Nicholas Abhulimen, a member of the Marine Corps Reserve and a Penn State Brandywine student, shares his experiences at a Veterans Day luncheon on campus in 2015.
MEDIA, Pa. — Penn State Brandywine has been named a 2016 Military Friendly School by Victory Media, the publisher of G.I. Jobs, STEM Jobs, and Military Spouse.
The Military Friendly Schools designation is awarded to the top colleges, universities, community colleges and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace military students and dedicate resources to ensure their success both in the classroom and after graduation.
“As a U.S. Navy veteran, I wanted to take full advantage of using my post-9/11 benefits, and Kevin Armalay in financial aid was able to assist me in every aspect along the way,” Donna Massari, a letters, arts and sciences student, said. “All of the professors have been so very helpful, kind and patient. As an adult student, I have also found that Brandywine is ideal for continuing education. Brandywine is an extremely veteran- and adult-friendly campus.”
“Brandywine is proud to support veterans by offering in-state tuition, priority class registration, mental health and career services,” said Armalay, student aid coordinator at Penn State Brandywine. “It also provides access to our VetConnect, a network of students, alumni, faculty and staff, and the Brandywine Warriors club, a platform for the integration of veterans into collegiate social and professional networks. We are constantly looking for ways to expand our services to those students who have served our country.”
Penn State Brandywine competed for the Military Friendly School title by completing a survey of more than 100 questions covering 10 categories, including military support on campus, graduation and employment outcomes, and military spouse policies. Survey responses were scored against benchmarks across these key indicators of success. In addition, data was independently tested by Ernest & Young based upon the weightings and methodology established by Victory Media, with guidance from an independent advisory board of higher education and recruiting professionals.
The methodology used for making the Military Friendly Schools list has changed the student veteran landscape to one that's much more transparent, and it has played a significant role over the past seven years in capturing and advancing best practices to support military students across the county.
“Post-secondary institutions earning the 2016 Military Friendly School award have exceptionally strong programs for transitioning service members and spouses,” said Daniel Nichols, Victory Media's chief product officer and a Navy Reserve veteran. “Our Military Friendly Schools are truly aligning their military programs and services with employers to help students translate military experience, skills and training into successful careers after graduation.”
For more information about Penn State Brandywine’s commitment to attracting and supporting military students, visit http://brandywine.psu.edu/educational-benefits-veterans.
