Veteran Friendly

University Communications & Marketing | 12/01/2009

Deciding what school to attend is hard enough, but it can be even harder for military veterans who face different challenges than traditional college freshmen. For assistance, veterans can refer to G.I. Jobs 2010 list of Military Friendly Schools. Kent State University is part of this 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.

“We’re really trying to provide a welcoming atmosphere for returning veterans and help them adjust to civilian and campus life,” says Rachel Anderson, director of the Adult Student Center. “So being on the Military Friendly Schools list is a nice feather in the cap for Kent State.”

Kent State has taken many steps to ensure that incoming veterans have all the help they need when making the transition by offering on-campus programs and financial aid. Joshua Rider, financial aid counselor and Veterans Administration certifying officer at Kent State, says the Student Financial Aid Office administers the Ohio National Guard Scholarship, which offers 100 percent paid tuition, and the Ohio War Orphans Scholarship, which offers 80 percent paid tuition. The Student Financial Office also has a Web site dedicated to veterans.

The Adult Student Center also offers one-on-one assistance to veterans to help as they adapt to college life. Open houses are offered at the beginning of each semester for veterans to meet each other and prepare for the school year. Additionally, an adult-student orientation course geared specifically toward veterans was started this fall. Veterans can also participate in the Veterans Campus Club, a student organization that was reinstated this year.

The Military Friendly Schools list was compiled through exhaustive research starting last May during which G.I. Jobs polled more than 7,000 schools nationwide. 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.

Find more information about veterans programs at Kent State University.