As testament to the opportunities it provides veterans seeking college educations, St. Francis College has been named one of the nation's Military Friendly® Schools, based on an annual evaluation of the college's success in ensuring its student veterans graduate and go on to good jobs.

Now in its 10th year, the Military Friendly® Schools list has come to set the standard for higher education institutions to provide the best opportunities for veterans and their spouses. This prestigious list provides a comprehensive guide for veterans and their families using data sources from federal agencies and proprietary survey information from participating organizations.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey completed by the school. More than 1,000 schools participated in the 2020-2021 survey, with 625 schools earning the designation from every state in the country.

This is the second consecutive year St. Francis College has earned this designation.

"We are committed to ensuring St. Francis College provides every opportunity for those who have served our country to succeed as students and to prepare for fulfilling careers," said Gale Gayle, Ed.D., Assistant Vice President of Online Learning, Post-Traditional and Program Development at St. Francis College. "Inclusion on the Military Friendly® Schools list again underscores the fact we support military students every step on their educational journey, from their first introduction to St. Francis to their graduations and beyond."

In September 2019, St. Francis College opened the first Troops to Teachers (TTT) office in New York State, thanks to a collaboration between the College and the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE). TTT is a nationwide program designed to help transitioning service members and veterans begin new careers as certified K-12 school teachers.

The additional benefits St. Francis extends to eligible members of the Armed Forces, their spouses and dependents include:

• Academic credits for prior military training, and for work and life experiences, that ensure the unique knowledge vets bring to the College allows them to earn degrees as quickly as possible.

• Academic credits awarded for DSST exam results in over 30 subject areas (DSST is part of the approved Veterans Affairs National Testing Program, and veterans can take the exam for free) further accelerate the degree-earning process.

• Generous scholarships earmarked for veterans, including the Jeffrey Allen Clark Memorial Scholarship, the Henry Family Veterans Scholarship, the George Reaney Veterans Award and the Tom Brokaw Veterans Scholarship, along with other financial aid make St. Francis fit within a range of budgets.

• Online and hybrid-format classes to meet the lifestyle of military members.

• Individual guidance from dedicated military admissions, academic, career and financial advisors.

"In my role, it is always an honor to serve those who have served, or who are currently serving, our country," said Michele Hirsch, Ph.D., St. Francis College Psychology Professor and Veteran Services Point of Contact. "Earning the Military Friendly credential for the second year is a validation of St. Francis College's success in supporting our military and veteran communities."

The 2020-2021 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

For more information about the programs and services available to veteran students at St. Francis College, contact Dr. Gale Gayle at [email protected] or 718-489-5240.

About Military Friendly® Schools

The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions.The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. Ernst & Young (EY), a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services, independently evaluated the scoring methodology used for the Military Friendly® Schools list using the criteria set forth by VIQTORY. The services performed by EY are were limited to advisory procedures and do not provide assurance over the scoring methodology.The survey is administered for free and is open to all post-secondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

About VIQTORY

Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs®, Military Spouse, Military Friendly® brands. VIQTORY and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about VIQTORY at www.viqtory.com.