OPERATION COLLEGE PROMISE (OCP) BACKGROUNDER
June 2015
Operation College Promise (OCP) is a national policy, research and education program based in Trenton, New Jersey, which supports the transition and postsecondary advancement of our nation’s veterans. Originating in 2008 as a web-based resource (www.OperationCollegePromise.com), the project was founded by the New Jersey Association of State
Colleges and Universities (NJASCU) to centralize comprehensive transition information. In 2009, OCP was one of 20 applicants awarded an ACE/Walmart Foundation “Success for Veterans” grant. Today, OCP has partner institutions across the nation, a National Advisory Council (NAC) to support its broader national mission and is now officially part of Thomas Edison State College (TESC). EDUCATION
Educating veterans, and those who serve them, is a top priority of OCP. In 2009, the program developed and published the nation’s first resource manual for veterans’ service providers - The OCP Field Guide which provides a blueprint for local, state and national support services to aid veterans in transition. The signature Certificate for Veterans’ Service Providers (CVSP) professional development program has trained over 500 professionals from about 30 states to build a campus support network that will maximize student veterans’ potential in the higher education community. The CVSP training has been offered at eight different locations including The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (Pomona, NJ), Ramapo College of New Jersey (Lyndhurst, NJ), Texas State University (San Marcos, TX), the University of North Carolina (Charlotte, NC), Texas A&M (San Antonio, TX), Ashford University (San Diego, CA), CareerTech for Vets (Oklahoma City, OK) and the Association of Independent State Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island (Providence, RI). The rigorous, 2 ½ day curriculum includes seven modules taught by a cross-section of leaders in the field of military education, including: the American Council on Education (ACE); the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU); associates from the Chairman’s Office on Reintegration (CORe); and Soldier for Life. Each presentation is tailored to meet the specific needs of the hosting agency and includes a private tour of a local military installation. OCP launched its Speaker Series in March 2011 with a screening of “Warrior Champions” at William Paterson University, along with theatrical performances of “Into the Fire” at Montclair State University and “The Telling Project” at Stockton College. Direct outreach to veterans supports the dissemination of information to our veterans and service members. OCP staff regularly participates in the New Jersey National Guard’s mandatory “Yellow Ribbon” Post and Pre-deployment programming. Additionally, OCP provides updated information on existing and emerging resources through the OCP website, quarterly “Mail Call” e-newsletter, and social networking sites. OCP provides access to current best practices through an interactive “Listserv” – the Veterans Education Support Network (VESN) – a collaborative with Texas A&M which links more than 500 veterans coordinators at colleges and universities across the nation. OCP has also partnered with POSREP on a GPS-driven mobile app, also titled POSREP, to help connect veterans with their peers and local resources. This initiative was developed in direct response to the critical need to combat suicide and other consequences of service-related mental disorders. RESEARCH
OCP partnered with the Pat Tillman Foundation to survey institutions across the nation in a pilot evaluation of the Graduation Probability Indices (GPI) ™ - a methodology developed by OCP. This landmark report “Completing the Mission: A Pilot Study of Veteran Students’ Progress toward Degree Attainment in the Post-9/11 Era” was followed up in 2013 by an expanded study: “Completing the Mission II: A Study of Veteran Students’ Progress toward Degree Attainment in the Post-9/11 Era” which increased the size of the study to 23 four-year institutions. POLICY
OCP staff regularly testifies before the New Jersey Legislature on policies affecting veterans and their transition. For its efforts, OCP was awarded a Senate Resolution recognizing the program as a national model. The project collaborated with the New Jersey State Senate to establish the first “Veterans’ Education Awareness Week,” on November 13-19, 2011. This initiative was made annual in 2012 as an ongoing effort to educate veterans on their education benefits. OCP is also researching condensed degree programs that maximize the benefits of the Post-9/11 GI bill, while recognizing the skill sets of our military students in fields with potential for long-term employment. The first of these, “VETeach,” a streamlined teaching degree plan, was signed into New Jersey Statute on April 5, 2012. Other streamlined degree plans are being researched in engineering, psychology, business, and nursing. IN THE PRESS
OCP’s work has been featured in the New York Times, USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Chronicle on Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, Military Advanced Education, NBC, Fox News, NPR and CNN, among other local and media outlets. For more information on Operation College Promise (OCP), visit www.OperationCollegePromise.com or call 609-777-5696.
