The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, often
referred to as the GI Bill, was passed by the federal
government to assist US veterans returning home after
their service in World War II. It provided various kinds of
support, 1 such as support in the form of unemployment
benefits and mortgage assistance. The GI Bill is best
known, however, for the education and training assistance
2 they provided veterans. By 1956, the bill had enabled
nearly eight million veterans to pursue higher education
and training opportunities. The resulting influx of students
had a dramatic effect on higher education in the United
States. 3 This sharp increase primarily took place during
the post-war years. In that relatively short time, the GI Bill
engendered long-lasting changes in the landscape of US
higher education.
Under the provisions of the 1944 GI Bill, veterans
received financial support to take academic, technical, or
vocational classes. For a variety of reasons—to build on
their technical military experience, 4 to support their
families, or perhaps to retrain and become competitive
in a pre-war professional career—many veterans chose
the second or third option. Whether they enrolled in
a technical engineering class or a vocational class on
auto-repair, 5 they’re overarching objectives were
to become employed. According to a survey analysis,
veterans returning to the University of Illinois had 6 one
“predominating request”: an efficient course of study to
prepare for a job.
Many new programs began to emerge in response to
the rising demand for job-oriented training and education.
For example, a proposal to expand the programs for
technical and general education in New York surfaced as
early as 7 1944. The State University of New York (SUNY)
was subsequently founded in 1948. Massachusetts’ Stonehill
College, which 8 has been established in the same year,
estimates that veterans comprised up to a third of its first
entering class. 9 Some vocational training programs were
even created specifically for the benefit of returning veterans.
One of the most unique examples in this category is the
Culinary Institute of America, founded in 1946 to offer
10 a novel curriculum for learning cooking stuff.
By opening the gates of higher education to veterans,
the GI Bill 11 dramatically increased the college
enrollment growth rate. The bill is credited with producing
500,000 engineers, 250,000 teachers, 200,000 medical
professionals, and 117,000 metal workers. At that time, this
was the most highly educated workforce in the country’s
history.
referred to as the GI Bill, was passed by the federal
government to assist US veterans returning home after
their service in World War II. It provided various kinds of
support, 1 such as support in the form of unemployment
benefits and mortgage assistance. The GI Bill is best
known, however, for the education and training assistance
2 they provided veterans. By 1956, the bill had enabled
nearly eight million veterans to pursue higher education
and training opportunities. The resulting influx of students
had a dramatic effect on higher education in the United
States. 3 This sharp increase primarily took place during
the post-war years. In that relatively short time, the GI Bill
engendered long-lasting changes in the landscape of US
higher education.
Under the provisions of the 1944 GI Bill, veterans
received financial support to take academic, technical, or
vocational classes. For a variety of reasons—to build on
their technical military experience, 4 to support their
families, or perhaps to retrain and become competitive
in a pre-war professional career—many veterans chose
the second or third option. Whether they enrolled in
a technical engineering class or a vocational class on
auto-repair, 5 they’re overarching objectives were
to become employed. According to a survey analysis,
veterans returning to the University of Illinois had 6 one
“predominating request”: an efficient course of study to
prepare for a job.
Many new programs began to emerge in response to
the rising demand for job-oriented training and education.
For example, a proposal to expand the programs for
technical and general education in New York surfaced as
early as 7 1944. The State University of New York (SUNY)
was subsequently founded in 1948. Massachusetts’ Stonehill
College, which 8 has been established in the same year,
estimates that veterans comprised up to a third of its first
entering class. 9 Some vocational training programs were
even created specifically for the benefit of returning veterans.
One of the most unique examples in this category is the
Culinary Institute of America, founded in 1946 to offer
10 a novel curriculum for learning cooking stuff.
By opening the gates of higher education to veterans,
the GI Bill 11 dramatically increased the college
enrollment growth rate. The bill is credited with producing
500,000 engineers, 250,000 teachers, 200,000 medical
professionals, and 117,000 metal workers. At that time, this
was the most highly educated workforce in the country’s
history.