CENTRAL — Southern Wesleyan University’s commitment to veterans and currently serving military personnel was recognized with the Military Friendly designation for 2020-2021.
Southern Wesleyan exceeded standards in these categories: academic policies and compliance, admissions and orientation, culture and commitment, financial aid and assistance, graduation and career and military student support and retention.
Donna Pittman, VA benefits administrator at Southern Wesleyan, said, “It’s an honor for SWU to again be designated as a Military Friendly school. This definitely means we are doing something right when it comes to our students who are veterans as well as those who are currently serving in addition to their families. We want them to know that they are appreciated, but more than that we want them to get a quality education. Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards.’ That’s what we strive to do at Southern Wesleyan.”
She ‘Quan Franklin, a Pre Med major and an Army corporal, feels that Southern Wesleyan’s staff showed understanding and supportiveness during her challenges of transitioning from seven years of active military duty to college.
“I admire that each and every student and faculty has a journey but we all come together as a community and uplift one another. Faculty and staff are always friendly and willing to help; they understand how difficult it’s is for military students to adapt and attend school while still serving our country,” Franklin said.
Southern Wesleyan recognizes veterans and currently serving military personnel in several ways, including providing them with a veterans coordinator, honoring their service at graduation, hosting military appreciation events, and, most recently, dedicating a military monument on campus.
The Military Friendly schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly schools survey from participating institutions.
Military Friendly, the military ratings division of VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned business, collects vast amounts of public and proprietary information; processes this data using their methodology and weightings, which are established with the guidance of the Military Friendly Advisory Council and audited by EY (Ernst & Young); and rates institutions and organizations on how Military Friendly they are.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community.
The 2020-2021 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine. The list can also be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
