Veteran Transition: Academic Excellence and Career Readiness

The skills you learned in the military will go a long way toward helping you succeed in college, but if you’re looking for some extra support – or an academic tune-up – then you’ll find it in this course. We know that the culture of higher education is different from the culture of the military in meaningful ways, and we also know that one of the keys to excelling in college–especially for student veterans–is learning to navigate these differences successfully, right from the very start.

This course aims to help you do just that. First, the course will orient you to the norms and expectations of the college classroom. The quicker you know what is expected of you, the quicker you can start learning. Second, the course will offer you strategies to ease your transition, to help you achieve your academic goals, and to allow you to make the most of your college education.

While this course is open to everyone, the content has been tailored specifically for student veterans currently pursuing higher education, active duty servicemembers who aspire to start school or return to school soon, and higher education professionals who work to support student veterans at their schools. If this sounds like you, and if you’re ready to learn how to make your transition easier and more successful, then we hope you’ll join us.

This online curriculum may be used in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, as a start-to finish, self-directed online experience (MOOC). It can also, in its current format, serve as an “orientation” for other student veteran success programs. We also invite you to utilize this resource as a library/toolkit of academic success strategies, a tool for flipped classroom pedagogy, or a companion text for on-the-ground transition courses.

We welcome the opportunity to assist higher education institutions (both 2-year and 4-year), military installation education services officers and transition assistance programs, veteran focused non-profit organizations, and more. To get underway, contact us at the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

This course is a collaboration between FourBlock and Columbia University, powered by T-Mobile.

The course will focus on the development of interpersonal, intrapersonal, and intellectual character strengths as they relate to making a successful career transition from military service to the civilian workforce. The course content is grounded in research, delivered by experts in their given fields, and is meant to provide you with a framework for an iterative process of self-reflection and the development of practical skills that enables you to make career choices that better align with your values, ambitions, and continued service. Ultimately, this course helps you answer the question: What should I do next?

The skills you learned in the military will go a long way toward helping you succeed in the civilian workforce, but if you’re looking for some extra guidance in figuring out what to do next for a career – and ultimately a new way to serve – then you’ll find it in this course.

The culture of corporate America is different from the culture of the military, and we also know that one of the keys to integrating back home and excelling in the civilian workforce - especially for veterans - is learning to navigate these differences successfully, right from the very start.

This course aims to help you do just that. First, the course will provide you with examples of the character strengths, or behaviors, that you need to exhibit in order to find new ways to continue to serve your community, find strength in your transition, and focus your time and efforts on opportunities that are most meaningful to you.

Second, the course will offer you practical strategies to ease your transition, to help you make better decisions for you and your family, and ultimately help you achieve your career goals and reach your potential.

While this course is open to everyone, the content has been tailored for veterans, active duty service members who plan to transition into civilian employment, and professionals who work to support veterans as they transition. If this sounds like you, and if you’re ready to learn how to make your transition easier and more successful, then we hope you’ll join us.

We welcome the opportunity to assist colleges, career transition programs, non-profit organizations, and more, in utilizing this online curriculum to supplement your established programs. To get underway, contact us at FourBlock or Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.