Supporting Veterans: Using Role-Plays with Virtual Humans to Build Military Cultural Competency and Helping Behaviors in Faculty and Staff

Veterans enter the classroom with valuable life and leadership experience; however, transitioning to student life represents unique challenges. Student veterans may bring to campus the negative aftereffects of their combat experiences in the form of Post-Traumatic Stress, substance abuse, depression, and thoughts of suicide. This study examines the impact of a new and innovative virtual role-play simulation where faculty and staff gain understanding the unique value veterans bring to campus, the obstacles they face in their pursuit of a college degree, effective tactics for helping those in distress.