New STARS Integration Curriculum for Military at Endicott College is First of its Kind

Members of the military who are interested in attending college can now receive credit for an introductory class offered at Endicott College that focuses on translating the military experience to success in higher education.

‘Strategies for Transition, Academia, Readjustment & Success for Military Students’ – or STARS - explores the significant and historical impact of military undergraduates and veterans upon college communities. The class examines research and case study evidence to learn successful strategies for transition, adjustment and reintegration to college life and beyond.

“As a country, we need to do more to support our servicemembers in the military,” said Dr. Richard Wylie, President of Endicott College. “We can start by doing all we can to help them find success in higher education and put their hard-earned military experience to use in the workforce. Our hope is that the STARS class will offer reassurance that Endicott is here to support our military and veterans to help them transition back into civilian life and thrive there.”

Goals for the STARS course include:

• Apply military leadership skills to college life: service, academic commitment, confidence, and openness to one’s academic discipline.
• Articulate the unique role of students who are serving or have served in the military in the college environment.
• Demonstrate the skills needed to successfully navigate college and civilian life.
• Understand the role of culture in identity formation and articulate common challenges in the post-military transition.
• Define resiliency and be able to successfully design a health and wellness plan that is supportive of academic and professional success.

Endicott is also a chapter for the Student Veterans of America, a non-profit dedicated to helping veterans navigate and succeed in college, a Yellow Ribbon School, and a participant in the Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership (VITAL) Program.

For more information, please visit http://www.endicott.edu/Military-Veterans or contact Laura Douglass, Assistant Dean of Professional Studies at the Van Loan School at Endicott College, at 978-998-7750 or ldouglas@endicott.edu.