by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC
VIQTORY has released its 2019 Military Friendly Schools List and Kansas City Kansas Community College has once again been recognized for its continued focus on veterans.
Awarded to the top colleges, universities and trade schools in the country, the Military Friendly Schools designation is used to show which educational institutions are doing the most to embrace military students and to dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom and after graduation.
The Military Friendly designation provides service members transparent, data-driven ratings about post-military education and career opportunities.
KCKCC is one of 13 schools in Kansas to receive the designation. Others include Butler Community College, Benedictine College, Cowley College, Friends University, Newman University, Salina Area Technical College, Coffeyville Community College, Washburn University, Labette Community College, Baker University, Kansas State University and the University of Kansas. The University of Missouri and Park University, both in Missouri, were also included on the 2019 list.
“The survey shows that KCKCC is committed to serving our military and veteran student population,” said Wade Abel, director of military and veteran student services at KCKCC. “It shows that we are ensuring they have the resources needed to be successful here at KCKCC and when they leave.”
KCKCC opened its new Veterans Center in September 2018 as a way to better serve the nearly 20,000 veterans in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. The center provides active duty military, veterans and military dependents with the resources, tools and services needed to help them achieve educational success. Since opening, the Veterans Center has served more than 600 military and veteran students.
“Students use the resources available to them at the center,” Abel said. “These resources include information on applying for and using VA benefits, certification of classes taken using benefits and use of the study area and computer lab.”
The methodology used for making the Military Friendly Schools list has changed the student veteran landscape to one much more transparent and has played a significant role in capturing and advancing best practices to support military students across the country.
The school survey, methodology, criteria and weightings are developed by Viqtory with the input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council made up of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. The survey is administered for free and is open to all post-secondary schools who wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found on the Military Friendly® Schools website www.militaryfriendly.com.
For more information about KCKCC’s commitment to attracting and supporting military students, visit the KCKCC website at www.kckcc.edu or call the Veterans Center at 913-228-7593.