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Why Do Veterans Attend Colorado State University?

Miles C. Davis

Colorado State University

EDRM 600: Introduction to Research Methods

Dr. Jill Zarestky

May 1, 2023
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Why Do Veterans Attend Colorado State University?

Why did you choose to attend a particular university or college? Selecting a university is

a significant decision in many people’s lives and can be challenging for many, including

veterans. Understanding why veterans participate in higher education will frame educators,

administrators, and policymakers' efforts to support these students. Many veterans attend CSU,

so discovering why they attend helps CSU serve them. CSU and other schools can reference this

research to increase veterans’ participation in higher education and create a supportive and

inclusive environment for them.

Problem Statement

Veterans’ unique experiences and needs may impact their decision to enroll in higher

education. The Post-9/11 G. I. Bill, provides significant educational benefits to veterans,

including full tuition and fees of a public, in-state institution, housing allowance, and a yearly

book stipend (U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2022). The benefits provide veterans the

opportunity to pursue higher education for free.

Approximately 200,000 servicemembers leave the military annually (U.S. Department of

Labor, n.d.), and higher education is a viable option for these individuals after their service.

Despite the Post 9/11 G. I. Bill’s educational benefits, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

(2010) National Survey revealed that only 37% of veterans used them. This is unnerving because

many veterans enlist for these benefits (DiRamio et al., 2008). The statistic suggests a need to

explore the decisions and motivations of student veterans regarding their participation in higher

education.

There is limited research on the motivation of veterans’ enrollment in a particular school.

Recent research on student veterans examines the Post 9/11 G. I. Bill (Zhang, 2018) and its

educational benefits (Barr, 2016), individual characteristics, and their transition (Ackerman, et
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al., 2009), more so than what initiated their enrollment. Exploring the motivations and decisions

of veterans to pursue higher education addresses gaps in the literature that may provide insight

into their participation in higher education.

Exploring veterans’ motivation to attend higher education is relevant for veterans seeking

higher education, educators, administrators, institutions, and civilian and military leadership. The

findings may help higher education institutions modify their approach to student veterans to

create a conducive environment. Furthermore, leadership may gain insight into service members’

desire to pursue higher education, which may ease their transition.

Literature Review

The literature review revolved around college choice, campus support services, military-

friendly schools, and academic motivation. The review contextualizes veterans’ motivation to

attend higher education, describes the educational landscape for veterans, and provides data

about veterans in higher education.

College/University Choice

The literature suggests that convenience and affordability are strongly associated with

a veteran’s college choice. Radford (2011) found that 79 percent of military-connected

undergraduates cited location as a main reason for selecting their school and just over half of

student veterans claimed affordability as another reason. Veterans consider how the college

environment fits in with other aspects of their lives during the selection process (Hamrick &

Rumann, 2013). Durdella and Kim (2012) suggest that financial aid influences a veteran's

decision to apply and enroll in a school more so than any other factor. A veteran’s likelihood

of attending higher education increases when they are aware of and know how to apply for

financial benefits (Callahan & Jarret, 2014). Furthermore, student veterans pursue higher
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education to change careers rather than to advance in their current careers (Callahan & Jarret,

2014).

Campus Support Services

Ackerman et al. (2009) provided five principles for how institutions can help student

veterans. Three of those principles that are relevant to this study are support services specifically

designed to meet veterans’ needs, implementation of policies and programs that are sensitive to

veterans’ needs, and sharing best practices, ideas, and research to promote the academic success

of student veterans (Ackerman et al., 2009). Support services like a dedicated veterans center

facilitate equitable educational experiences for learners by meeting their needs (Poppen et al.,

2016, as cited in Kirchner et al., 2020).

In some cases, student veterans are unaware of campus support services (Ackerman et al.,

2009). It then becomes the educator's responsibility to connect the student to the applicable

service (Callahan & Jarret, 2014). Educators are a key source of support for veterans, especially

if they are connected to the military in some way (Rumann et al., 2011). Academic assistance

like tutoring helps veterans succeed. Career services like networking events and resume-building

workshops enhance employment prospects. Lastly, support services contribute to a safe,

inclusive, learning environment. School may be a new environment and source of anxiety, but a

concerted effort to support student veterans will likely comfort them. Higher education provides

a broad framework for support, but the intricacies and complexities of the student are often

overlooked (Heineman, 2016).

Military-Friendly Campuses

In 2013, the Obama administration created “8 Keys to Success: Supporting Veterans,

Military, and Military Families on Campus” (see Appendix A). These were steps designed to aid

the successful transition, experience, and professional development of student veterans (Baker,
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2013). Many schools can enact these steps because they revolve around a healthy and supportive

culture and normative standards rather than facility renovations or curricula modification

(Dillard & Yu, 2016). Adopting these steps develops the image of a military-friendly school

which Brown and Gross (2011) provide the criteria (see Appendix B) for. Being marked as

military-friendly sends a message to veterans that the school is committed to them, which may

influence their decision to choose that school (McBain et al., 2012).

Academic Motivation

There is limited literature on student veterans’ academic motivation. Motivation

explains why people think and behave as they do (Weiner, 1992, as cited in Wlodkowski &

Ginsberg, 2017) and is a process that gives behavior energy and direction (Reeve, 2009, as

cited in Wlodkowski & Ginsberg, 2017. In the context of the study, academic motivation is the

desire to attend school.

Brown and Gross (2011) summarize student veterans as serious, goal-oriented, and

motivated who focus on career development while in school and intend to return and apply

their acquired knowledge and skills to their home community. Many veterans turn to higher

education to improve their employability, expand their knowledge and skills, and achieve their

career goals (Heineman, 2016). Jones (2013, as cited in Oberweis & Bradford, 2017) found

that veterans attend higher education to use their educational benefits, and Elliot et al. (2011,

as cited in Oberweis & Bradford, 2017) expect this trend to continue.

Literature Gaps

Limited research discusses veterans’ motivation to attend higher education. With the

financial benefits that the Post 9-11 G. I. Bill provides, it makes sense to assume that most if

not all veterans would use them. This is not the case which necessitates the exploration of

student veterans’ motivation to attend higher education.

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Purpose Statement

The purpose of the study was to explore why veterans attend CSU to discover trends

regarding veterans’ participation in higher education. The research aimed to answer a central

research question with two sub-questions. Main research question: What motivates veterans to

attend higher education? Sub-questions: What factors led to choosing CSU? How does military

experience impact a veteran’s academic motivation?

Methodology

The research was grounded in a basic qualitative design to gain insight into why veterans

attend CSU because each veteran’s academic motivation and decision to attend CSU is unique

which supports the exploratory nature of a qualitative design (Creswell & Creswell, 2023). The

methods section describes the recruitment technique, participants, instrumentation, data

collection, analysis, and verification.

Recruitment

I used convenience, and snowball strategies to recruit participants. Convenience

recruitment involves identifying participants who are readily available and eligible (Emerson,

2015), of which I already knew three eligible participants. Other participants were recruited via

snowballing, which asked identified participants to provide referrals as additional participants

(Emerson, 2015). To access potential participants as part of the snowball recruitment process, I

communicated with a gatekeeper who connected me with two referrals. A gatekeeper permits

research to occur either by providing access to participants at a research site or both (Creswell &

Creswell, 2023). I provided information about the study and interview to the gatekeeper (see

Appendix C) who relayed the information to his referrals. Once the gatekeeper’s referrals

declared their willingness to participate and interest in discussing with me, I contacted them

directly.
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Participants

The informed consent process included several important action items. I explained the

purpose of my study, research questions, and the interview process, including the number of

questions, expected duration, and a general idea of the questions that will I ask to each

participant. I ensured participants that the data would be anonymous and destroyed after the

research. I reminded participants that participation is voluntary and that they may withdraw from

the study at any point. Lastly, I provided everyone with the consent form (see Appendix D) to

review and sign if they choose to.

The criteria for eligible participants were:

 a student veteran, defined by Vacchi (2012) as a current or former member of the

military service enrolled at an institution of higher education

 current part-time or full-time student at CSU

 at least three years of military service

Table 1 illustrates the characteristics of the participants. Pseudonyms were used to ensure

confidentiality.

Table 1
Participants
Identifier Military Branch Occupation Gender
Eric USMC Infantry M
Thor USMC Infantry M
Derek USMC Infantry M
Jake USMC Infantry M
Van ARMY Infantry M

Instrumentation

A semi-structured interview explored the perspectives, thoughts, and experiences of each

participant. The interview consisted of somewhat structured questions while providing the

flexibility to adapt during the interview based on a participant's responses (Laurie & Jensen,
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2017). The interview protocol (see Appendix E) was developed intentionally with the research

questions, literature gaps, participants, and reflexivity in mind by considering my decision-

making process to attend CSU. The overarching ideas of the interview are a veteran’s academic

motivation, whether military service impacts academic motivation, and a veteran’s decision to

attend CSU.

Mutual trust and rapport existed between me and the participants I already knew which

Huberman and Miles (2005, as cited in DiRamio et al., 2008) believe helps ensure validity in

interviews. To develop trust with the other participants, I engaged in a friendly dialogue before

the interview. The interview protocol followed Creswell & Creswell’s (2023) adapted sample. I

created open-ended questions that were related to the main ideas to allow the participants to

provide nuanced and intricate responses.

Data Collection

Five interviews were conducted in person at the CSU Recreation Center. The participants

chose the recreation center likely because it is where I met them, and they are familiar with the

location. It was important to me to allow the participants to select the interview site so that it was

a natural and comfortable setting for them to genuinely express themselves. Each interview was

about 15-20 minutes, although the duration depended on the participants’ length of responses and

involvement.

I began the interview with simpler questions to ease the participant into the interview

before asking more intricate questions. For example, I asked, ‘What military branch did you

serve in and for how long, and what motivated you to attend school?’ As the interview

progressed, I asked questions like ‘What value do you associate higher education with, and how

did your military experience impact your academic motivation?’ I recorded each interview on

my iPhone through the voice memos application because it was convenient and user-friendly. As
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participants replied, I probed and mirrored to build rapport, provoke explanations, and ensure

mutual understanding. Furthermore, I wrote notes in the margins of the interview but otherwise

devoted my attention to the participant so that I was engaged.

Data Analysis
Qualitative data analysis occurs simultaneously with the data collection and the write-up

of the findings (Creswell & Creswell, 2023). I used thematic analysis to draw inferences from

the data and progressed from a description to an interpretation of the data (Braun & Clark, 2006).

I transcribed, reviewed, coded, and identified themes to theorize the broader meanings of the

data (Patton, 1990 as cited in Braun & Clark, 2006).

Interviews were transcribed manually, with assistance from the Microsoft dictate feature.

The dictate feature occasionally made mistakes, which I then corrected. I cleaned the data by

removing verbiage like ‘um’ and searching for inconsistencies. After I transcribed the data, I

checked it against the original recording for accuracy. The transcription was sent to each

participant to clarify or modify as necessary. Then, I coded the text and used Microsoft Excel to

help me organize the data. I created codes from the themes that I identified from my initial

review of the transcription. I created a spreadsheet with columns for the interview questions,

responses, and codes. I copied phrases or words from a participant's response and placed them

into the relevant code column. Each response was reviewed to appropriately code it, which was

then added to an Excel column. The ability to sort the text by codes made it easier to identify

themes. Thematic analysis generated five themes that appeared from the interviews.

Data Verification

Member checking validated the findings by taking major findings or specific themes back

to participants and allowing them to confirm or refute my interpretation of the data (Creswell &

Creswell, 2023). I applied member checking to ensure my interpretation accurately reflected the
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participant’s experiences and perspectives. If misinterpretations were encountered the

participant(s) and I collaborated to arrive at an accurate conclusion.

Results

Thematic analysis revealed five themes: education for a better quality of life, free

education, convenience, academic reputation, and military service increased academic

motivation. The first themes answer the main research question, “What motivates veterans to

attend higher education?” The themes of convenience and academic reputation answer the sub-

question of “What factors led to choosing CSU?” The final theme which was military service

increased academic motivation answers the research question of “How did military experience

impact a veteran’s academic motivation?

Theme 1: Education For A Better Quality of Life.

Every participant believed that a college degree would improve their quality of life. For

example, Eric stated, “The profession I want requires a degree, so I need education to be

employed and live the life I want.” Similarly, Thor emphasized the significance of higher

education “for better employment prospects, financial security, and as a stepping stone to a

physician assistant master’s program.” Van attended higher education “for a better life, better-

paying job, and freedom.” Along the quality-of-life theme, Derek and Jake claimed family

responsibility or a desire to start a family as a source of academic motivation. Derek shared, “I

want to raise a family, and generally speaking greater education results in greater

compensation, which will help me support a family.”

Participants believe that attending higher education will improve their lives and their

family’s lives through greater employment prospects, financial security, well-being, and

seamless integration into society, ultimately improving their quality of life. Education was

viewed as a necessary means for a better life.

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Theme 2: Free Education

Four participants were using the G. I. Bill, and one participant was using another source

of funding provided by Veterans Affairs that he was eligible for to conserve the G. I. Bill for

graduate school. Participants’ financial benefits eligibility had a tremendous impact on their

attendance. Eric, Van, and Derek would not have enrolled in school if they had to pay for it.

They expressed that they would learn a trade, remain in the military, or attend a cheaper

institution, like a community college. For example, Van declared “If college wasn’t free, I would

probably attend a community college in my hometown, in Virginia, or remain in the Army.” Eric

agreed by saying, “I would not pay out of my pocket for school. I would rather learn a trade like

carpentry or welding.”

Thor, on the other hand, would have participated in higher education even if he had to

pay for it, but the G. I. Bill provides him with financial freedom. He said, “I would’ve enrolled

regardless of whether I had the GI Bill or not, but the financial assistance has allowed me to

work less during school and be a better student.” The eligibility of financial benefits available to

participants enhanced the appeal of higher education and increased their likelihood to enroll.

Rising costs of formal education are a significant barrier and financial assistance is a critical

incentive to encourage veterans’ participation in higher education. The receipt of federally

provided financial assistance encourages veterans to take advantage of it and enroll in higher

education.

Theme 3: Convenience

Participants reported that accessibility and physical location played a large role in their

attendance. Eric, Thor, and Derek grew up in Colorado, so CSU was a natural and comfortable

environment for them. Eric transferred to CSU from a school in Arkansas because CSU is close

to home, and his brother is nearby. He shared, “I was born in Denver, my brother lives in
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Denver, and I wanted to move home.” Derek cited that proximity to home, convenience,

established friends and familiarity with Fort Collins influenced his decision to attend CSU.

Proximity to home and familiarity with Fort Collins and the greater Denver area

influenced participants’ decision to attend CSU. It appeared that veterans’ participation in higher

education depended on how convenient and ‘easy’ the transition was.

Theme 4: Academic Reputation

Another common factor that arose regarding participants' decision to attend CSU was the

perceived quality of education. Participants valued the positive academic reputation associated

with CSU. The prestige of the programs that participants were interested in repeatedly emerged

as a factor that drove students to CSU. Jake selected CSU over other schools because the health

and exercise science (HES) program is one of the best in the country. Part of Eric’s decision to

transfer to CSU was for better opportunities in fish and wildlife biology, as he mentioned “CSU

provided better opportunities for fish and wildlife and the degree program meets many

requirements for veterinary school.” The biomedical sciences program attracted Thor to CSU for

its program and its ability to prepare him accordingly. Thor remarked, “I largely chose CSU

because of their biomedical sciences program. It is a competitive and complete program that

sets me up to become a physician’s assistant.” Lastly, Derek is interested in the fine arts and

commented that the school’s high reputation for graphic design influenced his decision.

The value that participants attributed to higher education stemmed from its ability to

improve their future, either increasing their chances of getting hired or positioning them for

continuing education. Earning a degree from a respected university prepares veterans for a

profession or greater educational attainment. Veterans want to be challenged academically

because they will grow and be better for it afterward.

Theme 5: Military Service Increased Academic Motivation

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Participants discussed how their military service contributed to their academic motivation

in one way or another. Derek, Eric, and Van were burned out from the military and saw higher

education as an alternative. Derek stated, “I was very unsatisfied with life in the military for one

reason or another and had to find something else to do and I was always interested in art.”

Similar comments were made by Van who said, “I was burned out from the grind and wanted to

explore my interests like archeology on my own time and enjoy freedom.” Jake shared a slightly

different perspective, “So many ups and downs in my military service. The skills and knowledge

I acquired from military occupational specialty do not favorably transfer to the civilian world.”

Jake’s military service motivated him to pursue higher education to acquire transferable skills

and knowledge.

Surprisingly, three participants attributed their degree choice to their military training and

education. For Eric, a specialized military course (assault climbers course) grew his interest and

passion for the outdoors. Consequently, he chose to study fish and wildlife biology. Likewise, for

Thor, the military tactical trauma training that he received sparked his interest in pre-medicine,

“Some of my military training influenced my decision to study pre-med, namely the combat

medic training.” Van participated in an archaeology dig excavating missing service members’

bones during a duty assignment. It was his first exposure to archaeology, and it grew on him

quickly, “I immediately became interested in archelogy and wanted to learn more”.

Participants' military experiences varied in terms of their impact on academic motivation.

For some, dissatisfaction pulled them towards higher education as an alternative, while at the

same time, specific experiences catalyzed their academic interests.

Discussion
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This section discusses the results, implications, limitations, and recommendations of the

study. Attention is directed at how the findings answer the research questions, connect to the

literature, and their larger implications.

Answering the Research Questions

The results answered the research questions, and for the most part, I was not surprised

because of the current literature. However, academic reputation influencing veterans to attend

CSU, and the relationship between military training and education and academic interests

surprised me. I did not come across these themes in the literature about veterans’ college choices

and participation in higher education. Participants were motivated to attend school because of the

outcomes associated with a bachelor's or higher degree and that it was free. Participants attended

CSU because it was convenient, and their academic interests aligned with the credibility of

relevant programs. Participants’ military experience increased their academic motivation, and for

three participants it influenced their degree choice.

The results align with previous findings from the existing literature. Convenience and

location as primary factors of a veteran’s college choice support Radford’s (2011) statistic that

79 percent of military-connected undergraduates select a school because of its location. The fact

that affordability encouraged participation in formal education reinforces Durdella and Kim’s

(2012) suggestion that financial aid influences a veteran's enrollment. Not only does the receipt

of financial assistance pay for school, but it also allows veterans to work at their own pace and

control their lives. The G. I. Bill and similar legislation allow veterans to explore new directions

in their life outside of the military which connects to the idea that education is a means for a

better life. Quality of life was interpreted differently among the participants. Some participants

described the quality of life as financial security, while others interpreted it as personal freedom.

This may be a result of each participant’s current situation. Employment prospects as the
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motivation to attend higher education support Callahan and Jarrett's (2014) declaration that

veterans seek a degree to change careers and explore a different profession. The lack of attention

to veteran support services echoes Ackerman et al (2009) finding that some veterans are unaware

of such services. The current literature does not emphasize academic reputation as a factor in

veterans' college choices nor is there extensive research on the relationship between military

experience and academic motivation. These findings can inform schools to direct energy and

efforts toward academic excellence.

Implications

The findings raise awareness of why veterans attend CSU and add to the literature on

veterans’ participation in higher education. The implications are relevant to policymakers,

educators, and administrators to understand veterans’ participation in higher education. Much of

the literature on student veterans discusses the transition period and ‘military-friendly’ services

about their participation. However, these factors were not as significant as affordability, quality

of life, convenience, academics, and military training and education. To attract and retain student

veterans CSU should promote financial benefits that veterans are eligible for, like the G. I. Bill,

and exclusive scholarships. The value of academic reputation suggests that CSU should maintain

the quantity and quality of degree programs. For convenience, schools can emphasize online

learning to make education more accessible, but there is not much to do about the physical

location and proximity to home. CSU’s reputation relies on academic excellence, so CSU should

admit students and hire faculty of high caliber. Lastly, participants were drawn to academic

programs that they experienced in the military which tended to be experiential. Schools may

consider emphasizing programs that align with military training and education to generate

greater interest among veterans.

Limitations
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The study was limited by a small sample size and lack of representation. The similarity of

participants may have skewed the results. Female student veterans or those with different

occupational backgrounds may have different perspectives, motivations, and reasons to attend

CSU. Future research should include a larger and more diverse sample population by using

different recruitment techniques like recruiting participants with unique characteristics.

Future Research

Two recommendations for future research are exploring the connection between military

service and academic motivation and the value of higher education from a veteran’s perspective.

It would be interesting to investigate if academic motivation is influenced by certain military

experiences. These lines of research may help educators and institutions meet the needs of

student veterans and provide insights into their educational perceptions, challenges, and

opportunities.

Conclusion

Higher education provides many benefits and garnering participation among veterans is a

way to express gratitude for their service. Veterans attended higher education for quality-of-life

purposes and the fact that it was free. Veterans chose CSU because it was convenient and met

their academic interests and expectations. Lastly, veterans’ military experiences pulled them

towards higher education as an opportunity to pursue personal and professional interests that

were cultivated during their service. The research provides a snapshot to reference when

discussing veterans’ participation in higher education.

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References

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college students. New Directions for Student Services, 126, 5–14.

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Baker, S. (2013). 8 keys to success: Supporting veterans, military and military families on

campus. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/08/13/8-keys-

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Appendices

Appendix A

The Obama Administration, Department of Education, Department of Veterans Affairs, and

educators created the ‘8 Keys to Success’ to support student veterans in higher education. These

are steps that higher education institutions can take to help veterans transition from the military

to academia and then thrive. Below are the eight keys.

1. Create a culture of trust and connectedness across the campus community to promote well-

being and success for veterans.

2. Ensure consistent and sustained support from campus leadership.

3. Implement an early alert system to ensure all veterans receive academic, career, and financial

advice before challenges become overwhelming.

4. Coordinate and centralize campus efforts for all veterans, together with the creation of a

designated space (even if limited in size).

5. Collaborate with local communities and organizations, including government agencies, to

align and coordinate various services for veterans.

6. Utilize a uniform set of data tools to collect and track information on veterans, including

demographics, retention, and degree completion.

7. Provide comprehensive professional development for faculty and staff on issues and

challenges unique to veterans.

8. Develop systems that ensure the sustainability of effective practices for veterans.

Appendix B

“Military-friendly” institutions recognize the unique needs and characteristics of student

veterans through best practices (Brown & Gross, 2011). This distinction adheres to the
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membership principles of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges, the principles of good practice

for learning established by the Military Installation Voluntary Educational Review process, and

the American Council of Education standards for credit evaluation (Brown & Gross, 2011).

Brown and Gross (2011, p. 46) provide the criteria for a military-friendly school.

 Offering priority registration for military students

 Simplified or expedited application process

 Flexible enrollment deadlines

 Academic and counseling services for military students

 Special web pages for returning military students

 Support groups

 Transfer credit policies that minimize loss of credit and avoid duplication of

coursework

 Limited academic residency requirement of 25% of undergraduate degree programs on

campus and 30% for fully online programs

 Acceptance of ACE credit recommendations for learning experiences in the armed

forces

 Awarding of credit for college-level learning validated through testing (College Level

Examination Program, Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Services

exams, and Excelsior College Testing)

 Deferred tuition payment plans

 Veteran lounges and centers

 Research focuses on meeting the needs of military students

Appendix C
23

Communication between the gatekeepers and researcher was personal communications via
telephone.

Appendix D

Individual Consent Form

March-April 2023

Introduction & Research Purpose

Hello, my name is Miles Davis, and I am a graduate student from Colorado State University

in the Adult Education & Training department. I am conducting a research study on why

veterans attend CSU. The title of my study project is Why Do Veterans Attend CSU. I am the

principal researcher and my professor is Dr. Jill Zarestky.

Procedure

I wish to ask you a few questions as part of a semi-structured interview about your decision

and motivation to attend CSU. It will be a one-on-one interview, in person, at a location of your

choosing. Participation will take approximately 30 minutes. I expect to conduct only one

interview. However, if a follow-up is needed for clarification purposes, I will contact you by

email to inform you of this request. You can expect to clarify any previous information shared

and the possibility of additional questions.

Do you provide consent for your interview to be recorded (audio)?

___Yes

___No

Confidentiality

I will not collect your name or personal identifiers. You will select a pseudonym that will

be used to identify your responses. When I report and share the data with my class, I will
24

share only the pseudonym associated with the appropriate response. For example, participant

‘Blake’ replied “…….”

Risks/Benefits

There are no known risks or direct benefits to you, but I hope to gain more knowledge on the

decision-making process and motivations of veterans to attend higher education. The research

study will abide by Colorado State University’s ethical guidelines and practices.

Compensation

You will not be compensated for your participation.

Rights

Your participation in this research is voluntary. If you decide to participate in the study, you may

withdraw your consent and stop participation at any time without penalty. If you wish to

participate in this study, please print and date below. You will receive a copy of this consent

form to keep for yourself.

_____________________________

Participant's Name (please print)

_____________________________

Date

Contact Information

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns as a volunteer in this research please contact

me at milescsu@colostate.edu.

Appendix E

Interview Protocol

Introduction: (Proper greeting of the day), my name is Miles Davis and I thank you for

volunteering your time to answer a few questions as part of my research on why veterans
25

attend CSU. The purpose of my research is to explore why veterans choose to attend CSU. As

a Marine Officer, I am professionally interested in this research. I am a student veteran myself

and am a graduate student in the Adult Education and Training Program. After school, I will

report to Training and Education Command as an Education Officer. The interview should not

take longer than 30 minutes and contains four main questions with a few probing questions.

For this interview and study, academic motivation refers to your energy to attend school and a

student veteran is a current or former member of the military service enrolled at an institution

of higher education. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, or would like to stop

the interview please let me know. Are you ready?

1. Tell me about your military service

a. Was it a positive experience?

b. In what military branch did you serve?

i. What was your primary military occupational specialty?

1. Did you receive any specialized training or education for

that job?

ii. How many years did you serve?

iii. What was your rank at the time of your separation?

2. What motivated you to participate in higher education?

a. Intrinsic (interest, passion, personal growth/development, sense of community, etc)

or extrinsic (career prospect, social status, family or peer pressure, compliance to

societal norms) motivation?

b. What are your academic and career goals or aspirations?

i. What career are you interested in?

26

1. How did your interests influence your enrollment?

c. What kind of value do you associate higher education with?

i. How will higher education help you achieve your academic and career

goals?

3. How did your military service impact your academic motivation?

a. How has your military training and education transferred to school?

b. How has your military service influenced your career and academic goals?

i. What skill, knowledge, or experience from your military service has been

helpful in your academic pursuits?

4. What made you attend CSU?

1. ‘Military-Friendly’ school?

a. What opportunities have you taken advantage of through

CSU's "military-friendly" programs?

2. Finances?

a. Did you attempt to maximize the G. I. Bill benefits?

i. What role if any did that have on your enrollment?

3. Support services?

a. What specific services or resources have been most helpful

to you?

4. Location? (i.e. proximity to home or a military base)

a. Did you feel comfortable being near military personnel?

Was there a sense of community that was built in?

5. Institutional reputation?
27

6. Available degree programs?

Conclusion: Thank you for your time. All data will be confidential, and I will only refer to

your pseudonym and will destroy the data when the research concludes. If you are interested

in the findings, I will share an abstract of the final study with you. Please contact me if you

have any questions, comments, or concerns.