Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2983-3184

Date Available

12-4-2025

Year of Publication

2025

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Educational Policy Studies and Eval

Faculty

Jane McEldowney Jensen

Faculty

Eric Weber

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative narrative study is to explore the experiences of spouses, specifically female spouses, of retired U. S. military veterans who pursued the completion of postsecondary degrees following the retirement of the military service member. The study employs narrative inquiry, guided by the Biographic Narrative Interview Method approach to interviewing. The generated data is analyzed utilizing thematic and narrative analysis methods, and a framework of two researchers’ sensitizing concepts is applied to understand and create meaning from the participants’ narratives. The participants’ narratives reveal a powerful truth about the impact of their lived experiences on their return to the college classroom: while military life may have delayed their academic journeys, it also equipped them with resilience, adaptability, and untapped potential that enrich both the classroom and broader society. Recognizing and supporting their unique experiences is not just an academic imperative; it is a reminder that determination, lived experience, and opportunity together can transform educational paths and inspire lasting change. Ultimately, this study’s findings suggest that education for adult learners is not merely a pursuit of credentials but an ongoing process of identity reconstruction and generativity.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2025.540

Funding Information

This study was supported by the EPE Dissertation Enhancement Award (Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation) in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky in 2025.

Download

Share

COinS