San Diego State University is using this planning grant award to explore the needs of returning Veterans in the San Diego region and identify effective strategies for engaging them in education and career pathways in the geosciences. The San Diego region is host to several military bases and there is a large population of Veterans who have access to higher education through the G.I. Bill. Data show that there is a greater proportion of Veterans, compared to the average student population, interested in pursuing degrees in STEM disciplines, making them a fertile opportunity for engagement in the geosciences. In addition, Veterans are generally very diverse in ethnic and cultural background, as well as having a high proportion of persons with disabilities, as a result of their military service. Unlike traditional students, Veterans often have completed some college level courses and have obtained valuable experiences as part of their service. As such, their educational needs for completion of college degrees, or transitioning from college into graduate programs, involve a more customized pathway. This planning grant will host two workshops for academic and military personnel to discuss and consider issues, barriers, and strategies for effectively engaging returning Veterans in the geosciences. The project leverages an NSF-funded program at SDSU within the Engineering programs that specifically targets returning Veterans. This project serves the NSF and GEO goal of broadening participation in STEM disciplines and addresses an important Presidential priority.
