Cammies to college: organizational sensemaking of student veterans on "veteran friendly" college campuses

This study investigates the experiences of student veterans on California State University campuses by examining how they are socialized on campus and how they navigate their identities as a student and a veteran. To understand the student veteran perspective, an overview of current issues facing student veterans is reviewed, followed by a look at three different methodologies currently used by Gannett Company, Victory Media, and U.S. News to determine and rank “veteran friendly” college campuses. The review of literature focuses on organizational socialization, organizational identity, and sensemaking. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 22 participants who narrated their experiences on CSU campuses and were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. The findings indicate that participants articulated their socialization experiences consistent with a framework created by the White House Administration for student veterans called, “The 8 Keys to Success”. Participants in the study also revealed their veteran identity on college campuses shapes their interactions with other students, staff and faculty in both positive and negative ways. For those participants who viewed their veteran status as a potential barrier to their success in college, many choose to hide their veteran status for fear of negative consequences. The findings have important implications for universities that claim they are “veteran friendly” or are seeking that status, and the veterans who are looking for campuses that are equipped with an organizational culture that will facilitate their success. Future communication research on the role of identity and self-disclosure in the organizational socialization processes is also suggested.