Social Integration of Student Veterans: The Influence of Interactions with Faculty on Peer-Group Interactions

Abstract: Student veterans are distinct nontraditional students, inasmuch as their transition to campus is twofold. They are not only taking on the role of a student, but also their new lives as civilians. Their relationships with peers can then be strained, as the age, maturity level, and expectations may differ from the traditional-aged college student. Therefore, interactions with faculty members are imperative to help encourage student veterans’ peer-group interactions. This quantitative analysis studied peer-group and faculty interactions of 87 veteran undergraduate students in the spring 2020 semester at a regional comprehensive university. Using a linear regression analysis, findings demonstrate that faculty interactions accounted for 23% of the variance in peer-group interactions. Further examination showed there was no statistically significant difference between peer-group and faculty interactions based on gender. Recommendations for practice to support faculty in recognizing the unique needs of student veterans and considerations for further study are offered.