CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Saturday marks the start of a week-long academic boot camp held at the University of Illinois.

This summer, a fresh cohort of enlisted student veterans will participate in a STEM-focused academic boot camp, scheduled for June 21-28 at the University of Illinois. This program, created collaboratively with the national nonprofit Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP), offers a fully immersive college preparatory experience.

Participants in this particular program must complete 75 academic hours, effectively simulating a typical college “finals week.” This is intended to equip student veterans with the skills needed for academic life, easing their transition from military service to higher education.

Annually, more than 115,000 veterans make the transition from military service to civilian life. For many of them, enrolling in college represents a crucial step towards launching a new career.

In this boot camp — hosted by the Chez Veterans Center, the hub for military populations at the U of I — veterans learn from esteemed Illinois faculty, work with research leads, receive personalized mentorship from successful student veterans and familiarize themselves with campus resources.

“WSP was more influential than I could have ever expected,” said Navy veteran Adam Sherman, a WSP-Illinois alumnus. “I was pretty anxious on my way here, but the entire process fostered and reinforced such a motivating and positive mindset that I will carry throughout my entire academic journey. I would do it again a million times over.”

Additionally, 88% of WSP alumni have completed or are on track to earn a college degree. This surpasses the national average for veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill (54%) and full-time civilian students (61%).

Support from the U of I and investments made by foundations, corporations and private donors cover the program’s entire cost for participants. The college has partnered with WSP for four years.