PROVIDENCE, R.I. — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — National nonprofit Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) has partnered with Brown University on a weeklong event focused on helping U.S. military veterans succeed in higher education. Brown will host a WSP Humanities Academic Boot Camp on its campus in Providence from June 18 – 23, offering an intensive curriculum designed to help veterans prepare for an academic environment while learning strategies to become even more successful students.
WSP leaders say that transitioning from service member to college student is a critical next step for many, but this exciting new chapter is not without challenges. The WSP-Brown Academic Boot Camp will help to fill the gap by giving participants a taste of what to expect both on campus and in the classroom. Participants will learn from University faculty, receive mentoring from fellow student veterans, work one-on-one with dedicated tutors, nurture a tight-knit community, and begin to adjust to a formal learning environment — concepts that may seem unfamiliar after years spent away from the classroom.
“Student-veterans are immense contributors to teaching, learning and research at Brown and so many other universities, and our hope is to equip this summer’s boot camp participants with the confidence to take the next steps in their own academic journeys,” said Christian “Mac” Manning, program director of the Office of Military Affiliated Students at Brown. “Our goal is to offer practical skills to apply to their education and careers, inspire student-veterans to chart their own educational futures and demonstrate emphatically that they belong on college campuses.”
Hosting the Academic Boot Camp marks the latest step Brown has taken to increase support for military veterans pursuing college degrees. In recent years, the University has nearly doubled the number of veterans enrolled as undergraduates on its own campus, and Brown provides full financial support to its entire contingent of student-veterans.
Each year, approximately 115,000 veterans separate from the military and decide to pursue higher education. In addition to adjusting to the classroom, many also struggle with acclimating to civilian life or campus culture, and Warrior-Scholar Project helps them find camaraderie and guidance during this pivotal transition. In fact, a study found that WSP is the only program of its kind dedicated to veterans that not only provides targeted support for academic success, but also improves social connection and relationships with both faculty and nonveteran students.
“Warrior-Scholar Project is all about equipping student veterans with the tools needed to excel in higher education and beyond. For more than a decade we have worked with world-class faculty, veteran mentors, and university administrators to make the WSP impact come to life for the more than 2,000 veterans we’ve served,” said Ryan Pavel, CEO of WSP. “Time and again our alumni have described the program as ‘life changing,’ and we’re proud to help veterans successfully utilize the G.I. Bill benefits they’ve earned.”
The WSP impact is far-reaching: 90% of WSP alumni have completed or are on track to earn a college degree, compared with 72% of all student veterans and 65% of traditional undergraduate students. WSP participants are also diverse; of WSP’s 2022 cohort, 60% identified as first-generation college students, 70% were persons of color, and 28% were women.
WSP launched its first boot camp at Yale University in 2012 with nine participants. Since then, the program has expanded to 21 of America’s top schools and has helped more than 2,000 veterans get a head start in higher education. Financial support from Brown University and investments made by foundations, corporations, and private donors cover the entire cost of the program for participants.
About Warrior-Scholar Project
An official partner with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) is a national nonprofit that empowers enlisted veterans and service members to excel at four-year universities. WSP’s flagship program helps veterans gain skills required for college success and support for the cultural shift from the military to higher education via intensive one- to two-week academic boot camps at top-tier schools. During the immersive experience, students are housed on campus and engage in challenging discussions with accomplished professors while receiving tailored instruction on key skills like analytical reading and college-level writing. WSP also offers workshops tailored to address the unique needs of veterans enrolled in community colleges and targeted programming for marginalized veterans, such as its Women Veterans Empowerment Dialogues. Warrior-Scholar Project offers programs at public and private colleges and universities nationwide. For more information, visit www.warrior-scholar.org.
About Brown University
Founded in 1764 in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown is a nonprofit leading research university, home to world-renowned faculty, and also an innovative educational institution where the curiosity, creativity and intellectual joy of students drives academic excellence. Brown is a place where rigorous scholarship, complex problem-solving and service to the public good are defined by intense collaboration, intellectual discovery and working in ways that transcend traditional boundaries. As a private, nonprofit institution, the University advances its mission through support from a community invested in Brown’s commitment to advance knowledge and make a positive difference locally and globally.
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