WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Missouri State University-West Plains has once again been named a “military friendly school” by Victory Media, the premiere media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life.
Victory Media officials made the announcement Monday, Sept. 17, in a press release. The 2013 Military Friendly Schools® list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools 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 fourth consecutive year Missouri State-West Plains has received the designation.
“Inclusion on the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools® shows Missouri State-West Plains’ 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 Military Friendly Schools® media and website, found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com, features the list, interactive tools and search functionality to help military students find the best school to suit their unique needs and preferences. 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.
“Missouri State-West Plains has seen a 35.5 percent increase in its veteran student population from fall 2007 to spring 2012,” said Mark White, coordinator of veterans services. “We are now counted in the top 15 percent of Military Friendly Schools® as opposed to a top 20 percent rating last year. By increasing our services to veteran students each year, we are working toward a top 10 percent rating.”
White said the university’s veterans services include, but are not limited to, knowledgeable professional staff who assist veterans with advisement, resources, tutoring and counseling to overcome the battle baggage they bring home from overseas. In addition to university staff, the office has three work-study students who assist veteran students with VA paperwork and tutoring in the university’s veterans center.
“It is truly an honor to serve those, our veterans, who have served us so well,” White said. “With this sense of honor and collaborative efforts, we at Missouri State-West Plains are an institution that is committed to going the extra mile and a lot more when needed. When our veteran students are successful, we are successful – failure is just not an option!”
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. The survey tabulation process, methodology and weightings that comprise the 2013 list were independently verified by Ernst and Young LLP.
Each year schools taking the survey are held to a higher standard than the previous year via improved methodology, criteria and weightings developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board consisting of educators from schools across the country. A full list of board members can be found at www. militaryfriendlyschools.com/board. Complete survey methodology is available at http://www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/Article/methodology-press-kit.
A full story and detailed list of 2013 Military Friendly Schools® will be highlighted in the annual G.I. Jobs Guide to Military Friendly Schools ®, distributed in print and digital format to hundreds of thousands of active and former military personnel in early October. The guide and associate media also will be featured at the Carrier Classic college basketball game Nov. 9 between Ohio State and Marquette on the deck of the USS Yorktown. Both participating schools are on this year’s list of Military Friendly Schools®.
Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business founded in 2001. Victory’s free, data-driven Military Friendly® lists can be found at www.gijobs.com/2012Top100, www.militaryfriendlyschools.com and www.militaryfranchising.com. Victory’s lists also are published in G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse and Vetrepreneur magazines, republished in national and local periodicals and are frequently cited on national and local TV stations.
For more information about Missouri State-West Plains’ educational services for veterans, call Veteran Services Coordinator Mark White at 417-255-7720 or visit the university’s Veterans Services website at wp.missouristate.edu/Veteranservices.