Assumption Achieves ‘Military Friendly School’ Status for a Third Year
In recognition of several programs to serve the unique needs of Veterans, active military, and their families, Assumption University has been named a Military Friendly® School for the third consecutive year. As a certified Yellow Ribbon School, Assumption honors students who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces for their personal sacrifices by providing a number of resources to support them in their academic pursuits.
Because Veterans often have unique needs outside of the classroom, Assumption assembled a team of individuals aware of these needs to provide Veterans a seamless transition into higher education. Examples of the support Assumption offers its Veteran students include Veteran-specific financial aid programs and packages; an annual Veterans Day observance ceremony; a Veterans Success Committee to ensure Veteran students’ concerns are heard by administrators and staff; a Veterans Lounge for Veterans only to meet, study, and learn; and a network of support through aptly trained faculty and staff. Through a collaboration with the Worcester Institute for Senior Education (WISE), of which many of its members are Veterans who are always willing to lend an ear, or hand, to a fellow service member.
Assumption has also expanded its academic programming to serve Veterans and their families, most notably through the Special Ops: Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) certificate program, which aims to train human services professionals to effectively engage and empower members of the SMVF community and assist them in their unique needs such as knowledge of service-related injuries, disabilities, and treatment; an increased sensitivity to the barriers and special considerations for SMVF; and understanding on how to assist SMVF in enrolling in care systems.
The Military Friendly School designation reviews public data, survey data from its institutions, and from the Veterans it supports in their pursuit of a college degree.