Higher Education Fall 2011

Supplement to The Pentagram, Journal, Standard, Joint Base Journal, Trident, Tester, Waterline, Capital Flyer and South Potomac Pilot

Area colleges ease credit transfers for servicemembers

C

By C.D. Carter

ollege administrators throughout the Washington, D.C., area know that with so many military veterans and active-duty soldiers working toward degrees, a campus has to prove its willingness to transfer servicemembers’ course credits easily from school to school.

That is why more than 90 campuses in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington are part of the Servicemember Opportunity Colleges (SOC), abiding by the stipulations laid out by the SOC to ease the credit transfer process for servicemen and women who frequently move and, consequently, often switch colleges and universities.

The SOC program was launched in 1972 for military personnel seeking a college degree while relocating to a new military base every few months, thereby requiring college-to-college credit transfers that often prove logistically difficult. The program also allows for the same ease-oftransfer to be granted to a servicemember’s adult dependent family members.

Tony Miller, director of graduate admissions at Capitol College, an independent school in Laurel, Md., said that being a member of theWashington-based SOC has helped the school recruit military personnel looking for a school to attend while they

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are stationed in the region.

“Being a member of the consortium definitely gives us credibility with current and former members of the armed forces,” Miller said, adding that soldiers and veterans often ask Capitol College officials if the school is part of the SOC.“The servicemember knows that we have agreed to abide by the SOC

principles, especially when it comes to transferring credits into our programs.”

Funded by the Department of Defense, SOC works closely with 15 higher education associations, along with both active and reserve servicemen and women, according to the SOC’s website.

Civilian students who move from one

college to another sometimes see credits disappear because one school’s curriculum is not considered equivalent to the next school’s coursework. An SOC member college works to transfer credits and help servicemembers avoid taking a course for a second time on a new campus.

“SOC membership is sometimes viewed as a Good Housekeeping seal of approval, because a student will know the school has agreed to help them,” said SOC director Kathy Snead. “It lets the servicemember know that the school is military-focused and that they’re concerned about their needs as students.”

The influx of federal money available for servicemember education after the introduction of the post-9/11 GI Bill, Snead said, has encouraged new colleges and universities to become SOC members in recent years, although SOC does not have estimates of how many new member schools have joined.

“Being a member helps (colleges) compete in the military market,” she said. “It really helps the visibility of that institution.”

There are 29 SOC colleges and universities in Maryland; 52 in Virginia; 11 in the District; and more than 1,900 nationwide, according to the SOC website.

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HIGHER EDUCATION • Fall 2011

California University of Pennsylvania 250 University Avenue California, Pennsylvania 15419 Web Address: http://www.calu.edu/go Admission Phone: 724-938-4404 or 1-888-412-0479 Financial Aid Phone: 724-938-4415 Military Programs Contact: Millie Rodriguez Military Programs Phone: 1-866-595-6348 Veteran Military Programs Contact: Robert Prah Veteran Military Programs Phone: 724-938-4076 Military Programs Email: calugo@calu.edu or veterans@calu.edu Type of School: 4-year public

Online Courses Available

Top 5 ONLINE programs at Cal U: - MS Exercise Science-Wellness and Fitness - MS Exercise Science- Performance Enhancement - MS in Legal Studies-Homeland Security - MS in Legal Studies- Law and Public Policy - BS in Sport Management Does your school offer credit for work experience?

We accept up to 90 transfer credits at the undergraduate level, we accept up to 6 credits at the graduate level, we waive all general education requirements to students with an Associate’s Degree, we also accept CLEP, and Military Credit

Tuition: Undergrad $242.00 per credit; Grad $387.00 per credit Other costs: Fees are $116.00 full-time and $135.00 full-time

Servicemember Opportunity College participant Special tuition rates available for military, spouses &/or children: We offer Pennsylvania in-state rates for active-duty military, their spouses, and dependants.

Admission Requirements: Admission requirements vary per program. Please visit www.calu.edu/go for program-specific information.

Why this school is the right choice for a member of the military, veteran, and/or family member: We are dedicated to making our campus a place that serves our military students with the best customer service possible. From the programs in which we participate, such as MyCAA, GoArmy, and the Post 911 GI Bill, to our offices dedicated to student success, we strive to address our students’ concerns and provide assistance throughout their time as a student at Cal U. We are proud to extend our affordable in-state tuition to spouses and dependants and now to reservists, as well.

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American Military University offers over 75 degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s and master’s level through its seven distinct academic Schools.

School of Arts and Humanities The University is unique in offering a full range of online degrees in arts and humanities that are based on the great ideas, works, and thinkers that have defined civilization as embodied in the “great books” tradition. The curriculum addresses humankind’s fundamental topics through study of courses in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Coursework is designed to develop high-level research, analytical, and interpersonal skills and prepares students for a broad range of professional careers.

American Military University www.amuonline.com/comprint 111 W. Congress St. Charles Town, WV 25414 Admission Phone: 877-777-9081 Financial Aid Phone: 877-372-3535 Military Programs Email: info@apus.edu

Associate Degrees Associate programs are designed for students who seek a twoyear degree as either their final degree in higher education or the foundation for further study at the bachelor’s level. An associate degree typically requires 61-64 semester hours (20 courses and 14 labs). Students must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent to be admitted to an associate program.

Bachelor’s Degree The bachelor’s degree program is also open to students who possess a high school diploma or its equivalent. This minimum 120-124 credit program is the standard “four-year” undergraduate degree desired by most employers and prepares the student for graduate study. All students who enroll in the bachelor’s degree program must enroll in COLL100 - Foundations of Online Learning as their first course.

Master’s Degree AMU accepts students for graduate-level study who have earned a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. To earn a master’s degree, students must complete a minimum of 12 courses and take a final comprehensive examination, thesis option, or capstone/applied research project at the end of all course work.

School of Business The School of Business offers a flexible, dynamic and interactive program to accommodate many types of learners. We integrate new technologies to keep the classroom interesting and up-to-date. Students are taught not only the concepts but also the “real world” application of the materials. The curriculum provides the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge for students seeking preparation or advancement in business and leadership roles in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.

School of Education Graduate programs in the School of Education are designed to meet the most rapidly growing demands of the profession. Our certification programs are built to the highest state and national content standards. We provide opportunities to practicing teachers to enhance their professional training in critical needs areas such as special education, reading and literacy, TESOL, and Gifted Education.

School of Management The School of Management offers relevant and dynamic management programs for students who seek broad managerial knowledge, skill, and ability. Specifically, specialized degrees are designed and offered in the high growth areas of sport sciences and the everprolific transportation and logistics management career fields. Students will address traditional and topical management and leadership matters, while at the same time be influenced by foundational and conceptual underpinnings that remain vital in today’s competitive markets.

School of Public Safety and Health The School of Public Safety and Health houses several of the university’s flagship programs; namely emergency and disaster management, criminal justice, and homeland security. It is also the home of up-and-coming programs in security management, legal studies, and public health. Our faculty combine top academic credentials with practical expertise. Our programs in many cases are professionally accredited or recognized in their industries. These recognitions include the Foundation of Higher Education for the emergency and disaster management program. Additionally, the public health program is an applicant for accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Other accreditations are pending with professional organizations.

School of Science and Technology Science and technology professionals are vital to society’s continued innovation. Academic programs in this school help students cultivate the problem solving, creative, and technological skills necessary for advancements in their chosen field - whether it be pursuing innovations in environmental policy, space studies, or one of the many professions within the information technology field.

School of Security and Global Studies The programs taught in the School of Security and Global Studies truly embody our motto, “Educating Those Who Serve.” Students with majors in this school have an understanding of the world - appreciating differences in political, economic, and social cultures. Our faculty members are highly credentialed and respected leaders in their fields, and many of them currently work in the U.S. government and in the U.S. intelligence community. Our graduates are employed in leadership positions at agencies ranging from the Department of State, Defense, and Homeland Security to the intelligence services, as well as private businesses throughout the world.

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They‘d rather come out at night Some veterans choose evening classes to be with older, experienced classmates

By C.D. Carter

At 26, Adam Fus isn’t a curmudgeon. But the junior at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., said he prefers night classes filled with working adults in their late 20s and early 30s — people he can relate to better than the 18- and 19-yearolds in his daytime classes.

Fus, a Virginia native who served in Afghanistan and Iraq for the Marine Corp infantry, is not alone. Interviews with military veterans and servicemembers around the Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.,region showed that adjusting to interaction with younger students is a central part of transitioning from military life to campus life.

“With having the experience I had in the military, and in life in general, there’s a communication barrier with a lot of younger students,” said Fus, who left the

military in 2007. He added that the barrier often takes digital form. “A lot of kids are either playing on Facebook orTwitter. I prefer face-to-face communication, the way people used to talk to each other.”

Veterans returning to the classroom after their military service begin their pursuit of a degree the same way a recent high school graduate would: in introductory classes.

That puts veterans in classrooms and lecture halls with students almost a decade younger. Teenagers lack the life experience of a military veteran who has served overseas, students said, making it difficult to chat with classmates, or work with them in group projects.

“The reality is that even at 25 or 26, you may be the oldest in the class by several years,” said Olayta Rigsby, veterans affairs coordinator at Howard Community College, a 10,000-student campus in Columbia,

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Md. “They realize that these are kids sitting next to them, and [veterans] express concern about their maturity level sometimes.”

Forming friendships with recent high school graduates who might goof off in class—arriving late and leaving early, sleeping during lectures — is difficult for military veterans who risked their lives in battle zones so they could attend college and advance their careers, Rigsby said.

“They find that some of the younger students are intimidated [by professors] or just not interested in what’s happening in class,” Rigsby said. “Veterans made a sacrifice to get into the classroom, so they take it very, very seriously.”

Student veterans said they find themselves participating in class while younger students

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Variety of scholarships available in Maryland for servicemembers

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by C.D. Carter books, student fees, and room and board Charles Grigg, a sergeant in the U.S. —but there are also many military-specific Marine Corps, will graduate this spring from scholarships that offer some relief from Washington College in Chestertown, Md., tuition prices that can require substantial student loans during a four-year educaafter receiving one of the most generous tion. Some are available to all milimilitary scholarships in the tary members, but othstate — more than ers target service$100,000 in edumembers who fit specation costs during cific criteria, such as four years. single parents, Purple Grigg was one of Heart recipients and three veterans of the wounded veterans. wars in Afghanistan “It is an extreme relief and Iraq to receive knowing that I’m beginWashington College’s ning my job hunt without first Hodson Trust Star having that debt looming Scholarships, a program over my head,” said Grigg, that pays for military ser25, a Shady Side, Md., resivicemen and women’s dent who served an 18-month higher education on four ISTOCKPHOTO/COGAL tour in Iraq that ended in April campuses: Washington, 2007. “A lot of my friends have Johns Hopkins University, that debt and they’re already Hood College in Frederick and St. John’s feeling the effects of it. In one sense, I feel College in Annapolis. The program was kind of bad because I don’t have to go launched in 2007. through that. But on the other hand, I The Hodson scholarships cover all educational expenses—including classes, SCHOLARSHIPS, continued on 11 HIGHER EDUCATION • Fall 2011

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Check out what’s happening at all Military Installations around MD/DC/VA!

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Baker College Online: Military Friendly, Mission-Ready

Serving our Servicemembers

Our goal is to make a Baker College education affordable and available to anyone in the military who’s serious about preparing for a successful career. We’re also dedicated to providing all the support you need to meet the unique challenges that every serviceperson faces when balancing school and study with the demands of duty and other responsibilities.

Baker College Online takes pride in serving our military students with individual attention to put together a personalized educational program. From admissions through academic guidance, to postgraduate employment assistance, we’ll give you all the attention you need to make the right choices, solve problems, create opportunities, and get the most out of your educational experience.

The case of UT2 Nicholas Waldo, USN, is a good example. Nick had attended Baker College of Muskegon, Michigan until joining the Navy Reserve.

Because of the required training and travel, Baker College Online became the practical choice for continuing his education while on the move. When Nick was deployed to Kuwait, he thought his education would be put on hold. Yet he soon Photo used with consent from UT2 Nicholas Waldo, USN discovered that even though he was half a world away from home, he was able to continue his studies, earning his BA in Business Administration (with a flexstudy in aviation), a degree he hopes will help him when he applies for Officer Training. “Everyone at Baker pitched in to help me,” he says. “My instructors, advisers, even the Dean. They were always there to answer my questions and they were very understanding and flexible. They never left me hanging. In fact, I got more personalized assistance while I was deployed in Kuwait than my fiancé got from college that she was attending back in the states! I’m planning on a career in the Navy, and I believe that my degree is going to help me advance through the ranks.”

While you’re serving your country, we do all we can to serve your needs. As a result, Baker College Online is included in the top 15 percent of colleges, universities, and trade schools on the G.I. Jobs 2011 list of Military Friendly Schools.

To help meet this goal, Baker Online offers the following:

Our mission is to prepare you for success. (And we’re ready, willing, and able.)

• Tuition structured around military benefits, to ensure military students pay little or no out-of-pocket expenses. In addition, all undergraduate-level textbooks are included, free of charge for qualified students.

Baker College has been helping people prepare for new careers for 100 years, and today we’re America’s Leading career college with over 44,000 students around the world, more than 25,000 online—many of them in the military. We’ve been a leader in online learning since 1994 when we first saw the value in such a flexible means of educational delivery.

As a career college, Baker focuses completely on providing students with the most marketable job skills, in the shortest time possible. Our curriculum is grounded in the real world; most all of our instructors are practicing professionals in the subjects they teach and our classes stress the most current technologies and best practices. Each Baker Online degree program at the certificate, associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral level is targeted at one of the fastest-growing fields in business, health or information systems and can help advance either a military or civilian career quickly, affordably, and successfully.

As a member of the military serving your country, you are entitled to receive a quality education.

With Baker Online, not only is it possible, now is a great time to get started and make the most out of your time in the service. As long as you have an Internet connection and personal dedication, your degree is within reach, anywhere in the world. Contact a helpful Baker College Online Development Coordinator at (800) 469-4062 or 1040839 e-mail our admissions office at adm-ol@baker.edu to get started today.

Baker Online can make it easier for you to get the education you need—to help you build the military or civilian career that you want.

The thought of trying to earn your degree while serving in the military may seem overwhelming and just not possible. That’s why Baker College® Online has developed over 40 degree programs that are compatible with your military service. Classes are available 365/24/7 with no campus requirements for maximum flexibility anywhere you’re stationed or deployed—anywhere in the world. Baker Online is regionally accredited and a longtime partner of the GoArmyEd programs and other branches of the military. We are DANTES, SOC, and VA approved. Plus our programs focus on delivering an education that’s practical, results-driven, and totally dedicated to giving you the skills and knowledge you’ll need to succeed in a military or civilian career.

What “Military Friendly” means to us.

• Both the application fee at the undergraduate and graduate levels and the course fee for your first course, (COL112 College Success Online, regularly $60.00) are waived for qualified military students.

• Free and honest evaluations of your military experience, testing, and training credits.

• A six-week quarter structure that helps you finish your degree in less time.

• Not-for-profit status, which allows us to invest in our students rather than focus on shareholders.

• Lifetime Employment Assistance for all Baker graduates—free and forever.

• A promise to hold your place if you’re deployed while taking classes.

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Virginia gives in-state tuition rates to veterans

By C.D. Carter

Earlier this year, Virginia lawmakers passed legislation that could trim veterans’ college tuition by tens of thousands of dollars every year.

Virginia’s military veterans won’t have to meet the state’s one-year residency requirement before qualifying for in-state tuition rates after the House and Senate unanimously passed the legislation, and Gov. Robert McDonnell signed the bill into law.

Veterans new to the Commonwealth could save a bundle with the extension of in-state tuition, which is paid for with benefits from the Montgomery GI Bill. Virginia joins Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, and New Mexico as states with similar offers of immediate in-state rates for former servicemembers.

George Mason University’s out-of-state students pay $33,388 annually, and Virginians pay $8,864, according to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

The College of William & Mary charges out-of-state students $42,448, and in-state students pay $12,188.

At the University of Virginia, where out-of-state students shell out $42,226, their in-state counterparts pay $16,628.

James Madison University charges outof-state students $28,644; in-state stu-

dents pay $7,860.

“It’s a big step to extend that to veterans,” said David Armor, professor of public policy at George Mason who has researched how laws affect education and military manpower. “I would have to think it would be pretty popular on both sides of the aisle given the fact that it would help our servicemen and women ... and I personally think it’s a good idea.”

Armor said offering tuition as little as one-fourth of current out-of-state rates could attract even more military veterans toVirginia, a state with an already large military population.

“It would make a significant difference, but it’s hard to project the numbers,” Armor said when asked if he expected more veterans in his classroom after the instate tuition bill passed.

There are 822,300 military veterans living in Virginia, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Maryland is home to 471,200 veterans, and there are 37,300 veterans in Washington, D.C. California has the largest veteran population, with almost 2 million.

That high veteran population is why Glen Lacroix, a student at the University of Arizona and president of the school’s chapter of the Student Veterans of America, helped push an Arizona law last year that granted

in-state rates to veterans who had not met the one-year residency requirement.

Lacroix said former servicemembers were not getting into public California universities because budget cuts had decreased class sizes and made the state’s university system far more selective.

“It used to be that if you had a 3.0 GPA, you were in,” he said. “Now, [applicants] with 3.7 GPAs have to wonder if they’re getting in.” Lacroix and other veteran advocates were pleased when Arizona legislators passed a law granting in-state rates to veterans with honorable discharges. The law there took effect in time for this fall semester.

State laws that can serve as recruiting tools for military veterans, Lacroix said, have proven popular with local business owners who look for former servicemen and women to fill job openings.

“You bring veterans in by being veteran friendly,” Lacroix said. “Most veterans come to a place and they want to stay and build a life there. And a lot of employers, when they’re hiring, want to hire veterans because they have experience and leadership.”

State lawmakers grappling with budget shortfalls and scrutinizing budget items one line at a time find veterans’ in-state tuition legislation particularly appealing,

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he said. Drawing just 1,000 veterans from California would bring about $10.7 million in tuition and fees for Arizona State University in the next year, for example.

“If you show them the money, they’ll follow it,” Lacroix said.

Will for-profit college rules affect military student choices?

By C.D. Carter

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Federal regulations aimed at strengthening standards at for-profit colleges are not expected to drive away military veterans and servicemembers from popular for-profit programs, but the new rules could prompt students to take a closer look at community colleges and traditional campuses.

The U.S. Department of Education unveiled its long-awaited “gainful employment” regulations for for-profit programs, such as the University of Phoenix and Kaplan University. Under the rules, for-profit institutions that churn out large numbers of students who leave school with enormous student debt and few job qualifications would lose access to federal student aid money.

Money provided in the Post-9/11 GI Bill has proven central to the rapid growth of for-profit schools, many of them conducting classes almost entirely online. In 2006, for example, 20 for-profit institutions took in $66 million in military educational benefits. Four years later, those same schools collected $521 million in military education money, according to a 2010 report released

by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, a longtime critic of the for-profit college industry.

Richard Heath, director of financial aid at Anne Arundel (Md.) Community College, said he expects servicemembers and veterans to more carefully consider college choices after a two-year federal rule-making process that included reports of unethical recruitment practices and higher course costs at some for-profit schools.

“We think [military students] will come to our school more now,” said Heath, an Army veteran, adding that for-profit public relations damage could fade through time.

“But it goes in waves. Just like any other [education] sector, when the bad news hits, then the entire sector is painted in a bad light. … Then you have another generation of students coming along with little or no knowledge of what happened and they go along with life as normal.”

The new federal regulations—which require for-profits to meet three requirements in order to receive federal student aid—could make for-profit schools more

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NIGHT, continued from 6 keep their heads buried in books or laptops.

JustinWillis, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran and a homeland security major at Anne Arundel Community College, said that at 30 years old, he is more comfortable with raising his hand during class discussions than student fresh out of high school might be.

“Instructors don’t get a lot of participation, so I have to step in a lot,” Willis said.

“He’d be pulling teeth trying to get people to answer his questions, and it seems like some [students] just refuse. I don’t know if they need coffee or what.”

Willis said he would “definitely recommend” night classes to veterans returning to college. Being surrounded by classmates who juggle family life and a full-time job with college courses makes for a smoother transition into higher education for servicemembers.

CHOICES, continued from 10 popular among veterans researching college options, for-profit officials said.

“Gainful employment” rules “may help limit debt for students … as they tighten up on definitions and rules around how we review academic activity,” said Gary Spoales, associate vice president for financial services operations at American Military University, which has offices in Manassas,Va. Spoales said AMU would make a concerted effort to explain the new federal regulations to students and ensure they understand that for-profit colleges can provide a quality education.

“The media attention that this has generated spreads the word and creates a sense of fear and anxiety,” he said. “The only [information] some people have about how it might impact you comes from a third-party source.”

The three-year grace period included in the Education Department’s final rules will give for-profit colleges time to adjust

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to the new standards.

“We feel very comfortable with what we do and how we do it,” he said. “When changes are brand new, they create lots of questions before you get to final results. … I don’t think it’ll impact us as much because we have a good reputation with military students.”

In 2008, about 76,000 military servicemembers who attended for-profit colleges used $640 million in GI Bill benefits, according to Harkin’s 2010 report. The 203,000 servicemen and women who attended public colleges and universities spent $697 million in benefits that year.

Even before “gainful employment” rules were announced, AACC’s military student population was growing steadily.

There are more than 1,000 military veterans and servicemembers at the college this year, a 400-student increase from 2009, Heath said.

“We suspect that is only going to grow more,” he said. “Word of mouth in the military community is a very big seller.”

ments at the college from with which they are seeking their degree. SOC has specific programs for servicemembers in the Marines, Air Force, Army, the Army National Guard and the Coast Guard.

Miller said Capitol College has tracked a marked increase in the number of military personnel asking campus counselors if the school has joined SOC and will work with the student to move credits from their previous college.

Fifteen percent of Capitol’s students are active duty servicemembers or armed forces veterans, Miller said.

“Capitol [College] has a long history servicing veterans and active duty students and we firmly believe in and follow the SOC principles,” he said.

SCHOLARSHIPS, continued from 6 know that I’ve been through something that most people will never get to experience, and that there are people out there who recognize that sacrifice by helping those like me get through college.”

Jeremy Rothwell, another recipient of Washington College’s Hodson scholarship, said having $40,000 in tuition costs covered by the scholarship brought him back to campus for his final year in the college’s political science/history programs in 2007.

“One of the only reasons I stayed was that they offered to pay for everything,” said Rothwell, 24, a medic in the National Guard who grew up in Cecil County and now lives in Chestertown. “Obviously, I was very pleased with the opportunity.”

The University of Maryland-College Park, the state’s flagship campus, has eight scholarships available for active military personnel and their dependents. Some scholarships offer $1,000 to military members, such as the Robert E. Evasick Memorial Scholarship or the Paul E. and Jane F. Butler Scholarship Fund.

Marsha Guenzler-Stevens, a University of Maryland spokeswoman, said the university has eight of the country’s 52 recipients of the Pat Tillman Military Scholars program, established for the former NFL player who joined the Army Rangers after Sept. 11, 2001, and was killed in Afghanistan in 2004. The program covers varying tuition costs for vet-

erans and active-duty military according to their financial needs, Guenzler-Stevens said.

Most military scholarships on Maryland campuses are available to servicemen and women in every branch, but some scholarships are made available to veterans of the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The University of Maryland-University College’s Military Veteran Scholarship Fund, for example, seeks those who have served in the current battlefields, but remains open to other veterans and active duty personnel, according to the school’s financial aid website.

UMUC’s Blewitt Endowed Military Scholarship assists active-duty single parents and their children, as well as military members who have been wounded in the war on terrorism.

Other scholarship programs, such as UMUC’s President Gerald A. Heeger Tribute Scholarship, provide tuition costs for military members who have received a Purple Heart since Aug. 1, 2000.

Rothwell and Grigg said Washington College’s financial aid officials helped them through the scholarship application process —a critical step in connecting servicemen and women with the various scholarships designated specifically for them.

“It meant incredibly more than I could have imagined, as I do not think I would have been able to go back to college without it,” Grigg said of the Hodson scholarship.

“Financially, I could not have afforded to go back to college unless I took a loan out.”

Joint Base Andrews 301.420.2256 Bureau of Medicine & Surgery (BUMED) 202.223.9224 Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling 202.561.4382 Fort Belvoir Barden Education Center 703.781.7942 Southern Maryland Higher Education Center 301.420.2256

Webster University is listed by U.S. News and World Report as one of “America’s Best Colleges 2011” and ranks Webster as “Top Midwestern Master’s University.’

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Servicemen and women are not subject to the same credit-transfer restrictions at SOC member campuses.

For instance, Bowie State University does not hold SOC members to the same credit transfer limitations as civilian students, and Bowie State officials allow SOC students to complete 75 percent of their coursework outside the university.

The final 30 credits of degree work for undergraduate and graduate degrees, however, must be completed at the university, said Herbert Mills, the Veteran Affairs coordinator at Bowie State.

The SOC requires that member colleges require military students to complete no more than 25 percent of the degree require-

Fus said his spring semester schedule does not allow for night classes. However, in William & Mary’s business school, he says even the youngest students participate in class.

“It can be difficult at times, but it really depends on the type of students you have,” he said. “You always have immature young students, but you also have mature 21year-olds who think they’re ready to leave college and run a company. It really varies.”

Rigsby said many veterans transitioning into Howard Community College don’t begrudge their younger classmates for being immature or failing to participate during discussions with instructors.

Instead, military veterans catch a glimpse of who they were before their national service.

“They come back from the battlefield and they say, ‘Hey, that’s what I was like,’” Rigsby said. “They understand where they’re coming from.”

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia has certified Webster University at Ft. Belvoir to operate in Virginia

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Admission Requirements Admission’s requirements vary with each program. To learn more about your program of interest or to apply for admission to Nyack College contact the admissions office today.

(202) 220-1300 admissionsdc@nyack.edu www.nyack.edu/dc

Nyack College Hall of the States 444 North Capitol Street NW Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20001 Admissions Phone: (202) 220-1300 Financial Aid Phone: (202) 220-1300 Military Programs Contact: George Hairston Military Programs Phone: (202) 220-1300 Military Programs Email: admissionsdc@nyack.edu Type of School: School of Business and Leadership Nyack College | Washington, D.C. campus Hall of the States 444 North Capitol Street NW Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20001 Online courses available: Yes

What makes this school the right choice for a member of the military, veteran, and/or family member?

Top Major 1: Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management Top Major 2: Master of Science in Organizational Leadership Offers Credit for Work Experience: Yes Tuition (per semester): Varies per program Yellow Ribbon Program Participant? Yes Yellow Ribbon Amount (per semester):Varies per program Special Tuition rates available for military, spouses, &/or children?

Post 9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC®)

Nyack College is a private, non-profit institution of Christian higher education. Founded 1882 by Dr. A. B. Simpson as a training institute for missionaries, today Nyack College is comprised of an accredited liberal arts college, seminary, and graduate schools offering more than forty majors and seven graduate programs to over, 4,000 students who earn associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees.

The main campus is located in Nyack, New York with an 80-acre campus set on a hillside overlooking the Hudson River and Tappan Zee Bridge, just twenty-five miles north of Times Square. Branch campuses exist in the historic TriBeca area of Manhattan; on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.; and in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

With each campus’ close proximity to a major urban or metropolitan region, Nyack College is one of the nation’s most culturally diverse campuses—in both the student and faculty population. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Nyack multiple times among the most diverse campus in the Northeast. The Chronicle of Higher Education named Nyack a “2011 Great College to Work For,” with recognition in three categories: confidence in senior leadership, respect and appreciation, and work/life balance.

Nyack College is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

Highly qualified faculty who bring a mixture of scholarship, and applied experience in business, faithbased, and non-profit organizations teach our academically rigorous curriculum.

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HIGHER EDUCATION • Fall 2011