April and May 2021 saw VETWAYS presenting findings from the study’s first year of data collection to state, national, and international audiences.
In April, VETWAYS Principal Investigator Ross Benbow presented two refereed scholarly papers on Wisconsin student service members/veterans to members of the American Educational Research Association annual conference, the largest professional educational researcher organization in the world. These included a a paper written by Dr. Benbow focusing on student veteran transitions from the military into college as well as a paper written by Dr. Benbow and Co-Principal Investigator Dr. You-Geon Lee centered on connections between student social support and campus belonging.
In May, Dr. Benbow also gave an invited presentation of VETWAYS phase one research findings to leaders of the Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs (WDVA), including the WDVA’s Secretary. The presentation focused on student service member/veteran demographics, STEM development, university life, social networks, and recommendations for supporting this talented undergraduate population.