ARLINGTON, Va. – Marymount University has been named a military friendly school for the fifth straight year by Victory Media Inc., a veteran-owned business that publishes G.I. Jobs Magazine. The 2015 list honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools serving students who are members of the U.S. military, veterans and their families.
“We are very proud to once again receive this distinction, which demonstrates our commitment to those who have served in America’s armed forces and their families,” said Marymount President Matthew D. Shank. “This university is ready to serve our nation’s veterans, just as they have served us all.”
Marymount currently has more than 175 active duty military service members, veterans and dependents pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees. Military family members make up almost half of this group.
Joe A. Blount Jr., the school’s coordinator for Military and Veteran Student Services, said Marymount is popular with the military because of its academic reputation and close-knit community.
“Another thing I constantly hear from them is that they like our small class size,” Blount said. “Our student-to-faculty ratio is 13 to 1. And our suburban campus provides an environment where they’re very comfortable.”
Blount, who served in the U.S. Army for 24 years and received his master’s degree in counseling from Marymount, said the number of military family members at the school is growing each year. He attributes that to a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs program that allows veterans who aren’t using their education benefits to transfer them to their spouse, son or daughter.
Other military-friendly features include the Yellow Ribbon program, which provides up to 75 grants a year of $2,000 each to eligible individuals pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees. Veterans Affairs matches the grant for a total of $4,000 a year. This money is in addition to other benefits included in the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. The university also participates in many other scholarship and grant programs to provide more funding benefits for tuition.
Marymount is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC), an association of schools with flexible policies that help service members and their families complete their degrees. The university accepts the American Council of Education (ACE) college credit recommendations for military training. Marymount also has agreements with local colleges to accept courses and transfer credits smoothly.
For more information on military programs and services at Marymount, visit marymount.edu/admissions/military or contact Blount.
