Texas A&M First In The Nation For Serving Veterans

Texas A&M University ranks as the best institution in the nation for providing services to veterans in transitioning into civilian careers after their military service, according to College Factual, an online service that helps prospective students make the best choices in selecting institutions of higher learning. The rankings were reported by the USA Today College Partner Network.

Texas A&M currently provides support through two campus offices for more than 1,100 veterans and at least 2,200 military dependents, spouses and survivors who are currently enrolled students.

This is the second assessment within the past month that has ranked Texas A&M as a national leader. It was ranked among the top three colleges in the nation — and first in Texas – in Washington Monthly’s new poll, which takes into major consideration factors such as research and service to the nation, as well as academic standing, and includes a military aspect.

The assessment was welcomed by Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp and Texas A&M University President Michael K. Young, both of whom oversee offices dedicated to serving veterans.

“Texas A&M goes beyond ‘military friendly,’” said Chancellor Sharp. “Respect and admiration for our veterans is in our DNA and rooted in our proud tradition.”

“We are proud to be a national benchmark for excellence in service to military veterans and their families,” President Young stated. “This ranking reflects the importance of military service throughout our rich history, as well as our ongoing commitment to providing veterans the same level of academic excellence and leadership development that we offer all of our students.”

The College Factual rankings take into consideration a variety of factors.

“There are several places that rank colleges for veterans, but they don’t always take into account the quality of the college, or the value of the education students receive,” USA Today noted in announcing the results based on College Factual rankings. “The College Factual ranking includes factors like veteran support services and programs, flexibility, affordability, and the success of graduates.”

Texas A&M has two offices dedicated to the support of all military-affiliated students — the Veteran Services Office and the Veteran Resource & Support Center. University officials say while both of these offices share a common goal of military-affiliated student success, each has a very distinct and different mission.

“This No. 1 ranking recognizes the tremendous effort of a truly unique team here in Aggieland,” states the director of the Veteran Resource & Support Center, Col. Jerry Smith, USMC, (Ret.).

The Veteran Services Office (VSO) in Scholarships & Financial Aid, says Bridgette Ingram, director of that office, is responsible for processing thousands of students’ veterans’ education benefits each semester and is dedicated to maximizing college funding through scholarships, financial aid, and other financial resources. Through electronic, automated and customer-friendly techniques and tools, the VSO has significantly streamlined the process for students to receive their benefits quickly and accurately, thereby allowing them to stay focused on their academic pursuits.

“Our Veteran and military-affiliated students deserve the best customer service and follow-through that we can provide. Texas A&M’s Veteran Services Office strives for continuous improvement to processes and procedures that allows our students the ability to maximize their college funding,” Ingram adds.

Both Ingram and Smith agree that Texas A&M has some distinct strengths and advantages, and in terms of supporting veterans — and all military-affiliated students – Texas A&M is unique.

In addition, there are other campus programs such as the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) sponsored by the Mays Business School and programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to help veterans interested in agricultural careers.

While many people are generally aware of the rich Aggie military history, Smith notes that very few know that the first Aggie student veterans arrived on campus in 1919 at the end of World War I. With over 96 years of experience, Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets, which provides the basis for the university being classified as one of the six ”senior military colleges” in the nation, has the largest uniformed body outside of the service academies and produces more officers than any institution in the nation other than the academies.

“Our military traditions, veteran support experience, and our Aggie Core Values combine to create a superb foundation and opportunity to provide unmatched support,” says Smith.

Another Aggie strength is the significant “top-down” support from the university president, provost and the vice president for student affairs, both Smith and Ingram agree. Through their actions, he explains, the university leadership, faculty and staff continuously demonstrate a sincere commitment of support to those who have served and sacrificed for our country.

The Veteran Resource & Support Center (VRSC) in Student Affairs is responsible for identifying, developing and providing uniquely tailored resources and programs for all military-affiliated students. Smith adds that the goal is to support academic success, holistic development and facilitate their transitions from the military to campus and beyond.

The VRSC houses two full-time military admissions liaisons who work with the Veteran Services Office to assist over 200 prospective student veterans in the admissions process every month. Additionally, Texas A&M hosts a Vet Success On Campus Counselor, a Department of Veterans Affairs employee who assists students by acting as a direct, on-campus link to VA.

Smith said he believes that “a key partnership is our work with the Career Center to help connect our graduating student veterans with employers who are eagerly seeking to hire them.”

Since opening in September 2012, the VRSC has worked to build a network of support that includes 15 veteran or military-related student organizations, among them the Texas A&M Student Veteran Association and the all-combat veteran unit in the Corps of Cadets–Delta Company. This network extends into the community to also include several community veterans’ organizations, (such as Team Red, White, and Blue, the American Legion and many others, to enhance the overall level of support.

As co-chairs of the Texas A&M Troops to College Committee, the campus advisory committee for military-affiliated student support, Ingram and Smith join in stating their belief that “the unique and powerful partnership of these two offices is one of the primary reasons that Texas A&M has become a destination of choice for military affiliated students.”

By taking the “application to vocation” mindset, Smith says Texas A&M “keeps moving forward to build new best practices of collaboration and innovation to serve well those who have served.”

Texas A&M has long been recognized for its efforts by Military Times’ 2015 Best for Vets: Colleges Survey (No. 7 in the nation and No. 1 in Texas), by Best Value School’s 2014 Best Colleges for Veterans Ranked by Return on Investment (No. 1 in nation), and as a Military Order of the Purple Heart School.

Smith and Ingram say members of the Texas A&M veteran offices are certain that by staying student-focused, much more will be accomplished to further improve opportunities for military-affiliated student success.

To see the entire USA Today article, go here.