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Bellarmine University was recently awarded the prestigious “Military Friendly” designation.

School designations were evaluated by Military Friendly, a small company that seeks to set high standards for military affiliated students in higher education, using both public data sources and survey responses. The Military Friendly Schools survey is the longest-running and most comprehensive review of university investments in resources for military-affiliated students. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-2023 survey with 665 earning special awards for going above the standard.

Ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence and loan default rates for student veterans, specifically.

"In less than six years, Bellarmine’s Office of Military and Veteran Student Success has been awarded the most highly recognized distinction a university can earn because of our tailored services, programs and increasing retention and graduation rates," said Lindsay Gargotto, OMVS director and a veteran of the United States Air Force. “We’re very proud to know that we’re meeting the mark of excellence when it comes to serving those who serve us.”

Bellarmine is a Yellow Ribbon university, meaning if a student has 100% of their GI Bill, they can attend most programs for free. Bellarmine currently has 132 military-affiliated students enrolled for Fall 2022.

Bellarmine’s Office of Military and Veteran Services provides:

• VA and military benefit counseling and enrollment
• Specialized semester orientations
• Military/veteran student-specific programming, such as Military Appreciation Basketball games, lunch-and-learns and peer mentorship
• A lounge and study space dedicated to military-affiliated students
• Advocacy on campus for policy changes for military-ready environment, such as priority registration and Military Absence Policy
• A Council of Military and Veteran staff and faculty members
• A Registered Student Organization and Learning Community for military and veteran students
• A Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success
  

The 2022-2023 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

“Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,” said Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly. “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 colleges to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve award designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard.”