2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

At Penn State Harrisburg, veterans and military personnel constitute between 3-6% of student enrollment. About 26% of these students are enrolled in engineering majors and another 8% are enrolled in other STEM fields. To serve this population with intentionality and purpose, as well as enhance student success, we find it essential to explore the social and academic gaps for our students, and what types of programming could best address those needs. Past and current surveys of this student body have proven to be effective due to a higher than usual response rate. Questions assessed a range of topics, including recruitment pathways, experiences with a variety of student services, desire for veteran-specific programming/services, and perceptions regarding the campus’s veteran-friendliness. The survey finding pointed out that most veteran students did not recognize many student services applied to them since they considered themselves a separate, more non-traditional group of students.

Results from a 2019 survey showed that most students (79%) enrolled in the college through reputation. Of the respondents, only 3% attended a recruitment-specific event, such as an open house. Veteran students showed a strong awareness of the services on campus, with three specific offices being overwhelmingly utilized (financial aid, advising, and veterans affairs) while others were utilized minimally. Additionally, the majority of respondents answered affirmatively that the campus was veteran-friendly (92%), but several respondents identified areas for growth, such as more veteran-specific programming, affinity groups, services specific to veteran students, and a better understanding of military culture, and what their service means within a broader campus context.
An updated survey was disseminated at the beginning of the spring 2025 semester. Similar to the 2019 survey, the majority of respondents enrolled in the college through reputation (85%), as opposed to attending a recruitment-specific event. Regarding academic and social support resources, awareness and satisfaction remained high, but utilization of said services was relatively low at 41%. Additionally, no statistically significant relationships were found between student’s major and levels of satisfaction with academic support or social support. Results from this survey will build on the work noted above to provide more concrete information needed to support veteran and military students, particularly in engineering and STEM fields. Findings from this study will help guide programming and outreach efforts targeted at closing socialization gaps for our veteran students.