University representatives from across the U.S. gathered at Syracuse University this week to find better ways to get veterans into higher education.
A university news release said the event included not only university leaders, but also government officials and private company executives to expand educational opportunities for veterans and those connected to the military.
SU Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie said he hopes collaboration between academic institutions and the U.S. defense and veterans departments will grow as a result of the event, which was in the works for a year.
"That the summit was actually born out of a conversation between leaders here at Syracuse and the University of Tennessee, when they came up, and they wanted to learn what we're doing in terms of the work we do for veterans here," Haynie said.
The two-day summit, identified by the university as first-of-its kind, marked the 50th anniversary of the end of the draft, resulting on an all-volunteer military.
But Haynie said the armed forces is facing issues recruiting service members because for many young people, the military not an important part of their daily lives, and noted the need for better representation in film and television.
"All the myths and stereotypes about who military connected individuals are, are informed by these characters that are described on you know,—you pick the movie, you pick the TV show and the reality is the majority of them are fundamentally flawed," Haynie said.
At the meeting, SU's National Veteran Resource Center played host to a panel around both the military's recruitment challenges and higher education's efforts to enroll more veterans.
Haynie said both sides are trying to reach the same population, which is declining.
"You know, 20% or so fewer 18-year-olds coming out of high school, and in the northeast, it's going to be worse, it's 27%," Haynie said. "So if you think about higher education and the military, we're essentially both competing for the intention of America's youth and, and that pie is shrinking."
Enrollment at SU of veterans or students connected to the military increased by 500% over nine years, the university said on its website.
