Colorado State University Among Top Military Friendly Schools in the Nation

Colorado State University is among the top military friendly schools in the nation, according to G.I. Jobs magazine. The 2011 list of Military Friendly Schools honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s veterans as students.

“We are proud to be included among the top 15 percent of schools in the nation that focus on veteran students,” said Jan Rastall, director of Adult Learner and Veteran Services at Colorado State. “It is due to the efforts of the entire university that we have been recognized for being a military-friendly university. We have a number of faculty and staff who are veterans and who contribute to enhancing the student veteran experience. We also have departments in Student Affairs and Access and Outreach that are committed to facilitating the academic success of these students.

“Through our combined efforts, we are able to continue to improve upon our support services. The bottom line is that we want students with military experience to choose Colorado State for their higher education.”

The list was compiled through research starting last April when G.I. Jobs polled more than 7,000 schools nationwide. Methodology and criteria for the list were developed with the assistance of an academic advisory board. The 2011 Military-Friendly School List can be found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/2011list.

“As Colorado’s land-grant institution, Colorado State University has an historic legacy of supporting veterans, military service members and their families on campus,” said Bill Doe, assistant director of Veteran Services at Colorado State. “We have made great strides in the last two years in providing a range of creative academic support and learning opportunities for our growing veterans population. As a military veteran and CSU alum, I am proud to be associated with our many ongoing initiatives to create a military and veteran-friendly environment on our campus.”

Schools on the Military Friendly Schools list also offer additional benefits to student veterans such as on-campus veterans programs, credit for service and military spouse programs.

“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 Friends list is that trusted friend.”

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.

In November, CSU and Veterans Green Jobs announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to create the Veterans Green Jobs Education Initiative at the university. CSU was the first four-year university to partner with Veterans Green Jobs to provide “green” educational opportunities to veterans.

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