Instead of attacking universities, Trump should help veterans enroll

America’s universities have become a target for the Trump administration, vilified as echo chambers of left-wing ideology. Vice President JD Vance, a Yale Law School graduate, recently stated, “We have to honestly and aggressively attack the universities in this country … The professors are the enemy.”

These professors are accused of silencing conservative voices and propagating “woke” groupthink.

The administration’s response has been swift, with federal funding cuts targeting institutions that have DEI policies. But is the correct response to censorship by the left censorship by the right?

The goal of higher education should be to expose students to diverse perspectives, presented thoughtfully, enabling them to think critically and form their own conclusions. Instead of stifling liberal views, the administration should encourage schools to bring conservative voices to campus to foster debate.

If our goal is to incorporate different opinions into our nation’s colleges, we should push to bring in more military veterans, both as students and professors. This would disseminate perspectives in the classroom and on campus that are a far cry from those of traditional students.

The U.S. military serves as a melting pot of American society, and few veterans come from privileged backgrounds. In an era when parents are spending tens of thousands of dollars to shape elementary school students into ideal college applicants, veterans’ voices can provide a breath of fresh air in the classroom. Furthermore, student-veterans bring the perspectives from their campuses back to their families and hometowns.

Several veterans have been bridging communities on campus, notably former Navy SEAL Jimmy Hatch, who wrote a powerful essay exploring how he and his classmates at Yale have learned from one another. He is now teaching a class on the human toll of conflict at his alma mater. Jimmy’s classmates and students will carry his teachings with them as they grow to become our nation’s leaders.

Vance is a veteran himself, and his time at Yale Law was key to his meteoric rise from Marine Corps corporal to vice president. Specifically, one of his professors, Amy Chua, provided him with the support he needed to write his bestselling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.” Vance’s own life demonstrates how military service, experience at a top university and mentorship from professors can be the ultimate vehicle for American social mobility.

Some may wonder whether veterans can succeed academically at the nation’s top schools. As the CEO of Service to School, a nonprofit focused on helping enlisted veterans enter college, I have the data that says they can.

Our program alumni are accepted into highly selective colleges at a rate often five times that of traditional students, and have gone on to win Marshall and Truman Scholarships after graduation. Military service instills grit and the ability to think under pressure in young people. Additionally, many specialties are highly technical, requiring academic aptitude.

Instead of making continued federal funding contingent upon the removal of DEI programs, the Trump administration could make it contingent upon meeting a veteran enrollment target. About 5 percent of the population has served in the military, and 1 percent is currently serving. The latter figure represents a modest enrollment target for schools to set for students who are veterans. Additionally, the government could incentivize the hiring of veterans as professors by providing favorable consideration for their research grants.

By encouraging universities to welcome more veterans to campus, the administration would not only honor the service of patriotic Americans but also increase diversity of thought in higher education.

Alec Emmert is the CEO of Service to School, a national nonprofit that has mentored over 3,500 veterans to college matriculation. He is a former Navy submarine officer and consultant at McKinsey and Co.