When military personnel return home, or even while they are still serving overseas, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) is ready to help them earn a high-quality education.
Victory Media, the premier media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life, has named SMWC to the coveted Military Friendly Schools ® list for the fourth consecutive year. The 2013 Military Friendly Schools ® list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are embracing America’s military service members, veterans and spouses, ensuring their success in higher education. The 1,739 institutions on this year’s list exhibit leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience.
“Inclusion on the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools ® shows Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College’s commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students,” said Sean Collins, director for G.I. Jobs Magazine and vice president of Victory Media. “As interest in education grows we’re thrilled to provide the military community with transparent, world-class resources to assist in their search for schools,” he added.
The list of Military Friendly Schools ® was compiled through extensive research and a data-driven survey of more than 12,000 VA-approved schools nationwide. Each year institutions taking the survey are held to a higher standard than the previous year via improved methodology, criteria and weightings developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board (AAB) consisting of educators from across the country.
“We continue to be innovative in seeking new ways to offer educational opportunities to military personnel and their families worldwide as well as to our veterans,” said Dottie King, Ph.D., president of SMWC. “In addition to our flexible online learning format, The Woods also offers a variety of scholarships and programs to make it easier for women and men to meet their educational goals.”
Military spouse and Woods Online graduate Sara “Suzie” Zach Baldwin ’10 needed the flexibility of the distance program. “Knowing I could do this [Woods Online] while also working, coaching, volunteering and accomplishing other daily activities encouraged me to do anything I set out to achieve. The Woods has an incredible program, and, it was well worth it when I finally got to turn my tassel.”