University News
WIU: Military Friendly School
September 17, 2012
MACOMB, IL – For the fourth consecutive year, Western Illinois University has been named a "Military Friendly School" and will again be featured in the "G.I. Jobs Guide to Military Friendly Schools."
According to G.I. Jobs, 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. The list of Military Friendly Schools, which features 1,739 institutions, was compiled through research and a data-driven survey of more than 12,000 VA-approved schools nationwide.
"Western's commitment to student-veterans spans several decades, and we are so pleased that G.I. Jobs has once again recognized our efforts," said WIU President Jack Thomas.
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 that 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 that 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.
Veterans Resources also partners with the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) to sponsor a service center on the WIU-Macomb campus each month. 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 the exams 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)
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