Reflections from NASPA’s Military-Connected Student Symposium: Listening, Learning, and Reimagining What’s Possible

Attending the NASPA Military-Connected Student Symposium was more than a professional gathering it was a meaningful reminder of why we do this work. Being surrounded by School Certifying Officials (SCOs), Veteran Service professionals, and institutional leaders reaffirmed that supporting military-connected students is not just administrative work it is deeply human work.

This year, what stood out most to me were the honest, unfiltered conversations that happened at our booth. They weren’t sales conversations. They were reality conversations. And in those moments, pain points surfaced clearly and consistently.

Listening to the Realities SCOs Face

As SCOs stopped by to share their day-to-day experiences, several themes emerged.

Professional burnout was at the forefront. Many described being overwhelmed by growing caseloads, compliance pressures, and constant urgency—especially during peak enrollment periods. The emotional weight of knowing that delays can directly impact a student veteran’s housing, tuition, or financial stability adds another layer of stress.

Lengthy enrollment certification timelines were another major concern. Some offices shared that certifying enrollments can take weeks—sometimes over a month—particularly when processes are still largely manual.

Then there were the physical realities of the work:

• Managing multiple screens simultaneously sometimes as many as six.

• Constant toggling between systems.

• Paper-driven workflows still dominating daily processes.

• Eye strain, headaches, and physical fatigue from repetitive computer tasks.

One SCO candidly shared that by the end of peak season, the physical toll of screen fatigue alone was overwhelming.

Another recurring challenge was limited communication capabilities with students, particularly during course adds and drops. When schedules change, and they often do, it becomes difficult to quickly and efficiently notify student veterans about the status of their certifications. That lag can create unnecessary anxiety for students who depend on timely VA benefits.

These conversations weren’t complaints. They were expressions of care. SCOs want to serve their students well but too often, outdated processes and fragmented systems stand in the way.

Hearing from VA-Works Clients: Proof in Practice

Equally powerful were the conversations with current VA-Works partner institutions who attended the conference.

Their feedback was both quantitative and qualitative—and deeply affirming.

One office shared a statistic that truly stopped people in their tracks:

In just two days, their team processed 200 certifications.Historically, producing that volume would have taken approximately 45 days.   – Kristen Carlsson

That’s not just efficiency. That’s transformation.

But what struck me just as much was the qualitative feedback.

Kristen described:

• Reduced eye strain and fewer headaches

• A user interface that feels intuitive and less physically taxing

• A reduction from managing six screens down to three

When workflow systems are streamlined and purpose-built, the physical demands of the job decrease. And that matters.

Because behind every certification is a human being doing the work—and their well-being matters just as much as operational metrics.

The Bigger Picture: Where Product Meets Purpose

Reflecting on the symposium, I’m reminded that VA-Works was never just about faster processing. It was always about impact. Impact that touches students, staff, and institutional culture.

There are three key areas where that impact is becoming increasingly clear:

1. Advancing Student Veteran Success

• Faster, more accurate certification processes

• Reduced delays during critical enrollment changes

• Improved communication opportunities between Veterans Service Departments and students

When certifications are processed efficiently and communication improves (especially during adds and drops ) student veterans experience less financial uncertainty and more institutional trust.

2. Improving Workflows for School Certifying Officials

• Streamlined processes

• Reduced system toggling

• Automation where it matters most

• Dramatically shortened certification timelines

Efficiency restores capacity. Capacity restores focus. And focus allows SCOs to move from reactive processing to proactive student support.

3. Improving Physical Quality of Life

This piece is often overlooked in technology conversations, but it shouldn’t be.

• Fewer screens

• Less eye strain

• Reduced physical fatigue

• A more intuitive interface

When the physical strain of daily work decreases, something powerful happens energy returns. And with that energy comes renewed clarity and engagement.

Where It All Converges

When we improve student outcomes and staff workflows, something larger unfolds.

Reduced stress and restored efficiency lead to improved mental capacity—for both student veterans and the professionals who serve them.

Greater stability in processes allows for:

• Stronger human connections

• More inclusive and supportive campus environments

• Increased opportunity for meaningful engagement

• Sustainable success for both staff and students

In many ways, what I witnessed at NASPA was a shift in mindset. Institutions are no longer just asking, “How do we get this done?” They are asking, “How do we do this better—for everyone involved?”

And that is the conversation worth continuing.

I left the symposium feeling deeply appreciative of the honesty shared, the trust placed in us by our partners, and the collective commitment to improving outcomes for military-connected students.

Technology, when thoughtfully designed, does more than increase output.

It restores capacity. It protects well-being. And ultimately, it strengthens the entire ecosystem of support around our student veterans.

If the conversations at NASPA resonated with you — if burnout, delayed certifications, paper-driven workflows, and student communication gaps feel all too familiar — I invite you to see what is possible.

Let us show you what two days and 200 certifications can look like in your office.

Let us show you what reducing 45 days of work into streamlined, accurate processing can mean for your students.

Let us show you what fewer screens, less strain, and more clarity can do for your team.

👉 Schedule a personalized VA-Works demo here: https://tinyurl.com/bdfttmz8

The future of veteran certification support doesn’t have to be exhausting. It can be efficient. It can be connected. And it can be sustainable.

Let’s build that future together.