UIU named to 2011 Military Friendly Schools list by G.I. Jobs
FAYETTE, Iowa (August 11, 2010) — Upper Iowa University has once again been placed in the top ranks of Military Friendly Schools by G.I. Jobs, which provides a list of schools that are the most welcoming for members of the military services. On Monday, August 16, the publication released its new list that honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s veterans as students.
Schools on the list (www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/2011list) range from state universities and private colleges to community colleges and trade schools. UIU has been on the list since G.I. Jobs began the recognition program with the 2010 list.
“UIU has been committed to meeting the needs of service members and their families since the university was founded by a military man and his wife in 1857,” said UIU President Alan G. Walker. “We have a long and proud heritage of serving the educational needs of the men and women who serve our country, and we are honored to continue being recognized for the programs we have designed to help them. We welcome the maturity, experience, diversity and leadership that military students bring to UIU.”
William Duffy, senior vice president for UIU Academic Extension, noted that the broad range of UIU educational options allows military service members to take courses on some U.S. military bases through the University’s educational centers, or to continue their education online or through independent study while they are deployed. “The result is that military service members can continue meeting their military responsibilities while advancing themselves by pursuing higher education,” he added.
UIU’s seamless approach to completing a college degree through a variety of program modalities, tuition discounts, generous acceptance of military and life experience as transfer credits, and programs for military spouses are key aspects of serving military students, said Melik Peter Khoury, UIU senior vice president for strategic positioning and chief marketing officer, “We work to remove obstacles to military students reaching their educational goals,” he noted.
In announcing the 2011 list, G.I. Jobs publisher Rich McCormack said, “This list is especially important now because the Post-9/11 GI Bill has given veterans virtually unlimited financial means to go to school. Veterans can enroll in any school, provided they’re academically qualified…they 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. A full list of board members is at http://militaryfriendlyschools.com/Article/advisory-board/
A detailed list of Military Friendly Schools will be highlighted in the annual “Guide to Military Friendly Schools” and on a poster, both of which will be distributed to hundreds of thousands of active and former military personnel in late September. The newly redesigned website, found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com, features interactive tools and search functionality to assist military veterans in choosing schools that best meet their personal educational needs. The site currently shows 2010 Military Friendly Schools but will switch to the 2011 list in late September.
Contact:
Monica Bayer Heaton
Executive Director of Communications and Marketing
Phone: 563-425-5773
Cell: 515-291-2070
heatonm@uiu.edu
About G.I. Jobs
G.I. Jobs (www.gijobs.com) is published by Victory Media, a veteran-owned business which also publishes “The Guide to Military Friendly Schools” and annually rates the nation’s “Military Friendly Employers,” “Military Spouse Friendly Employers” and “Best Corporations for Veteran-Owned Businesses.”
About Upper Iowa University
Founded in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private, not-for-profit university providing undergraduate and graduate degree programs and leadership development opportunities to over 6,600 students—nationally and internationally—at its Fayette campus and learning centers worldwide. Upper Iowa University is a recognized innovator in offering accredited, quality programs through flexible, multiple delivery systems, including online and independent study. For more information, visit www.uiu.edu.