UWS earns G.I. magazine nod for military friendliness

The University of Wisconsin-Superior once again was named a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs magazine in recognition of the university’s efforts to assist military veterans and their family members in completing a college education.

The ranking places UWS in the top 15 percent of all colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide in services offered to veterans, according to G.I. Jobs.

“This is the third consecutive year that G.I. Jobs Magazine has named us a Military Friendly School. We’re pleased but we’re still working to make our student experience for veterans even better,” said UWS Admissions Director Tonya Roth. “This fall we opened a new center to serve students who are veterans and we’re making our veterans benefits coordinator a full-time position to provide even more assistance to veterans and their families.”

G.I. Jobs is a private organization that surveys 7,000 schools nationwide about the services they provide to veterans and makes that information available through its magazine and website. Methodology for compiling the research was developed with assistance of an advisory board made up of educators from across the country.

To be named a Military Friendly School, a university is evaluated on such areas as flexibility in class scheduling and requirements, transferring academic credits, providing support for veterans, and academic accreditation.

UWS recently opened its Veteran and Nontraditional Student Center to provide additional services to students who are veterans, active military personnel, or age 25 and older. A coordinator oversees the center to assist students, create programming and supervise peer mentors. The center provides a location for group meetings for students’ families, and workshops to develop skills such as stress management.

“Our new Veteran and Nontraditional Student Center enables us to provide expanded and enhanced services to veterans. It also helps us to continue our cooperation with community agencies that serve our military personnel,” said Associate Dean of Students Tammy Fanning.

UWS has enrolled about 165 military veterans and students enrolled in the military.

Roth said she believes veterans feel comfortable on campus because the university has many students of non-traditional age attending classes.

Tags: news, education, military, uws