Warrior-Scholar Project and Columbia University Partner to Help Enlisted Veterans Prepare for Higher Education

National nonprofit Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) is thrilled to announce that it has once again partnered with Columbia University to help veterans succeed in higher education, signaling the university’s continued commitment to increase veteran student support. Columbia will host its sixth WSP Humanities Academic Boot Camp from July 23-28, offering an intensive curriculum designed to help veterans prepare for an academic environment while learning strategies to become better students. 

Transitioning from service member to college student is a critical next step for many, but this exciting new chapter is not without challenges. The WSP-Columbia Academic Boot Camp helps fill the gap by giving participants the opportunity to learn from university faculty, receive mentoring from fellow student veterans, and begin to adjust to a formal learning environment—all concepts that may seem unfamiliar after years spent away from the classroom. 

“Every year I look forward to leading the WSP seminar on Public Service in Contemporary American Democracy. It is a great opportunity to interact with the next generation of veterans eager to improve themselves and continue serving their country out of uniform,” said Jason Dempsey, director of Columbia’s Center for Veteran Transition and Integration. 

Each year, approximately 115,000 veterans separate from the military and decide to pursue higher education. In addition to adjusting to the classroom, many also struggle with acclimating to civilian life or campus culture, and Warrior-Scholar Project helps them find camaraderie and guidance during this pivotal transition. In fact, a study found that WSP is the only program of its kind dedicated to veterans that not only provides targeted support for academic success, but also improves social connection and relationships with both faculty and nonveteran students. 

“This experience enabled me to understand the rigorous academic schedule in an Ivy League school setting. The major components that WSP exposed me to were attending office hours and ‘de-greening’—both of which are vital in academia. After taking the course, I feel invincible,” said Edwin Sandavol, a Marine Corps veteran and WSP-Columbia alumnus. 

The WSP impact is far-reaching—90% of WSP alumni have completed or are on track to earn a college degree, compared with 72% of all student veterans and 65% of traditional undergraduate students. WSP participants are also diverse; of WSP’s 2022 cohort, 60% identified as first-generation college students, 70% were persons of color, and 28% were women. 

WSP launched its first boot camp at Yale University in 2012 with nine participants. Since then, the program has expanded to 21 of America’s top schools and has helped more than 2,000 veterans get a head start in higher education. Support from Columbia University and investments made by foundations, corporations, and private donors cover the entire cost of the program for participants.

About Warrior-Scholar Project

An official partner with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) is a national nonprofit that empowers enlisted veterans and service members to excel at four-year universities. WSP’s flagship program helps veterans gain skills required for college success and support for the cultural shift from the military to higher education via intensive one- to two-week academic boot camps at top-tier schools. During the immersive experience, students are housed on campus and engage in challenging discussions with accomplished professors while receiving tailored instruction on key skills like analytical reading and college-level writing. WSP also offers workshops tailored to address the unique needs of veterans enrolled in community colleges and targeted programming for marginalized veterans, such as its Women Veterans Empowerment Dialogues. Warrior-Scholar Project offers programs at public and private colleges and universities nationwide. For more information, visit www.warrior-scholar.org.

About Columbia University

Among the world’s leading research universities, Columbia University in the City of New York continually seeks to advance the frontiers of scholarship and foster a campus community deeply engaged in understanding and confronting the complex issues of our time through teaching, research, patient care, and public service. The University comprises 17 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, and four affiliated colleges and seminaries in Northern Manhattan, as well as a wide array of research institutes and global centers located in major cities around the world. More than 40,000 accomplished students, award-winning faculty, and professional staff define the University’s underlying values and commitment to pursuing new knowledge and educating informed, engaged citizens. Founded in 1754 as King’s College, Columbia is the fifth oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.

About Columbia University School of General Studies

The Columbia University School of General Studies (GS), founded in 1947, is the premier liberal arts college in the United States for nontraditional undergraduate students seeking a rigorous, traditional Ivy League education, including those who have served in the U.S. and foreign militaries. Currently, more than 500 veterans are enrolled at the School. GS students take the same courses, study with the same faculty, and earn the same degree as all other undergraduates at Columbia University.