Warrior-Scholar Project

Transition from the battlefield to the classroom with immersive academic boot camps designed to help student veterans succeed at college.

For many enlisted veterans, college is a critical next step in acclimating to civilian life and landing a fulfilling career after transitioning from military service. While this is an exciting new chapter, many find the adjustment to college to be a challenging experience, especially without the support and camaraderie they had while in the service. If you’re planning to earn your undergraduate degree after separating, or are already enrolled and feel like you could use some guidance, Warrior-Scholar Project is here to help!

Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) is a national nonprofit that empowers enlisted veterans and service members to excel at four-year universities through immersive one- to two-week academic boot camps at some of the nation’s top colleges and universities — including Yale, Harvard, Notre Dame, University of Southern California, and Texas A&M, among many others. The nonprofit also offers workshops tailored to address the unique needs of veterans enrolled in community college. Offered at no cost to veterans and enlisted active duty service members, the programs are designed to introduce veterans to college-level material and an academic environment while learning strategies to become better students.

During a WSP academic boot camp, participants are taught by university faculty and graduate students at the host institution with support from highly-successful student veteran fellows who have completed the program. Students are introduced to analytical reading, writing, and other academic and everyday skills crucial to success in higher education. The curriculum also helps veterans adjust to life on campus and learn how to effectively engage in the classroom. Additionally, participants have the opportunity to learn about the many challenges student veterans experience during their transition to college, including the complex university application and admission process.

The introductory academic experience has a lasting impact: 100% of 2021 WSP participants recommend WSP to fellow veterans, and 98% indicated that they are more confident they will complete a bachelor’s degree.

“Warrior-Scholar Project surprised me. It is not that I had low expectations, or did not care about the intentions of the project — I could not believe that a free resource like this actually exists. The opportunity to attend seminars and lectures with quality professors the way that we did is something you would normally expect to pay money for! The people here at WSP are doing something special for the veterans community.” — Corey Theiss, WSP-Princeton University alumnus

“The different seminars with the Williams College professors really helped me establish the kind of voice I want to have in the classroom. One of the most important pieces of advice I received during WSP is that imposter syndrome is real. The only person that believes you don’t deserve to be there is yourself. Knowing that and having that rattling around in the back of my mind has helped me see myself in the same light as my peers, and I’m so grateful to WSP for helping me learn that.” — Brittany Andrade, WSP-Williams College alumna

Apply Today!

Warrior-Scholar Project is now accepting applications for its summer 2022 academic boot camps. With partners at colleges nationwide, student veterans have the unique opportunity to learn from esteemed university faculty in humanities, STEM, and/or business curriculum focuses. Veterans looking to jumpstart their education can learn more about the program and apply at www.warrior-scholar.org.

Warrior-Scholar Project’s academic boot camps traditionally take place from June through August and are exclusively for current and former enlisted service members who are intent on pursuing higher education. Typically, student veterans enjoy the full college experience from staying in dorms to eating in the dining hall to studying in the historic libraries of the host institution. With the exception of travel (if applicable), these courses are offered at no cost to the student veteran participant. WSP intends to fully return to in-person programming at all partner institutions for summer 2022. However, due to pandemic-related uncertainties, WSP is unable to guarantee that all programming will be offered on campus. In the event that on-site programming is deemed unsafe, WSP will keep applicants informed if those programs are converted to the virtual platform.

Warrior-Scholar Project has partnered with the following universities for 2022:

Yale University — Students can choose a STEM or business course, offered in conjunction with humanities, two-weeks
Princeton University — Humanities and STEM course, two-weeks
Georgetown University — Humanities course, one-week
Texas A&M — Humanities and STEM course, two-weeks
University of Arizona — Humanities and STEM course, two-weeks
University of Pennsylvania — Humanities course, one-week
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — Humanities course, one-week
Harvard University — Humanities course, one-week
University of Notre Dame — Students can choose a STEM or business course, offered in conjunction with humanities, two-weeks
Massachusetts Institute of Technology — STEM course, one-week
Syracuse University — Humanities and business course, two-weeks
Cornell University — Humanities and STEM course, two-weeks
University of Michigan — Humanities course, one-week
California Institute of Technology — STEM course, one-week
University of Southern California — Humanities and business course, two-weeks
Columbia University — Humanities course, one-week
Williams College — Humanities course, one-week
Amherst College — Humanities course, one-week
University of Chicago — Humanities and STEM course, two-weeks
University of California, Irvine — Humanities course, one-week
Pomona College — Humanities course, one-week

For more information and to apply, visit www.warrior-scholar.org.