ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Washtenaw Community College (WCC) has earned the national 2024-2025 Military Friendly® Schools designation for its support of nearly 500 veteran students and their families.

Institutions earning the honor were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. WCC has earned a Silver award for going above the standard.

It is the first national recognition of WCC’s veteran support efforts. For six consecutive years, WCC has been named as a Gold-level Veteran-Friendly School by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency.

WCC’s Wadhams Veterans Center is at the heart of the college’s comprehensive veteran support services. Here, veteran students can study and fellowship between classes, receive career and academic advising and more. Wadhams Veterans Center staff members work one-on-one with veterans to help ease the transition from active military duty to their education and civilian life and remove barriers to success.

The college also sponsors an active Student Veterans of America Club on campus and other events.

WCC has established a system to evaluate and award academic credit based on military experience and is a destination point for many veterans from throughout the country whose goal is to transfer into the University of Michigan’s engineering and other programs. Overall, WCC is the top transfer school to U-M.

“Our veteran students have bravely served us. It is a privilege to support veterans and their families and help them achieve their dreams. We are proud to be recognized with this national honor,” said WCC President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca.

More than 1,800 institutions nationwide participated in the survey, with 537 earning special awards for going above the standard. Participating schools included Tier 1 research institutions, large public universities, small community and vocational colleges, as well as private schools.

The 2024-2025 Military Friendly® Schools list can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com. The list was published in the Spring edition of G.I. Jobs and is expected to be included also in a Fall issue of the magazine.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in higher education. Viqtory is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for retention, graduation, job placement, repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process. Our 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, going over and above that standard,” said Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®.

About Washtenaw Community College
Washtenaw Community College (WCC), Ann Arbor, Michigan, educates students through a wide range of associate and certificate programs in areas such as health care, business, STEM and advanced transportation and mobility. The college also works through community, business and union partnerships to develop highly specialized training programs to meet the region’s workforce talent needs.

About Military Friendly® Schools
The Military Friendly® Schools list is created annually based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools, and responses to the proprietary, Military Friendly® Schools survey. Survey questions, methodology, criteria, and weighting were developed with the assistance from an independent research firm and advisory council of educators. It is administered for free and open to all postsecondary schools wanting to participate and receive award recognition in Gold, Silver, Bronze categories.

About Viqtory
Founded in 2001, Viqtory is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly® brands. Viqtory and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity.

For further information or to arrange interviews, contact:

WCC:
Fran LeFort
Director of Media Relations
flefort@wccnet.edu
(734) 677-5295

Military Friendly® Schools:
Kayla Lopez
Senior Director of Military Partnerships
For press inquiries visit:
www.militaryfriendly.com/support

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fee0586b-ecc9-4976-bb76-18ea26d6b255