Student Service Member/Veteran Engagement with University Military-Focused Student Services: A Mixed Methods Study

Student service member/veteran (SSM/V) university enrollment grew exponentially through the 2000s and 2010s. In response, many U.S. universities developed military-focused student services to address SSM/V campus challenges. While research suggests these services are beneficial, few recent studies have examined how often SSM/Vs engage with them across institutions or how engagement may connect to important outcomes. Using social capital theory, this mixed methods study analyzes SSM/V military-focused service engagement frequency, correlations between engagement frequency and campus belonging and institutional satisfaction, and SSM/V perspectives on why they engage and its benefits. Findings suggest SSM/Vs rarely engage, though more frequent engagement significantly associates with belonging and satisfaction. Some SSM/Vs describe how military-focused administrative expertise and social support encouraged them to engage more often, inviting a greater sense of institutional fit and satisfaction. Others, however, describe being too busy, disinterested, or alienated from SSM/Vs and the military experience to engage or see affective benefits.