UTSA researchers explore experiences of Black, Latino student veterans in higher education

JANUARY 22, 2025 — Navigating the transition from military to civilian life is a challenge that many veterans face, but for those entering higher education, the cultural dissonance can be even more pronounced.

For UTSA doctoral student Bryce Kyle, Pitt doctoral student Cole Caudle, and Alonzo M. Flowers III, professor and department chair of the UTSA Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, this issue was at the heart of their research into the academic journeys of Black and Latino student veterans.

When Kyle and Caudle met a few years ago, they discovered a shared passion for exploring the experiences of student veterans, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. As veterans, they understood the unique challenges that this population faces during the transition from military to civilian life and to the world of higher education.

“In Fiscal Year 2023, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reported that 862,750 beneficiaries received education benefits across seven active programs, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill, and the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program,” Kyle said. “However, the absence of a federal student unit record system means these numbers do not accurately reflect how many veterans transition into higher education each year. Some may attend without activating VA benefits or rely on state-specific programs, such as the Hazlewood Act in Texas.”

“We need to open up opportunities for students who are not military-affiliated, to be around people who are. After that exposure, I think it’s going to help a lot with understanding why there is cultural friction.”

Bryce Kyle

The researchers’ recent article, Completing the Odyssey: Exploring the Homecoming Journeys of Black and Latino Student Veterans, published in the Journal of Veterans Studies, focuses on the academic journeys of Black and Latino student veterans, with an emphasis on war and homecoming, using arts-based discussions as a research method to engage participants in the study.

Focus groups consisting of four Black and Latino student veterans were conducted to gain deeper insights about their experiences. The Touchstones discussion project, Completing the Odyssey: A Journey Home, a discussion program led by veterans for veterans, empowers individual voices by creating reflection and active listening. It explores themes of military service, integration, belonging and identity formation using texts and artwork to uncover the perspectives of student-veterans, with Homer’s The Odyssey, as the primary text.

Cole Caudle

“There is both individual and group work that builds trust and cohesion, and that facilitates depth and exploratory discussion and builds greater group dynamics,” Caudle said about the program. “This facilitates one of the key things that Touchstones wants to do as an organization, to help others develop their voice and to raise their voice. We know no one can give someone a voice, but we can help them, give them the tools necessary and boost their confidence and make their voice feel heard as well.”

The researchers identified four key themes during their study: the insider-outsider mentality, the call for critical conversations, bridge-building and the hoplite phalanx.

The insider-outsider mentality refers to how veterans often feel misunderstood or marginalized in civilian settings due to cultural differences and media portrayals of military life. Using Picasso’s Guernica alongside journalist George Steer’s photographs of the Guernica bombing created conversation among participants about how the media can oversimplify or sensationalize the realities of war for civilian audiences. This disconnect contributes to the insider-outsider divide, as one-sided portrayals of war prevent civilians from fully understanding the depth of veterans’ experiences. As a result, veterans face significant challenges when reintegrating into civilian settings, where their complex experiences are often misunderstood.

The study also revealed that, especially in academic environments, this specific group of veterans expressed a strong desire to engage in deeper, more meaningful discussions about their experiences. The call for critical conversations underscores the need for open dialogue to foster understanding and bridge gaps between military and civilian communities. The call for critical conversations was emphasized by Elijah (a pseudonym), a participant in a focus group, who explained, “‘with like a little bit [of] bias… [thinking] we’re going to talk about veteran stuff. But… we’re broadly discussing a lot of things that we don’t always have an opportunity to kind of sit down and talk about.’”

The call for critical conversations is further supported by the theme of bridge-building, where veterans are eager to share their stories and help others understand the complexities of military life, despite often feeling like outsiders.

The final theme, hoplite phalanx, named after the Greek military formation where soldiers line up shoulder-to-shoulder and lock their shields together for mutual support and protection, draws on that idea of mutual support among veterans, using their military experiences to form bonds of trust and solidarity.  

To address these challenges, the researchers recommend fostering more opportunities for cross-cultural exchange and understanding. “We need to open up opportunities for students who are not military-affiliated, to be around people who are,” Kyle explained. “After that exposure, I think it’s going to help a lot with understanding why there is cultural friction.”

The UTSA research study highlights the need for higher education institutions to create more inclusive and empowering spaces for student-veterans. By embracing the cultural tensions and discomfort that may arise, colleges and universities can foster transformative learning experiences while supporting the well-being of this unique student population.

“What’s needed for educators and higher ed is patience and to trust the process, allow it to take the time it needs,” Caudle said. This requires investing in cross-cultural training and arts-based programs that amplify veteran perspectives. Only by building bridges between veteran and non-veteran students can colleges and universities truly support the unique needs of this growing population and help them thrive academically.

— Katelyn Juarez