UCM’s Commitment to Those Who Serve Nation Leads to Military Friendly® Schools Gold Designation

WARRENSBURG, MO – Demonstrating its dedication to the men and women who serve this country, the University of Central Missouri has been awarded the 2022-2023 Military Friendly® Schools Gold designation. 

Information about the university’s achievement was released today by Viqtory Media, an organization that provides ratings to recognize companies and institutions of higher education that demonstrate positive employment and education outcomes for military personnel and their dependents. The 2022-2023 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

The 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 response set and government/agency /public data sources, within a logic-based scoring assessment. UCM’s ability to meet the 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, are measured in determining Military Friendly® designations. 

Award levels consist of Top 10 Gold – which UCM received for the first time in 2017-2018 – as well as Gold, Silver and Bronze, the designation given to UCM last year. These levels are determined in accordance with how the university scores overall in its assessment.

“Receiving a Gold ranking this year shows UCM’s true commitment and dedication to serving our service members, veterans, and dependents,” said Courtney Swoboda, a U.S. Air Force veteran who serves as the university’s director of Military and Veteran Service.

According to Viqtory Media, more than 1,800 higher education institutions participated in the survey, and out of 665 which earned awards-level designations, 282 were selected for Gold award status for their “leading practices, outcomes and effective programs.”

UCM has a strong relationship with individuals who serve in all branches of the military. While it is in close proximity to Whiteman Air Force Base and offers courses at the base, it has online course and degree offerings that can reach individuals across the globe, including those  military members who may be deployed. The university also offers in-state tuition for all active duty and military veterans and a Military Tuition package that helps reduce costs not covered by traditional military benefits. Additionally, it provides a Command Pass that enables military members enrolled at UCM free admission to home athletic games.

While such opportunities are ongoing, Swoboda noted that many additional efforts have been taken during the past year to assist individuals affiliated with the military. This includes working on numerous projects such as updating furniture and creating a quiet study computer lab in the Military and Veterans Success Center, a facility that was created more than a decade ago as a one-stop resource to serve active duty military and veterans who are enrolled at UCM.

“Through programming, we also became an AU-ABC- approved (Air University Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative within the Community College of the Air Force) institution,” Swoboda said. “The center has collaborated with different departments on campus such as Career Services to provide specific events for our students to include the first-ever Hire a Veteran Career Fair last fall.”

Swoboda added, “Our office is always looking to improve and create as many resources and benefits for our military- affiliated student population and this could not be done without the help and support of our faculty, staff and student workers on campus.”

For more information, contact Swoboda at 660-543-8848 or cswoboda@ucmo.edu.