East Carolina University is providing college transition assistance to military veterans

East Carolina University is providing college transition assistance to military veterans. The Veteran to Scholar Bridge Program is aimed at helping student veterans succeed before they begin their first full semester at ECU.

The Veteran to Scholar Bridge Program is a two and a half week course offered in the summer to veterans who are beginning their studies at ECU in the fall. Program Director Anna Froula said, "I am working with the student veteran services on this and what we've found is that the first semester can be pretty rough for returning veterans who are getting back into the classroom for the first time in a while."

During this humanities course, students explore texts and films that focus on military life and war themes. The goal is to start a discussion and prepare the students to use their writing, critical reading, and communication skills before the upcoming semester. Military Veteran Ashley Hunter welcomes the transition assistance. She said, "That's why I like this class a lot because you are not going into the college life alone."

This is the second year ECU has hosted this program. It began last summer on a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.