Only at Western

Western Wyoming Community College has been recognized by G.I. Jobs as a Military Friendly School. G.I. Jobs compiled a list of the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools which are doing the most to embrace America’s veterans as students. A complete list of the schools can be found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/2011list.

Schools on the list range from state universities and private colleges to community colleges and trade schools. The common bond is their shared priority of recruiting students with military experience.

Jackie Freeze, WWCC vice president of student success services, explains, “Western appreciates what our military people and their families sacrifice for our country and want to make sure that we are helping them with their educational needs as the military person transitions back into the mainstream and as their families decide to pursue further education.  Many have financial benefits, but also need career and personal counseling and other support.  Western is committed to helping make the process as easy and painless as possible.”

The tens of billions of dollars in tuition money now available with the passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill last year has intensified an already strong desire by college to court veterans into their classrooms.

“This list is especially important now because the Post-9/11 GI Bill has given veterans virtually unlimited financial means to go to school, “said Rich McCormack, G.I. Jobs publisher. “Veterans can now enroll in any school, provided they’re academically qualified. So schools are clamoring for them like never before. Veterans need a trusted friend to help them decide where to get educated. The Military Friendly Schools list is that trusted friend.”
Derek Blumke, president of Student Veterans of America and a member of the list’s Academic Advisory Board, agrees. “The Military Friendly Schools list is the gold standard in letting veterans know which schools will offer them the greatest opportunity, flexibility and overall experience. It’s especially important now with so many schools competing for military students.”

The list was compiled through exhaustive research starting last April during which G.I. Jobs polled more than 7,000 schools nationwide. Methodology, criteria and weighting for the list were developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board (AAB) consisting of educators from Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, Colorado State University, Dallas County Community College, Old Cominion University, Cleveland State University, Lincoln Tenchical Institute and Embry Riddle; as well as Keith Wilson, VA’s director of education services; Michele Spires, American Council on Education’s assistant director of military programs; Janet Swandol, associate director for CLEP and Derek Blumke, president of Student Veterans of America. A full list of board members can be found at http://militaryfriendlyschools.com/Article/advisory-board/

Criteria for making the Military Friendly Schools list included efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students and academic accreditations.