ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Three universities and one college in Ann Arbor have been named as “veteran-friendly schools” by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) for the 2021-22 school year.
The MVAA program gives gold-, silver- and bronze- status to higher education institutions in Michigan that support the needs of students with military connections. This year, 63 schools across the state were honored as veteran-friendly.
Concordia University Ann Arbor, Eastern Michigan University, University of Michigan and Washtenaw Community College all received distinctions in at the “Gold” status.
According to MVAA, this status indicates that institutions meet six of the following criteria:
- Having a process for identifying student veterans
- Operating a veteran-specific website
- An active student-operated veterans club or association
- Offering veteran-specific career services and resources
- Having an on-campus veteran’s coordinator and/or a designated staff point of contact
- System to evaluate and award credit based on military training and experience
- Monitoring and evaluation system for student veteran academic retention, transfer and graduation rates.
Other gold status schools include the University of Michigan-Dearborn, University of Michigan-Flint, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University.
The Veteran-Friendly Schools program started in 2013 and has seen an increase in institutions enrolling student veterans, the MVAA said in a release.
“I would like to extend my best wishes for a successful school year to all student veterans and their families – from the student who is just beginning their educational pursuits to the student veteran who will make the transition from boots and a helmet to a cap and gown,” MVAA Director Zaneta Adams said.
“We are thankful for the commitment of our 63 Veteran-Friendly Schools to our country’s veterans by ensuring that these students are supported throughout their entire educational journey.”
Any post-secondary institution in Michigan that receives veteran education benefits can apply for the program. Schools or training facilities curious about the programs can contact MVAA-Strategy@michigan.gov.