Fifteen military veterans are wrapping up a week-long academic training bootcamp at UNC-Chapel Hill designed to help them transition easier into college. It's part of a national program called the Warrior-Scholar Project.
Lara Taylor, director of Carolina's orientation, says some vets come straight from service, while others have been out for a few years.
"But for all of them, the transition to the classroom was going to be a difficult one," Taylor said. "So we teach them reading skills for academic readings, writing skills for academic writing, and basic social skills that they can expect when entering the very unstructured environment that a college campus has to offer, compared the very structured environment that they left in the military."
Taylor says the program plans to welcome 30 veterans next year. Taylor is also a UNC graduate and a veteran in the U.S. Air Force. As a student, she helped found the Carolina Veterans Organization on campus.
"The strides that UNC-Chapel Hill has made this year in support of veterans is absolutely tremendous," Taylor said. "When I came to the University as a transfer student in 2012, there really were no resources."
Taylor said the program plans to welcome 30 veterans next year. The University will also waive the admissions application fee for veterans starting this fall.