For the fifth-consecutive year, G.I. Jobs Magazine has named West Virginia University a Military Friendly School for 2014.
“Inclusion on the 2014 Military Friendly Schools demonstrates WVU’s commitment to providing a supportive environment for student veterans, service members and their dependents,” said Jerry McCarthy, WVU interim veterans advocate.
More than 800 veterans, military personnel or their dependents are currently studying at WVU with 188 new student vets admitted this fall. WVU began implementing services and initiatives for veterans in 2004, McCarthy said.
“We’ve always been ahead of the curve when it comes to programs and services,” he said.
This year, seven more college and schools joined WVU’s Yellow Ribbon. The Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Economics, the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, the School of Dentistry and the School of Medicine now offer the program, which is an extension of the 9/11 GI Bill that pays all in-state tuition and fees at public colleges and university for eligible students. This is the second year the University has offered the Yellow Ribbon program to out-of-state graduate students.
WVU has established a veterans’ advocate in the Office of Financial Aid and has adopted veteran-friendly classes tailored to vets’ interests and needs, as well as a network of connections on campus to serve as resources for vets.
First-year student veterans have the opportunity to take a special Adventure WV session, which is underwritten by Boeing Corp. Adventure WV serves as an outdoor orientation for new students.
WVU’s Division of Human Resources aggressively pursues outreach opportunities to connect employers with prospective veteran employees in the area.
WVU also successfully secured grant money for the Military to Mountaineer Mentoring Program. Funded by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the program pairs new student veterans with other student vets who have successfully made the transition and a faculty or staff member who will serve as mentors.
“WVU will continue to offer student veterans’ programs and services to reduce achievement gaps, increase diversity awareness at WVU, its mission and increase the importance of student veterans as members of our campus community,” McCarthy said.
