Post-Graduation, Career Preparation, and Professional Development
Post-Graduation, Career Preparation, and Professional Development
Transcript
Student veterans, like other students, are thinking about and working towards their life after college. Some will pursue employment while others will pursue further education in graduate or professional school. Student veterans should be encouraged to take advantage of the full range of opportunities in order to hone their interests, explore different potential careers, build their resumes, and develop relationships with faculty who might serve as references or become mentors.
So-called high-impact learning experiences, including doing research with a faculty member, studying abroad, participating in service or community-based learning, and/or completing a thesis or other sustained capstone project are particularly valuable in this respect and can also be highlighted on resumes and graduate or professional school applications.
Summer internships or coursework can also play a key role in helping student veterans in their academic and professional journeys. Many employers actively recruit veterans to their workforce, and student veterans should look for and possibly target such opportunities. Coursework over the summer can be useful for making up credits or for getting ahead.
If VA educational benefits are used for summer coursework, student veterans may be able to continue receiving their Monthly Housing Allowance through the summer months. As tempting as this might be, though, it is important to remember that educational benefits are limited and that saving benefits to be used in graduate or professional school may be a more strategic use of this crucial resource. Consulting with the School's Certifying Official may be useful in deciding the best way to use these benefits.
For a student veteran seeking employment or applying to graduate or professional school, it is very beneficial to synthesize the skills learned and experiences gained from both military service and academic career into a holistic narrative. The career services office at the college or university can be helpful in working with student veterans to effectively represent their military and academic experience into their resume or personal statement for a graduate or professional school application, into their answers to common interview questions, and into their elevator pitch for potential employers. That office can also help to match student veterans to summer internships and identify internships and employers that are actively recruiting veterans.
After graduation, veterans make one more identity transition from student to alumnus or alumna. Colleges and universities should make sure in their outreach to veteran graduates to best engage this group of alums to make sure that they are fully inclusive in terms of services and programs that are offered.
So-called high-impact learning experiences, including doing research with a faculty member, studying abroad, participating in service or community-based learning, and/or completing a thesis or other sustained capstone project are particularly valuable in this respect and can also be highlighted on resumes and graduate or professional school applications.
Summer internships or coursework can also play a key role in helping student veterans in their academic and professional journeys. Many employers actively recruit veterans to their workforce, and student veterans should look for and possibly target such opportunities. Coursework over the summer can be useful for making up credits or for getting ahead.
If VA educational benefits are used for summer coursework, student veterans may be able to continue receiving their Monthly Housing Allowance through the summer months. As tempting as this might be, though, it is important to remember that educational benefits are limited and that saving benefits to be used in graduate or professional school may be a more strategic use of this crucial resource. Consulting with the School's Certifying Official may be useful in deciding the best way to use these benefits.
For a student veteran seeking employment or applying to graduate or professional school, it is very beneficial to synthesize the skills learned and experiences gained from both military service and academic career into a holistic narrative. The career services office at the college or university can be helpful in working with student veterans to effectively represent their military and academic experience into their resume or personal statement for a graduate or professional school application, into their answers to common interview questions, and into their elevator pitch for potential employers. That office can also help to match student veterans to summer internships and identify internships and employers that are actively recruiting veterans.
After graduation, veterans make one more identity transition from student to alumnus or alumna. Colleges and universities should make sure in their outreach to veteran graduates to best engage this group of alums to make sure that they are fully inclusive in terms of services and programs that are offered.