University of Kansas named a 'Military Friendly School' in annual ranking
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas is once again a Military Friendly Tier 1 Research Institution, according to the 2023-2024 “Military Friendly Schools” survey. KU is one of just 250 schools to earn the Gold Award designation for leading practices, outcomes and effective programs.
The annual Military Friendly Schools survey is the longest-running review of college and university investments in serving military-affiliated students. Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using public data sources and survey information. More than 1,800 institutions participated in this year’s survey, with 665 earning special awards for going above the standard. This is the sixth year KU has received the Gold Award.
“We are honored to be recognized again for KU’s enduring commitment to our more than 1,500 veterans, service members, spouses, dependents and ROTC students as they move to, through and beyond the university,” said April Blackmon Strange, director of the Lt. Gen. William K. Jones Military-Affiliated Student Center, “especially as more and more institutions are increasing their services and programs serving military-affiliated students.”
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. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans. The rankings and survey criteria are available online and will be published in G.I. Jobs magazine's May and October issues.
The Military-Affiliated Student Center at KU – a nearly 3,000-square-foot center in Summerfield Hall – serves as a centralized resource for KU’s military-affiliated community. It includes a lounge with 24-7 access, study spaces, headquarters for KU Student Veterans of America student organization, VA Work Study opportunities, staff to help with GI Bill and military tuition assistance and more.
The university is one of just 104 campuses nationwide to have the Department of Veterans Affairs VetSuccess on Campus program with a dedicated VA VSOC counselor on campus.
In addition to the center, KU has several scholarships and an emergency fund for military-affiliated students, a Veterans Upward Bound program and a series of Graduate Military Programs. KU is one of more than 50 universities to have all branches of ROTC and one of eight universities designated as a Department of Defense Language Training Center, which educates hundreds of servicemembers in strategic languages and regional area studies.
The KU Edwards campus has a Veterans and Student Leadership Lounge. Additional KU academic programs and certificates are available both on Fort Leavenworth and in Leavenworth for military and civilians in the area. KU also has a 4,000-member Veterans Alumni Network.