Military and Veteran Friendly Campus
About the Military and Veteran Friendly Campus Initiative
In February 2021, the University of Alberta began a two-year Military and Veteran Friendly Campus (MVFC) pilot program with funding from the Government of Alberta.
The U of A’s Office of the Dean of Students (DOS) in collaboration with the Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC) in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine will establish a Military and Veteran Friendly Campus that is sustainable and continues for the foreseeable future. It will implement a system of support and services for Canadian military members and Veterans, promoting proactive collaboration across campus service providers, between institutions, and in collaboration with the greater community.
What are the plans?
The goals of this project are to:
- Reduce barriers for Veterans seeking admission to the U of A through application of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)
- Create cultural awareness and change to develop a military member & Veteran (MMV) friendly environment
- Implement strengths-based programming and resources that recognize the unique needs of MMV students intended to empower and facilitate independence in order to optimize their opportunity for success
- Build partnerships through strengthening ties with internal and external partners, veteran organizations and service providers, and community partners to inform implementation of a MVFC and in design of the MVFC Toolkit
- Co-design a MVFC toolkit with all relevant parties’ implicit input to be presented to the Government of Alberta that can be used by other Alberta post-secondary institutions to replicate the MVFC model on their campuses
Using MVFC evidence-based practices (EBP) (Rumann & Hamrick, 2009) we plan to deliver the following over the next two years:
- MMV identification: A mechanism whereby military members and Veterans can self-report their status at the time of admissions application, allowing for enhanced data gathering and tracking
- Website: Create and maintain a Military and Veteran-Friendly Campus website
- A campus-based service centre: Develop a physical space where MMV’s can network and obtain contextualized services and resources related to admissions, financial supports, academic success, physical and mental health supports, and social supports
- Mentorship: Develop and launch a Veteran-student peer mentorship program, and a specific orientation program for incoming students
- PLAR: Advocacy for flexible course equivalencies that recognize CAF training and education
- Pathways: Build pathways to shared care and services (e.g., academic, career counselling, OT support, mental health assistance, VAC CM, TG, OSIs etc.) in order to help empower students to navigate various systems
- Cultural awareness and change: Develop a training module for campus community members to develop an understanding of military culture, trauma-informed care, and to assist staff in recognizing the challenges for Veterans transitioning to civilian and post-secondary life
- Scale and spread: Create a toolkit for how to apply MVFC practices to post-secondary academic institutions across Campus Alberta
Research Phase 2 is now recruiting:
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Stakeholders, CAF and VAC staff representatives for focus groups to understand the process of engagement and how to best support military members, veterans pursuing post secondary education.
Stakeholders, CAF and VAC Staff Focus Group Dates are as follows:
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Students who are entering post-secondary education or have been engaged with our MVFC initiative to complete demographic surveys and focus groups regarding engagement with the MVFC.
Student Focus Group Dates are as follows:
To fill out our survey, please follow the link below.
Participate in Our Research
Frequently Asked Questions
MMV’s are eligible to apply for any programs offered by the U of A. Admissions requirements and application deadlines vary by program. Career counselling is available through the U of A Career Centre or VAC Career and Transition Services.
The Student Service Centre can help with any questions related to admissions, programs, and eligibility.
As this initiative is new, more programs and services will be developed in the coming months. For the most up to date information on the projects listed above, please contact mvfc.uofa@ualberta.ca.
Some Veterans may be eligible for the Education and Training Benefit through Veteran Affairs Canada.
There are also scholarships and loans available to all students. Veterans may also qualify for scholarships like the Alex Decoteau Scholarship of Honour, which are specially tailored to Veterans. After applying to a program, Veterans can fill out a single application and be assessed for scholarships and awards.The Office of the Dean of Students and HiMARC (Heroes in Mind Advocacy and Research Consortium) are collaborating on a two-year pilot program called the “Military and Veteran Friendly Campus.”
With this project, the U of A will be the first post-secondary institution in Alberta to offer a MVFC program that meets the unique needs of military members and Veterans and is aimed at ensuring their academic success. One outcome of the pilot program is to create a model that can be replicated and implemented at other post-secondary institutions across Alberta.
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