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For seven consecutive years, Western Illinois University has been designated a "Military Friendly School," and will be featured in the "G.I. Jobs Guide to Military Friendly Schools," among other Victory Media publications.
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WIU Named Military Friendly School for Seventh Consecutive Year

November 6, 2015

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MACOMB, IL — For seven consecutive years, Western Illinois University has been designated a "Military Friendly School," and will be featured in the "G.I. Jobs Guide to Military Friendly Schools," among other Victory Media publications.

According to Victory Media, the 2016 Military Friendly Schools list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools doing the most to support student veterans and employees. The list of Military Friendly Schools, which features 1,400 institutions, was compiled through research and a data-driven survey covering 10 indicators of success, including support for student veterans on campus, graduation and employment outcomes and military spouse policies.

"Western Illinois University has a long and rich tradition of honoring and serving veterans and active members of the armed forces," said WIU President Jack Thomas. "The continued acknowledgment from G.I. Jobs demonstrates our commitment to our student veterans and employees. We are proud of our students, faculty, staff and alumni who are veterans and current active members of the armed forces."


According to Rick Carter, executive director of the School of Distance Learning, International Studies and Outreach, the University provides numerous on-campus resources for veterans and military personnel, as well as the flexibility of academic program offerings, including online courses and the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies (BGS; formerly called the Board of Trustees Bachelor of Arts) degree program.

The University's Veterans Resource Center (the Wright Residence at 333 N. Ward St.) provides streamlined services and resources in a centralized location to ensure all veterans, guard members, reservists and active duty personnel receive individual assistance with any question or concern they may encounter. The center also sponsors a series of group seminars/workshops each year based on the current needs of its military student population.

Kathy Meyers, assistant director of the Veterans Resource Center, added the center strives to promote the value of peer mentoring among its groups of veterans and active military personnel, and various campus and community partnerships have been established with Western's Veterans Resource Center. Students gain direct access to a comprehensive array of services such as VA benefits, financial assistance, disability resources, health care, career development and personal wellness.

In addition, the WIU-Quad Cities campus has a partnership agreement with the Rock Island (IL) Arsenal (RIA), which allows current – and potential – college students interested in completing college proficiency exams to complete them at the Arsenal.

For more information on services and support for veterans and active duty personnel, visit wiu.edu/student_services/veterans.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing