Description of the Topic   * The Post-9/11 GI Bill influenced veterans’ education rates (Cole & Kim, 2013).   * Veteran students are likely to be first-generation students.   * Military lifestyle affects veterans’ approach to education.   * Campus life and academic assignments pose challenges to veterans. In 2008, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistant Act was passed, granting new opportunities for veterans to access higher education. The campuses began receiving an increasing number of veteran students both off and on active duty (Cole & Kim, 2013). This trend is continuing, but colleges and universities still do not have a comprehensive system to accommodate the growing population of veterans. Why It Matters   * In general, research suggests that being a veteran on campus is more difficult than being a civilian on campus.   * Veteran students may benefit from facilitating a smoother transition from military life to student life. As a result, the latter are encountering challenges as they attempt to integrate into their new role as students. Co-curricular activities show promise for facilitating this integration, suggesting value in conducting a study to investigate whether veteran students’ academic performance can benefit from their participation in co-curricular events. Analyzing the views of student veterans toward education and other social activities can provide some insight into this inquiry. Bibliography   * Out of 1 million veterans, more than 75% use their benefits to enroll in postsecondary education (Cole & Kim, 2013).   * Veteran students’ past experiences can serve as a barrier to easy socialization (Grimes et al., 2011).   * Veterans struggle with assuming a new identity as college students (Jones, 2013).   * Student veterans are usually older than 24; they often have families (Grimes et al., 2011). The use of veterans’ benefits allows military veterans to start or continue their education and receive undergraduate and graduate degrees. Many individuals take advantage of this opportunity; nevertheless, a significant number of them encounter challenges as they seek to assimilate into a new role. While serving in the military, service members lead lives unlike those of civilians (Cole & Kim, 2013). Their view of life’s meaning as well as their everyday activities and thoughts depend substantially on their occupation. When they try to move on to an academic career, veterans perceive a myriad of issues in studying, socializing, and seeking support. The Development of the Proposed Argument   * Student veterans are less likely to engage with other students in scholarly and co-curricular activities (Cole & Kim, 2013).   * Veterans do not participate in other learning opportunities as often as civilian students (Cole & Kim, 2013)   * Co-curricular activities benefit students’ academic performance and outcomes (Tan & Pope, 2007).   * Collaboration and campus involvement positively affect student life (Frost, Strom, Downey, Schultz, & Holland, 2010). Former members of the military possess a different set of beliefs and principles that contributes to misunderstandings and separates student veterans from other attendees. Their integration into a new role is negatively impacted by a lack of socialization. According to Tan and Pope (2007), co-curricular activities can solve this problem for many individuals, allowing people to connect through hobbies and personal inter