has been named a Military Friendly® School by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs®, STEM JobSM and Military Spouse, for the seventh year in a row. In addition, this is the fifth year that at Tuscarawas has held the elite title. Kent State at Ashtabula has been recognized for four years.
The latest designation puts Kent State in the top 20 percent of colleges and universities nationwide that are doing the most to embrace a commitment to student veterans, both in the classroom and after graduation.
“This is a major point of pride not only for the Center for Adult and Veteran Services, but for the Division of Student Affairs and the community as a whole,” said Joshua Rider, director of Kent State’s Center for Adult and Veteran Services.
Institutions that competed for the elite Military Friendly School title completed a survey on topics such as military support on campus, military spouse policies, student retention rates, employment and graduation.
“Over the past six years, since the roll out of the Post 9/11 GI Bill in the fall of 2009, Kent State student veterans have graduated at a rate of 51 percent over four years,” Rider said. “This is 11 percent greater than the national average for veterans at a public institution during the same timeframe, according to Student Veterans of American in their Million Records Project.”
In addition, Kent State has a 72 percent retention rate of veterans between their freshman and sophomore year.
“This honor indicates that as a university community we are serving our student veterans, service members and their families at a very high level,” Rider said. “It’s the university’s duty, but also a privilege to assist these military connected students on their path toward graduation and success.”
Learn more about the Center for Adult and Veteran Services