BEMIDJI, Minn. (Sept. 12, 2011) — For the third consecutive year, Bemidji State University has been recognized by G.I Jobs as being among the top 15 percent of colleges and universities in the nation for doing the most to embrace America’s military veterans as students.

The list was compiled through exhaustive research and a poll of more than 7,000 schools nation wide. Methodology, criteria and weighting for the poll questions were developed with the assistance of an academic advisory committee consisting of five higher education administrators.

Criteria for making the Military Friendly Schools list include measurements financial and non-financial efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students; number and percentage of military and veteran students enrolled; and other considerations including a school’s academic accreditations.

Bemidji State was one of four state universities in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system to make the list; it was joined by Minnesota State University, Mankato; St. Cloud State University; and Winona State University. Adding in 20 community and technical colleges, and in total 24 of the system’s 31 public colleges and universities were recognized. That number has doubled from 2009, when only 12 system schools were noted by G.I. Jobs for their service to veterans.

In total, 40 colleges and universities and 21 schools considered “branch campuses” in Minnesota made the 2012 list of Military Friendly Schools.

A full story and detailed list of Military Friendly Schools will be highlighted in the annual Guide to Military Friendly Schools and on a poster, both of which will be distributed to hundreds of thousands of active and former military personnel this fall. G.I. Jobs also offers interactive school-search tools at militaryfriendlyschools.com to assist military veterans in choosing schools that best meet their educational needs.

LINKS
• Military Friendly Schools