Partnering with America’s universities to advance the future of our nation’s heroes.
Transitioning from the structure of military life often
includes the decision to attend a university—
the next step in the journey of pursuing the American dream.
The National Veterans Leadership Foundation believes in that dream, too. We know that military students have special experiences, training, and potential. They’re natural leaders looking to carry forward their service spirit in business, healthcare, public service and beyond.
That spirit fuels our work: to help universities better serve their student veteran and military-connected population by understanding their unique needs, offering opportunities for leadership and fostering their success.
OUR WORK
The NVLF partners with universities to enhance experiences and outcomes for veteran and military-connected students.
OUR PROGRAMS
Our core programs seek to:
Empower students: Support military-connected students who serve as leaders and drive change on their campuses.
Engage campus leadership: Work with Mil-Vet office directors and other campus leaders to advance efforts to serve the military community.
Grow community support: Help universities build greater support for mil-vet students within their local communities, building connections and increasing financial support.
Build career partnerships: Develop programs and resources that help military-connected students successfully transition from campus-to-career.
OUR IMPACT
Our work with universities leads to more fulfilling campus and career opportunities for our nation’s heroes, which ultimately contributes to making a greater impact in both their workplace and community.
REACH
50,000+
MILITARY STUDENTS
ENGAGE
800,000+
TOTAL STUDENTS
INFLUENCE
4,000,000+
ALUMNI POPULATION
TRANSITIONING TO THE NEXT CHAPTER
Military-connected students—veterans, active duty, reserve, National Guard, ROTC, spouses and dependents—are non-traditional students who have demonstrated commitment to service and often bring years of earned experience, leadership, and skills to a campus. Yet these life experiences place them outside the traditional student profile of a recent high school graduate.
By providing programs and services that help military-connected students thrive within the academic, social and cultural realities of college, the NVLF helps universities play a powerful role in preparing them to transition to the next chapter of their careers and find new ways to serve as a leader.
62%
of military students are first-generation college students compared to 35% of all undergrads
48%
of military undergraduates are over the age of 30 compared to 20% of all undergrads
47%
of student veterans have children compared to 22% of all undergrads
40%
of military undergraduates self-report as Black, Hispanic, Asian or Other