Washtenaw Community College named national 2024-2025 Military Friendly® School
23 May 2024 - 3:14AM
Washtenaw Community College (WCC) has earned the national 2024-2025
Military Friendly® Schools designation for its support of nearly
500 veteran students and their families.
Institutions earning the honor were evaluated using both public
data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. WCC has
earned a Silver award for going above the standard.
It is the first national recognition of WCC’s veteran support
efforts. For six consecutive years, WCC has been named as a
Gold-level Veteran-Friendly School by the Michigan Veterans Affairs
Agency.
WCC’s Wadhams Veterans Center is at the heart of the college’s
comprehensive veteran support services. Here, veteran students can
study and fellowship between classes, receive career and academic
advising and more. Wadhams Veterans Center staff members work
one-on-one with veterans to help ease the transition from active
military duty to their education and civilian life and remove
barriers to success.
The college also sponsors an active Student Veterans of America
Club on campus and other events.
WCC has established a system to evaluate and award academic
credit based on military experience and is a destination point for
many veterans from throughout the country whose goal is to transfer
into the University of Michigan’s engineering and other programs.
Overall, WCC is the top transfer school to U-M.
“Our veteran students have bravely served us. It is a privilege
to support veterans and their families and help them achieve their
dreams. We are proud to be recognized with this national honor,”
said WCC President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca.
More than 1,800 institutions nationwide participated in the
survey, with 537 earning special awards for going above the
standard. Participating schools included Tier 1 research
institutions, large public universities, small community and
vocational colleges, as well as private schools.
The 2024-2025 Military Friendly® Schools list can be found at
www.militaryfriendly.com. The list was published in the Spring
edition of G.I. Jobs and is expected to be included also in a Fall
issue of the magazine.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory
with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of
independent leaders in higher education. Viqtory is a
service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the
military community to civilian employment, educational and
entrepreneurial opportunities.
Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s
survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to
meet thresholds for retention, graduation, job placement,
repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan
default rates for all students and, specifically, for student
veterans.
“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing
consistent data-driven standards in our designation process. Our
standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and
support services that better the educational landscape and provide
opportunity for the military community. This creates a competitive
atmosphere that encourages institutions to evolve and invest in
their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation
show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that
standard,” said Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military
Partnerships, Military Friendly®.
About Washtenaw Community CollegeWashtenaw
Community College (WCC), Ann Arbor, Michigan, educates students
through a wide range of associate and certificate programs in areas
such as health care, business, STEM and advanced transportation and
mobility. The college also works through community, business and
union partnerships to develop highly specialized training programs
to meet the region’s workforce talent needs.
About Military Friendly® SchoolsThe Military
Friendly® Schools list is created annually based on extensive
research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools, and
responses to the proprietary, Military Friendly® Schools survey.
Survey questions, methodology, criteria, and weighting were
developed with the assistance from an independent research firm and
advisory council of educators. It is administered for free and open
to all postsecondary schools wanting to participate and receive
award recognition in Gold, Silver, Bronze categories.
About ViqtoryFounded in 2001, Viqtory is a
service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that
connects the military community to civilian employment, educational
and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs® and
Military Friendly® brands. Viqtory and its brands are not a part of
or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government
entity.
For further information or to arrange interviews,
contact:
WCC:Fran LeFortDirector of Media
Relationsflefort@wccnet.edu(734) 677-5295
Military Friendly®
Schools:Kayla LopezSenior Director of Military
PartnershipsFor press inquiries
visit:www.militaryfriendly.com/support
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fee0586b-ecc9-4976-bb76-18ea26d6b255