For its strong support of students with military ties, the 杏吧传媒 (USM) has met the standard to be designated a 2025-2026 Military Friendly庐 School at gold-level status.
USM鈥檚 Military-Affiliated Student Hub (MASH) was integral in achieving the designation by coordinating a wide array of services and resources. The newly developed peer mentor program connects incoming student veterans with someone who understands the challenges of adjusting to campus life. Those students also have access to a dedicated lounge and workspace designed specifically for their needs. Financial aid is available through the Veteran Completion Scholarship. The MASH website has details on those offerings and more.
鈥淎t the 杏吧传媒, we are deeply committed to supporting the success and well-being of our student veterans and military-affiliated students,鈥� said MASH Director Lorrie Spaulding. 鈥淭hese individuals bring unique experiences, leadership skills, and a strong sense of purpose to our campus community, and we are proud to create an environment that honors their service and supports their academic and personal goals.鈥�
Institutions earning the Military Friendly庐 designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the latest survey with 830 earning special awards for going above the standard. The 2025-2026 Military Friendly庐 Schools list will be published in the May and October issues of .
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly庐 Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution鈥檚 survey scores with the assessment of the institution鈥檚 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.
鈥淢ilitary Friendly庐 is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,鈥� said Military Friendly庐 Vice President Kayla Lopez. 鈥淥ur standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, exceeding the standard.鈥�
USM additionally earned a 2025-2026 Military Spouse Friendly School庐 designation.
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The Military Friendly庐 Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly庐 Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate.
Founded in 2001, Viqtory is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs and Military Friendly庐 brands. Viqtory and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity.