From Service to Scholar: Veterans thrive at MSU 

In a Brody Hall classroom, a group of veterans sits together as Warrior-Scholar Project Fellow Harry Foster poses a question: “Why are we taught military history at boot camp?” The room falls quiet for a beat, then one by one, the veterans begin to share. Some cite morale, others discuss legacy. Foster listens, deftly navigating the conversation and inviting the participants to dive deeper. A Marine Corps veteran and a WSP fellow since 2021, Foster has led discussions like this before, but each new cohort brings its unique perspective. This discussion isn’t about finding the right answer; it’s about introducing their academic voice, one veteran at a time.

The mission of WSP

The Warrior-Scholar Project is designed for moments like this. A national nonprofit, WSP hosts weeklong academic boot camps at top universities across the country, giving veterans the tools and confidence to thrive in higher education. The program returns for a second year at MSU and is backed by MSU’s Center for Veterans and Military-Affiliated Students, or CVMAS, where Director Patrick Forystek and his team ensure that participants who decide to attend MSU don’t just survive the transition but thrive once on campus.

“Last year’s inaugural boot camp showed us just how impactful this program can be. It

not only prepared veterans for the academic transition but also helped them build confidence and community. We’re proud to continue this work with Warrior-Scholar Project,” says Forystek.

Through lectures, writing workshops, small group sessions and countless impromptu conversations on walks across campus, the program chips away at the imposter syndrome many veterans feel and helps encourage a sense of belonging in higher education spaces.

“When you hear the word boot camp, you think perfection, going back into military mode,” says Aeryeon Parker, a Navy veteran from Saginaw. However, this has been such a welcoming experience — supportive, almost like a family.”

Building a new life with history

For Dominic Pucillo, the Warrior-Scholar Project arrived at the right moment. After four years in the Marine Corps as a motor transport operator, the Ann Arbor native was preparing to step into a new chapter this fall as a social studies education major at MSU, with plans to one day teach history.

“I’ve always felt a calling to be a history teacher; now I’m finally doing it,” Pucillo says. However, after years in the rigid structure of the military, the idea of walking into a college classroom at 22, surrounded by 18-year-olds fresh out of high school, felt unfamiliar and a little daunting. Luckily for Pucillo, WSP helps to ease that transition. The program introduces participants to academic texts, the art of notetaking, and the structure of lectures taught by MSU professors. Through these activities and the nightly group discussions, Pucillo found a space to address these apprehensions and prepare for the transition to campus. One small group session, in particular, stuck with him. “We talked about how you can’t go through college by yourself. You need a community,” he says. “That resonated.”

That community for Pucillo is personal. His father works in MSU’s College of Law, and his brother is a proud Spartan alum. He grew up watching MSU athletics and hearing stories about campus life and, now, it’s his turn. “There are so many clubs and student organizations on campus,” he says. “That’s what drew me to MSU; I want to find my place.”

A campus designed for everyone

For student veterans like Pucillo, finding that sense of belonging is a crucial part of the university experience, and it’s a piece that makes MSU a natural fit with the WSP structure, given the university’s founding mission. Land-grant universities like

Michigan State were created to make higher education accessible to more than the privileged, wealthy elites. These institutions serve as welcoming spaces for students from all backgrounds and experiences — pairing academic excellence with resources that wrap around and provide support to students throughout their time on campus. By design, land-grant institutions emphasize public service, outreach and student support, creating an environment where programs like WSP can thrive and help veterans translate military skills into academic success.

That commitment is also what led Aeryeon Parker to the program. He first heard about WSP from Forystek, who introduced him to the resources on campus for veterans and encouraged him to apply to WSP. For Parker — and countless others — that connection has become a doorway into a program that not only reignited a love of learning but also provided a supportive community while making that transition from military to academic life.

“MSU is special because of the support that CVMAS and Patrick [Forystek] provide. WSP is at many universities, but at institutions like Harvard, Yale, Columbia, etc., you might think you have to be a certain way or might be intimidated,” says Foster. “With MSU being a land-grant institution, it’s more accessible. The campus is spacious and inviting, so it’s a layered, domino effect that provides a great experience for participants.”

The hidden curriculum of WSP

Fellows like Foster are integral to the experience that WSP provides. Arriving two days before the participants, fellows acclimate to the space and get familiar with the

campus. This preparation allows them to serve as mentors, guiding their participants through the hidden expectations of higher education — unwritten norms and a sometimes overwhelming system that can be challenging to navigate.

Despite these challenges, Foster believes that veterans should view their experiences as assets, not liabilities, and strives to model this in his own life.

“To be a good fellow, I also have to practice what I preach, seeking out community and resources and taking care of myself physically and mentally,” Foster says.

Sitting with Foster and watching him interact with participants, it’s clear to see the incredible professor he will become one day and the impact he’ll have on his community. Foster has been with WSP since 2021, so he’s had the privilege of not only seeing his participants become fellows, but their participants become fellows too. It’s a ripple effect that will continue, no matter where his plans take him.

“As a future professor, I know I will continue to seek out the veteran community on whatever campus I’m at,” he adds.

Veterans thrive with MSU support

For veterans on campus, Michigan State is not just a place to earn a degree. It’s a community where shared experience and support are built into daily life.

Much of that happens in the Center for Veterans and Military-Affiliated Students, located in the basement of the Student Services Building. With a living room–style space and multiple private and group study rooms, it has become a space where veterans can build community and find a quiet place to unwind between classes. The center is often the site of student success programming, community events and registered student organization meetings for groups like the Student Veterans of America, Veterans Adventure League and other military-affiliated student organizations. CVMAS also hosts a biweekly visit from the Battle Creek VA Medical Center through the Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership, or VITAL, program. This program embeds a VA social worker on campus to assist student veterans in setting up and navigating VA health care, as well as providing direct clinical mental health care to eligible veterans.

Peer connections are key to many of the programs housed within CVMAS. New student veterans are welcomed to MSU by the Peer Advisors for Veteran Education, or PAVE, program, which pairs new students with a peer student advisor to help them navigate campus. This year, military dependents have been added to the PAVE program, piloting a new team of four military dependents who will work with incoming students to ease the transition to college and support a sense of belonging and community in a population that’s often overlooked.

To better assist campus partners who may work with student veterans, CVMAS is piloting a training program this year for faculty and staff through the D2L platform that includes six required and six optional training modules in topics like “The Basics of Military Culture,” “15 Things Veterans Want You to Know,” and a multi-part module on supporting women veterans. Participation in this training will better prepare MSU faculty and staff to connect with and support military-affiliated students. Departments can earn a Veteran Ready Organization designation if 85% or more of their teams complete the training.

For students stepping out of the uniform and into classrooms, these layers of support mean they do not have to navigate the transition alone. Together, these efforts work to build something simple yet essential: a campus where veterans are welcomed, supported and encouraged to thrive in the years following their service.