EUGENE, Ore. -- (Sept. 16, 2013) – The University of Oregon is a top military friendly school according to Victory Media Inc., publisher of G.I. Jobs magazine, in its latest annual list. The honor puts the UO in the top 20 percent of U.S. colleges, universities and trade schools for services for students with military experience. This is the fourth year in the row the UO is included on the list.
Based on surveys submitted by schools, the list provides information about many aspects of military friendliness at each college or university, including percentage of military students, services provided on campus, tuition assistance and graduation rates.
The UO provides multiple resources around campus for student veterans and families, and is one of 16 Tillman Military Scholar University Partners. The Tillman Military Scholarship program aims to lessen the financial burden for military students, veterans and spouses who wish to pursue higher education.
Three UO students are currently Tillman Scholars, including Brian Loftus, a law student originally from California. Loftus came to the UO after serving 11 years in the Air Force.
“I have been very supported as a Tillman Military Scholar and I truly believe U of O wants to become the example for veteran education,” said Loftus. “I absolutely believe they deserve this honor.”
A new resource is the UO Student Veterans Center, which opened in spring 2013. Located in the Erb Memorial Union, the center allows student veterans and others a meeting space in the heart of campus. The space is used for academic support services and the student-founded Veterans and Family Student Association. The VFSA provides support, peer tutoring, counseling and other services to student veterans and family members.
Student veterans can also seek assistance at the UO Office of Veterans Affairs, within the Office of the Registrar. The staff members assist military students, reservists and dependants to obtain benefits they are eligible for due to service. They also evaluate credits for transfer obtained by student veterans.
MEDIA CONTACT: Julie Brown, UO communications, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu
Note: The University of Oregon is equipped with an on-campus television studio with a point-of-origin Vyvx connection, which provides broadcast-quality video to networks worldwide via fiber optic network. In addition, there is video access to satellite uplink, and audio access to an ISDN codec for broadcast-quality radio interviews.
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