By Steve Harmic, Penn State DuBois
DUBOIS – Victory Media, the premier media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life, has named Penn State DuBois to the coveted Military Friendly Schools list.
The 2013 Military Friendly Schools list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus. This is the second year in a row that Penn State DuBois has earned a spot on the list.
“Inclusion on the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools shows Penn State DuBois’ commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students,” said Sean Collins, director for G.I. Jobs and vice president at Victory Media. “As interest in education grows we’re thrilled to provide the military community with transparent, world-class resources to assist in their search for schools.”
The 1,739 colleges, universities and trade schools on this year’s list exhibit leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience. These schools have world-class programs and policies for student support on campus, academic accreditation, credit policies, flexibility, and other services to those who served. Now in its fourth year, the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools was compiled through extensive research and a data-driven survey of more than 12,000 VA-approved schools nationwide.
Something that helped to put Penn State DuBois on the Military Friendly list is the campus’ Office for Adult Student and Veteran Services. The office was established last year to provide adults and former service members with the tools they need to succeed in higher education and in a career. Through the office, programs are offered to help veterans, who may have been out of school for many years, adjust to being students again. Refresher courses in basic subjects and tutoring programs are designed to sharpen their skills, while counselors provide assistance with scheduling, financial aid, and other administrative processes that may be new to a soldier-turned-student.
“Education is important, especially when coming out of the military and back into civilian life,” said Penn State DuBois Veteran Services Coordinator Sueann Doran. “Education really gives you the edge. With so many people coming out of the military and looking to start new lives now, we see a real need for this and we want to fill that need.”