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AUSTIN (KXAN) – The University of Texas at Austin is ranked the best college for veterans in Texas, according to a US & World News Report ranking on Monday. The ranking follows the University’s September 23 recognition by the Texas Veterans Commission, commending UT Austin for its veteran education services.
At the national level, UT Austin was ranked 10th among all public universities and 16th among all private and public universities due to its long-standing resources. There are currently more than 475 veterans enrolled in UT programs, according to a university press release.
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Approximately 1.4 million Texans are considered veterans, according to the 2019 American Community Survey.
Approximately 1,300 students are either spouses or children of current or former military personnel, the statement said.
“Providing world-class teaching and mentoring resources for veterans is a top priority and proud of the University of Texas,” UT Austin President Jay Hartzell said in the press release. “Both recognitions underscore our continued commitment to support our student veterans and their families.”
UT Austins Institute for Military and Veteran Family Wellness specializes in nursing access and services for veterans returning to civilian life and entering post-military professional training. The institute’s program includes spouse support networks, peer support groups, and transition resources for veteran families.
As veterans begin this next chapter of their lives, they may encounter unforeseen challenges adjusting, said Elisa Borah, scientific associate professor and director of the Institute for Military and Veteran Family Wellness. She said the most successful transitions take a multi-faceted approach, from adapting to college environments to connecting with Veterans Affairs resources.
“They are leaving a culture and type of career that they have sometimes been in for a long time and that is very different from civil culture and civil life,” she said. “The jobs cannot always be transferred to jobs in the civil sector, and the lifestyle is also very different.”
As the UT’s veteran student population has evolved over the years, Borah said veteran enrollments at the university are increasing. As more veterans call UT Austin their home, she said the university is working to expand its veteran family transition program to better meet their needs.
UT is also working on a pilot peer support program for active duty spouses at Fort Hood to help them better prepare for an eventual return to civilian life with their partners.
Matt Newland, a senior at UT Austin and a five-year Marine Corps veteran, said he noticed parallels between his previous career and current academic path. He studied government while studying Russian as a minor and said he got a behind-the-scenes look at some of the nuances and thought processes behind intelligence strategies he used to work with.
“I was an intelligence specialist, so I came up with this kind of community and this way of thinking. And it’s very interesting, and I think that’s what made me go to study government because there are so many parallels and it’s fun, ”he said. “From being what I would say is that ‘the pointy end of foreign policy’ to going backwards and learning from ‘Okay, what exactly are we trying to achieve in this scenario?’ And that was just fascinating. “
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With around 500 experienced students on a campus of more than 40,000 students, Newland said he was often the only veteran in his classes. This provided an opportunity to dispel any misnomer around veterans and highlight what they bring to the table.
For some, there’s an assumption that veterans always think inside the box and are strictly procedural, he said. From his experience, Newland said that a lot of creativity and free thinking went into his experience with the Marine Corps. Similar skills that he would now like to implement in his degree.
If veterans are supported with the necessary resources, they can thrive in their new environment while returning to civilian life, he said.
“If we rearrange our veterans the right way, they can become really very productive members of their community, and they have so many good things to bring to their communities,” he said. “Valuable experiences and skills that really have to be brought about.”
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