University of Central Missouri Bags Gold Ranking Second Time For Dedication to Service Members Earns Military Friendly

For the second consecutive year, the University of Central Missouri is being recognized nationally for its dedication to the men and women who serve the United States. Viqtory Media has awarded UCM the 2023-2024 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 2023-2024 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, awarded to UCM for the first time in 2017-2018, as well as Gold, which the university received in 2022-2023, and Silver and Bronze. These levels are determined in accordance with how the university scores overall in its assessment.

“It is exciting for our campus, staff, and students to receive this designation again,” said Courtney Swoboda, director of Military and Veteran Services at UCM. “This enforces the service and resources we provide our students and the dedication our staff have to ensure our students are successful,”

According to Viqtory Media, approximately 2,000 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, many additional efforts have been taken over the past two years 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. Other initiatives include partnerships such as becoming an AU-ABC- approved (Air University Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative within the Community College of the Air Force) institution, and collaboration with departments on campus such as the Career and Life Design Center to provide opportunities to attend job fairs and use other resources that serve active duty military members and veterans.

In addition to being recognized by Viqtory Media among Military Friendly® Schools, UCM’s dedication to active duty military members and their dependents and veterans contributed to being recognized by U.S. News and World Report. In its 2022-2023 Best Colleges rankings, U.S. News ranked UCM #29 as a Best Midwestern School for Veterans. This ranking was three spots higher than the previous year.