
evaluation of staff; resolution of
conflict; management of the politics
of organizational discourse; and the
effective application of strategies
and techniques associated with
financial resources, facilities
management, fundraising,
technology, crisis management, risk
management and sustainable
resources.
In addition to the shift from
understanding to application,
professional development
within this competency
reflects shifts in the scale,
scope, and interactivity of
the human and
organizational resources with
which one works.

CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 145

Leadership
(LEAD)
Addresses the knowledge, skills,
and dispositions required of a
leader, with or without positional
authority. Leadership involves both
the individual role of a leader and
the leadership process of
individuals working together to
envision, plan, and affect change in
organizations and respond to broad-
based constituencies and issues.
This can include working with
students, student affairs colleagues,
faculty, and community members.

Professional growth within
this competency area reflects
shifts from knowledge to
critical application and then
to fostering the development
of leadership within and
among others.

Social Justice and
Inclusion
(SJI)
While there are many conceptions
of social justice and inclusion in
various contexts, for the purposes
of this competency area, it is
defined here as both a process and a
goal which includes the knowledge,
skills, and dispositions needed to
create learning environments that
foster equitable participation of all
groups while seeking to address and
acknowledge issues of oppression,
privilege, and power. This
competency involves student affairs
educators who have a sense of their
own agency and social
responsibility that includes others,
their community, and the larger
global context. Student affairs
educators may incorporate social
justice and inclusion competencies
into their practice through seeking
to meet the needs of all groups,
equitably distributing resources,
raising social consciousness, and
repairing past and current harms on
campus communities.

Professional development
within this competency areas
assumed that student affairs
educators need to understand
oppression, privilege, and
power before they can
understand social justice.
Intermediate and advanced
level outcomes reflect social
justice oriented applications
in practice and then
interconnections between
leadership and advocacy.

Student Learning and
Development
(SLD)
Addresses the concepts and
principles of student development
and learning theory. This includes
the ability to apply theory to
At the foundational level,
SLD involves a critical
understanding of learning
and development theories
and their use in constructing
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 146

improve and inform student affairs
and teaching practice.

learning outcomes.
Intermediate and advanced
proficiency involves greater
application in utilizing
various forms of programs
and applications within
increasingly large and
complex venues.

Technology
(TECH)
Focuses on the use of digital tools,
resources, and technologies for the
advancement of student learning,
development, and success as well
as the improved performance of
student affairs professionals.
Included within this area are
knowledge, skills, and dispositions
that lead to the generation of digital
literacy and digital citizenship
within communities of students,
student affairs professionals,
faculty members, and colleges and
universities as a whole.

Professional growth in this
competency area is marked
by shifts from understanding
to application as well as from
application to facilitation and
leadership. Intermediate and
advanced level outcomes
also involve a higher degree
of innovativeness in the use
of technology to engage
students and others in
learning processes.

Advising and
Supporting
(A/S)
Addresses the knowledge, skills,
and dispositions related to
providing advising and support to
individuals and groups through
direction, feedback, critique,
referral, and guidance. Through
developing advising and supporting
strategies that take into account
self-knowledge and the needs of
others, we play critical roles in
advancing the holistic wellness of
ourselves, our students, and our
colleagues.

Progression from
foundational to advanced
level proficiency involves
the development of higher
order capacities for listening,
addressing group dynamics,
managing conflict and crisis
situations, and partnering
with other professionals,
departments, and agencies.

*Adapted from National Association of Student Affairs Personnel Administrators. (n.d.b).
Professional competency areas for student affairs educators. Retrieved from
https://www.naspa.org/images/uploads/main/ACPA_NASPA_Professional_Competencies_FINA
L.pdf
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 147

APPENDIX H
Interview Guide
1. Let’s start out with you telling me about yourself.
2. How would you describe your role?
3. How did you come to work with the student veteran population?
4. Were you prepared for this role when you started? If so, how?
5. How have you learned what you know about student veterans?
a. What do you believe is the most important thing to know about student veterans for a
student affairs educator serving student veterans?
6. Does this knowledge inform your practice? If so, how?
7. What sort of professional development or continuing education opportunities, if any, are
provided for you?
a. What sort of professional development or continuing education opportunities would
you like to have?
8. Has the experience working with student veterans influenced how you perform your work?
a. if so, how?
9. What skills do you have that you believe are needed to fulfill your role?
10. Are there any values that you hold that support your work with student veterans? If so, what
are they?
11. What are your strongest student affairs core competencies?
a. What student affairs core competencies if any – do you believe you need the most
improvement in for working with veterans?
CREATING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE 148

12. I am wondering if you have a story about a time you helped a student veteran that was
particularly meaningful for you?
a. What about a time when you could not help a student veteran in the way in which you
would have liked to help?
13. Do you assess the needs of your student veterans? If so, how?
14. Do you offer support for women veterans? If so, what kind of support?
15. How do you know if you are meeting the needs of the student veterans on your campus?
16. What do you believe are your best practices in serving veterans?
17. What do you believe are the best practices of your colleagues?
18. If you could design your ideal place, program, or services that support student veterans
describe what that would look like?
19. Are there any challenges you face in working with student veterans? If so, what are they?
20. What are you most proud of doing this work?
21. What do you need, if anything, to be more effective in your role?
22. Finally, do you have a document or artifact that represents the meaning of your work with
student veterans? If you do, would you be willing to email me a paragraph or two describing
the artifact and its meaning to you? If not, do you have an example of a time when you
believe you impacted the life of a student veteran? If you do, would you be willing to email
me an account of this time and its meaning for you?

Abstract (if available)

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Asset Metadata

Creator Ward, Catherine Louise (author)

Core Title Creating a community of practice: serving student veterans in higher education

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 04/03/2018

Defense Date 02/26/2018

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag community of practice,Empathy,equity,OAI-PMH Harvest,relationship building,student affairs core competencies,student affairs educators,student veterans

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Tambascia, Tracy (committee chair), Hoffman, Jaimie (committee member), Merriman, Lynette (committee member)

Creator Email cward@fullerton.edu,wardcl@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c40-490205

Unique identifier UC11268435

Identifier etd-WardCather-6134.pdf (filename),usctheses-c40-490205 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-WardCather-6134.pdf

Dmrecord 490205

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Ward, Catherine Louise

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA