BSU makes G.I. Jobs' list of military-friendly schools

BEMIDJI, Minn. (Aug. 19, 2009) — G.I. Jobs has named Bemidji State University among the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the nation for doing the most to embrace America’s military veterans as students.

The list was compiled through exhaustive research during which G.I. Jobs polled more than 7,000 schools nation wide. Methodology, criteria and weighting for the list were developed with the assistance of an academic advisory committee consisting of educators and administrators from Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Toledo, Duquesne University, Coastline Community College and Lincoln Technical Institute.

Criteria for making the Military Friendly Schools list included efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students and academic accreditations.

“I’m really proud that Bemidji State University has been named a military-friendly school,” Dr. Lisa Erwin, vice president for student development and enrollment, said. “We’ve done a lot of things here at Bemidji State to support our veteran students.

“We have a veteran’s resource center that works to support veterans in navigating not only the University environment but also veteran’s benefits programs,” she said. “That office cooperates with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Higher Education Veterans Programs Office to provide these service, and this is a great partnership for our students.

“We’re also doing some training with our faculty and staff on sensitivity for veteran’s issues,” Erwin added. “Last year we had sponsored sessions put on by the University and the Higher Education Veterans Programs Office. They’re intended to help faculty and staff become more sensitive to transition issues and other unique concerns that our veteran students have.

“Finally, we just received notice this summer that we have received an Upward Bound grant to support veterans,” Erwin said. “This grant will help us reach out to veterans who are thinking about coming to college and will help them get ready for higher education.”

Bemidji State was one of 12 schools in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system to make the list. The others were Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Century College, Dakota County Technical College, Hibbing Community College, Inver Hills Community College, Metropolitan State University, Minnesota State University Mankato, Normandale Community College, Northland Community and Technical College, Northwest Technical College and St. Cloud State University.

“This list is especially important now because the recently enacted Post-9/11 GI Bill has given veterans virtually unlimited financial means to go to school,” said Rich McCormack, G.I. Jobs publisher. “Veterans can now enroll in any school, provided they’re academically qualified. Veterans need a trusted friend to help them decide where to get educated. The Military Friendly Schools list is that trusted friend.”

A full story and detailed list of Military Friendly Schools will be highlighted in the annual Guide to Military Friendly Schools and on a poster, both of which will be distributed to hundreds of thousands of active and former military personnel in September. A new Web site, found at http://www.militaryfriendlyschools.com, will launch in September with interactive tools and search functionality to assist military veterans in choosing schools that best meet their educational needs.

ON THE WEB
• G.I. Jobs 2010 Military Friendly Schools: http://www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/pr09.aspx

About G.I. Jobs
G.I. Jobs is published by Victory Media, a veteran-owned business headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa. The company also publishes The Guide to Military Friendly Schools, Military Spouse and Vetrepreneur magazines and annually rates the nation’s “Military Friendly Employers,” “Military Spouse Friendly Employers” and “Best Corporations for Veteran-Owned Businesses.”

For further information about G.I. Jobs, visit http://www.gijobs.com.