Colorado State University Recognized by GI Jobs as Top Military Friendly School
Colorado State University is among the top military friendly schools in the nation, according to G.I. Jobs magazine. The 2012 Military Friendly Schools list honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members and veterans as students.
The 2012 list of Military Friendly Schools was compiled through extensive research and a survey of more than 8,000 schools nationwide. Methodology, criteria and weighting for the list were developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board consisting of educators from schools across the country.
The 2012 Military Friendly School List can be found at http://www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/mfslist.aspx.
“We are proud to once again be recognized as a university that is committed to our veteran students, helping them to achieve academic success as well as transition back into the community,” said Jan Rastall, director of Colorado State’s Adult Learner and Veteran Services. “The entire university community should be applauded for helping these students achieve their potential.”
Beginning this fall and in addition to benefits CSU traditionally has offered its veterans, Colorado State University, partnering with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program, is offering full awards – including tuition, fees, and generous housing and books stipends – to qualifying non-resident U.S. military veterans and their designated dependents.
The university’s Office of Adult Learner and Veteran Services provides services focused on education, leadership and involvement. Veterans are educated about the transition to academics and connected to critical resources. Through the office, they are encouraged to continue to develop their leadership qualities by serving as a peer mentor for other vets as well as being a voice for student vets on university committees. The office offers opportunities for veterans to get involved outside the classroom through the student veterans organization and study groups. ALVS facilitates an environment conducive to learning and helps with questions and concerns pertaining to G.I. Bill benefits.
Additionally, the recently created New Start Program offered through the College of Applied Human Sciences helps veterans returning from the Middle East re-enter the community. The program, which is being implemented by the college’s Center for Community Partnerships within the Department of Occupational Therapy, tailors re-entry systems for veterans to help them with career and educational goals.
Colorado State has been in the forefront of working with veterans and jobs: CSU was the first four-year university to partner with Veterans Green Jobs to provide “green” educational opportunities to veterans. On Veterans Day 2009, CSU and Veterans Green Jobs announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to create the Veterans Green Jobs Education Initiative at the university. The MOU established a formal relationship between CSU and Veterans Green Jobs for the purpose of encouraging and enhancing opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate military veterans attending the university.
The university has also been recognized for providing education to the Colorado Army National Guard, awarded the Success for Veterans Award Grant in 2009, and is currently offering a military veterans section of the first-year college composition course to engage veterans in sharing experiences and perspectives while offering support. CSU was also awarded a grant from the Department of Defense to provide camps for military youth to introduce outdoor adventures and the concept of mindfulness, which entails full attention and awareness, without judgment and emotional reactivity, to learn critical life and coping skills.
To learn more about veterans services at Colorado State, visit veterans.colostate.edu.
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