Advice from US soldier about university function (8)
I believe the answer is:
guidance
'advice' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'us soldier about university function' is the wordplay.
'us soldier' becomes 'gi' (I've seen this in other clues).
'about' indicates putting letters inside.
'university' becomes 'u'.
'function' becomes 'dance' (I have seen 'social function' mean 'dance' so perhaps 'function' could also mean 'dance'**).
'gi' enclosing 'u' is 'gui'.
'gui'+'dance'='GUIDANCE'
'from' is the link.
(Other definitions for guidance that I've seen before include "Help, advice or counselling" , "Leadership, direction" , "Helpful advice" , "Direction or advice" , "instruction" .)