1. The Student Veterans of America has a history of providing services and support to veterans who
choose to pursue a college career, however, it may prove to be valuable to educate high school
seniors who are considering a military career, then college as this may help them in planning long-
term academic goals and investigating the universities which have the most success in supporting
student veterans.
HORNET’S PR
Delaware State University | Bateman Team #1
1200 North DuPont Hwy | Dover, Delaware 19901
2016 Team
Kymberly Brewton
Couryei Cobb
Erik Donaldson
Ife Owens
Amber Mitchell
Imani James (alternate)
Advisors
Dr. Francine Edwards and David Skocik
OPERATION: B.T.G.
BRIDGING THE GAP: PREPARING FUTURE VETERANS FOR A
SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE CAREER

2. 1
March 31, 2016
PRSSA Bateman Competition
33 Maiden Lane
11th Floor
New York, NY 10038-5150
Dear Bateman Campaign Review Committee:
Our team is excited to submit this portfolio as entry into the Bateman Case Study competition.
We have enclosed the required documents for judging and look forward to the feedback and
possibility of being recognized as one of this year’s successful campaigns.
Should you need any information, please contact our advisor, Dr. Francine Edwards at 302-
857-6570.
Sincerely,
Erik Donaldson
PRSSA, Treasurer
Bateman Case Study Team #2 Lead
Department of Mass Communications
Delaware State University

3. 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary ……………………………………… 3
Research ………………………………………………….. 3
Target Audiences .………………………………………. 4
Key Messages …………………………………………… 5
Challenges and Opportunities ………………………….. 5
Objectives, Strategies, Tactics and Outcomes ………... 5
Results ……………………………………………………… 6
Conclusion …………………………………………………. 7
THE TEAM
HORNET’S PR
2016 Team #1
Kymberly Brewton
Couryei Cobb
Erik Donaldson, Team Lead
Ife Owens
Amber Mitchell
Delaware State University
Bateman Team #1
1200 North DuPont Hwy
Dover, Delaware 19901

4. 3
OPERATION: B.T.G.
BRIDGING THE GAP: PREPARING FUTURE
VETERANS FOR A SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE CAREER
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PROJECT: B.T.G. (Bridging the Gap) in accordance with the vision of Student
Veterans of America (SVA) which posits that all student veterans succeed in
postsecondary programs and contribute to civilian society in meaningful ways;
the team has completed its actions based on research that emphases early
planning and consideration of programs and services which are offered by
organizations like the SVA as a means of creating a pathway for success.
Furthermore, providing a proactive measure that will ensure that future student
veterans already know about programs in place, so that they will not feel lost
or inadequate when they transition from military service to the college
classroom.
Student Veterans of America’s CEO Jared Lyons believes in “the
transformative power of higher education.” To this end, our team felt it
necessary to look at how current members of a local SVA chapter could have
an impact on the next generation of leaders starting at the high school level.
In creating the next generation of world-class leaders we must make sure that
our Active Duty, Reserves, National Guard, Veterans and their dependents are
actively seeking out their local Student Veterans of America chapter (or in the
case of DSU, the DSU Forces chapter) prior to entering the service or college
can better prepare students for post-secondary education.
RESEARCH
Situational Analysis
Delaware State University has a chapter of SVA called DSU Forces which
provides support for students. The group does focus on providing academic
support, social engagement and other activities that will engage veterans
enrolled at DSU. Based on communication with current DSU Forces
participants, they would have been better served if they had prior knowledge
of SVA and its benefits prior to launching a military and college career
because it would have exposed them to valuable resources beyond the GI Bill
and other services that many recruiters make visible in recruiting efforts.
It became apparent to the team that creating a pathway and providing an
outlet for student at the high school (ROTC) level to have access to this
information would prove to be beneficial and would allow the students to hear
first-hand how SVA helps veterans who wish to pursue a college career.
After interviewing recruiting officers for the Dover, Delaware recruiting offices
of the National Guard and Army we were made aware of the fact that
recruiters did not have sufficient information about SVA. Additionally, a 2015
ABC News story uncovered the fact that many recruiters were not sharing the
right information or shared information about the educational process that
could be deemed as misleading1. In the ABC report, a group of high school
students with hidden cameras were sent into ten Army recruiting stations in
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut posing as potential applicants and it
was revealed that there needs to be a better way of delivering information to
1 ABC News. (2015). Army Recruiters Accused of Misleading Students to Get Them to Enlist.
Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2626032&page=1
ROTC AND BEYOND
More and more, high school
students are considering
Reserve Officer Training
Corps (ROTC) as a part of
their college experience.
These programs help to
prepare students for a military
career while getting a college
degree.
This means that more
students will utilize the
services of the Student
Veterans of America (SVA).
Connecting high school
students with college
students who are currently
enrolled in college and who
are receiving the support of
an SVA chapter on their
campus can help students
better prepare for their future.
Additionally, the mentorship
and connection to like-
minded individuals helps to
bridge the gap and create a
strong support system for
future student veterans.

5. 4
possible recruits about the benefit of programs such as the SVA so that students truly understand and get the
correct information.
The overarching goal of this campaign is to focus on an untapped area of communication and leave students in
the Dover area with a wealth of information that will enable them to make a smooth transition to college should
they choose to attend college during enlistment or after. By working with DSU Forces (the campus arm of the
SVA) we can create much needed awareness about the SVA and the programs offered both at the national and
local level.
The DSU Bateman Team (#1) referenced over 15 SVA college chapters
that highlighted the programs, resources and successes of currently
enrolled student veterans and the chapter’s attention to providing military
service members, veterans and their families and ensuring their
awareness of the available benefits and services. Most college chapters
provide academic enrichment and support services such as tutoring and
social events that connect vets with other vets on campus and the larger
campus community. Most of the chapters also offered additional
scholarships for student veterans.
Statistics from the National Conference of State Legislators state that
between 2010 and 2012 the student veteran population accounted for 4%
of the national student population. That concentration was in just 23
states, one of which was Delaware. There are often incorrect
assumptions about college tuition for military service personnel.
Connecting our perspective military enlistees with veterans who have
testimonials about success stories as a result of direct benefit and
connect to an SVA actively dispel any myths or misinformation about
financial gaps and help them to formulate more effective long-term
educational plans.
The Student Veterans of America association plays a key role in the successful transition from service life to
civilian status. An increased desire to actively connect with veteran peers in these networks helps student
veterans gain information from military educators specializing in location specific and community involvement
educational benefits outside of the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill. These benefits can have major impact on the personal
decision of ROTC members and veterans to attend college. With more and more high school students choosing
to enlist as a means of making college affordable, it is important to make sure that students are knowledgeable
about SVA prior to enlisting.
Expanding the reach of the SVA message to ROTC programs allows all parties involved to proactively educate
future military personnel; high school JROTC students and make them aware of the long-term educational
benefits of serving before their term of service begins. Additionally, we bridge a gap of circumstance based
educational disinterest. "Too many of our high school students are not graduating ready to begin college or a
career — and many are not eligible to serve in our armed forces," according to U.S. Education Secretary Arne
Duncan2. This battle can be won with early intervention and preparation. This team is rooting this operation in a
plan that connects high school students in Delaware with student veterans attending DSU with the ultimate goal of
creating a national trend of mutually beneficial mentorship between current student veterans and exiting high-
school student with established military interest.
TARGET AUDIENCES
Primary Audience
 Future student veterans (ROTC students at high schools in Dover, Delaware)
Secondary Audience
 ROTC advisors/instructors at the high schools
 Veterans affairs specialists on the campus of DSU
 Members of DSU Forces (Delaware State University’s chapter of SVA)
2 Strauss V. (2014). Are American students grossly unprepared for college? Retrieved from Washingtonpost.com

6. 5
KEY MESSAGES
Primary Audience: Prepare for your future as a student veteran NOW!
Secondary Audience
 ROTC advisors/instructors at the high schools
o Talking about SVA should be a part of the recruitment pitch
 Veterans affairs specialists on the campus of DSU
o Strengthening DSU Forces or SVA ties can be a boost for enrollment
o You can bridge the gap with programs already in place
 Members of DSU Forces (Delaware State University’s chapter of SVA)
o You can bridge the gap…be the voice and the face of SVA for future vets
o Mentorship can make a difference
o College prep for the vet starts early and you can impart the knowledge students need to begin the
process
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
In looking at our audience the following challenges and opportunities were addressed:
CHALLENGES OPPORTUNITIES
Getting veterans the necessary tools to further their journey in
education beforehand
Gaining clear knowledge of the advantage of furthering education
Getting students to attend informational sessions to learn more about
the SVA
Once at presentations students are able to learn about ways to
continue life after combat and deployment, weighing the pros and
cons of going back to school and what it would be like and in some
cases learning how to manage that while still enlisted
Finding ways to connect military personnel to supportive
organizations in Delaware since the state is so small
Bridging the gap may be a way to provide more of a connection
and a pathway to for high school students who want to have
military careers and a college education.
Helping to ease the uncertainty of life after the military There are members of the DSU Bateman Case Study team who
have family and friends who have experienced the frustration and
uncertainty of going back to college after being deployed and not
knowing how to handle it. Having access to information and
support systems can help all those involved to be more aware of
the internal issues of being a student veteran, thus giving them the
support which is needed to succeed.
GOALS, OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES, TACTICS AND OUTCOMES
GOAL #1: To foster an understanding of the benefit of SVA
Objective Increase awareness of SVA benefits by 15% among the target audience OBJECTIVE EXCEEDED
Strategy Educate the target audience about the SVA and give them valuable information about how the organization helps to support
military personnel in college.
Rationale Participating organizations expressed the following:
 a need to bring more clarity about the resources (when student veterans come to campus they have limited knowledge
or don’t know where to go for information because of a lack of prior knowledge about the organization)
 DSU Forces wanted to utilize this as an opportunity to connect with high school students and to make DSU attractive to
veterans
Tactic Information-seeking mission: the DSU Bateman team met with DSU Forces, and military recruiters in Dover to discuss
ways to better educate people about SVA
GOAL #2: Build a bridge between current members of SVA (DSU Forces) and ROTC high school students so they know their benefits as
an active solider and as student veterans in college.
Objective By The end of the campaign the task of connecting DSU Forces members to ROTC students who don’t know about SVA
should help to lay the foundation for a strong mentorship program that will serve as a way to education future military
connected students. (Many of the current DSU Forces members shared that if they had the information about SVA prior to
coming to college, their transition would have been easier.) OBJECTIVE MET
Strategy Work with high school ROTC contact and DSU Forces to connect the two entities to begin bridging the gap.
Rationale Information about DSU Forces and SVA was made available to all ROTC students at Caesar Rodney High School and
Dover High School.

7. 6
Tactic The DSU Bateman team sought out students enrolled at DSU who are a part of DSU Forces and prepared them to be able
to go out and share information about DSU Forces/SVA to area high school student who are currently in ROTC programs
Tactic DSU Forces students shared their personal experiences and information from SVA headquarters with students.
GOAL #3: Empowering high school students to build effective long term plans which include college.
Objective To encourage at least 1/3 of the senior high school students at both high schools to reach out to DSU Forces or SVA for
additional information. OBJECTIVE MET
Strategy ROTC instructors provided incentives for students to seek out additional information from SVA and DSU Forces.
Rationale Many of the seniors who participated in the workshops expressed not having any knowledge of SVA; post survey results
show that students were interested in obtaining more information about financial resources available for college.
Tactic Set up workshops at the top high schools in Dover, Delaware in which there are ROTC programs.
Tactic Connect ROTC students with DSU Forces in a big brother/big sister type of program in which all parties pledged to stay
connected and share information about SVA programs.
Tactic DSU Forces (SVA chapter) incorporation of open-house events for perspective students.
RESULTS
The Delaware State University 2016 Bateman Team #1 conducted quantitative research in order to bridge a gap
of communication between student veterans involved in DSU Forces and JROTC high school students. The
quantitative data was gathered by administering through SurveyMonkey.com. Additionally two focus group
sessions were conducted with two main audiences (student veterans and military recruiters).
Focus Group
The focus group yielded several themes: (a need to connect with high school students because current SVA
members said they would have been better prepared if they had the information earlier and training for current
members of SVA chapters so they can better serve as liaisons for the program, and accurate dissemination of
information). Further, the focus group reinforced the fact that providing opportunities for veterans to share their
stories and experiences with students, who may have preconceived notions about military, connect veterans and
experiences actually provided more of a realistic view of what they have to look forward to and the support
provided should they choose college as an option.
Survey
The survey comprised of 14 questions and two demographic questions and was administered to 68 participants.
The instrument examined what both student veterans and JROTC students knew about SVA benefits and
resources. The survey also examines the types of services that possible members would seek out at a college.

8. 7
Summary
The mix- method approach of conducting research provided the Delaware State University 2016 Bateman Team
#1 with ample data that would lend itself to a well-crafted campaign. The data enabled the team to design and
implement a campaign that would effectively reach the target audiences from a research- based approach.
Additionally, our information was shared with the DSU Forces because they are currently looking for ways to
improve the delivery of services to students. We believe that this was essential as the overall goal is to help to
ensure that SVA (DSU Forces) can help potential student veterans to make the connection to the SVA chapters
and to be well informed so that they can be successful college students and possibly position themselves to serve
as individuals with testimonies of success.
CONCLUSION
Our campaign shed light on a valuable resource. While SVA centers are strong nationwide, DSU understands
that there is a need to strengthen the offerings that the DSU Forces chapter currently has and to reach out to
partners, ultimately attracting student veterans to the University and chapter. Acknowledging the fact that
veterans need a place to study, socialize and take advantage of services is essential to the success of DSU
Forces. The long term belief is that this chapter will become a hub for all things student-veteran related. DSU
Forces wants to send the message that the organization is not only invested in the student veterans on campus
but wants to send a message that they care and want to connect with vets in the community and at the area high
schools which can serve as feeder schools for the university. Throughout the month, the DSU Bateman Team #1
hosted three workshops, connected with the DSU Forces, the Army Recruiting office, The Dover recruitment
office of the Reserves, Caesar Rodney High School AFJROTC and Dover High School ROTC.
Lastly, this campaign helped to empower students and send a strong message about the importance of
education. The team designed a message that engaged the target audiences and gave them greater insight into
the amount of funding that is available for military service men and women who want success beyond the military.
Operation B.T.G…..Mission Complete.