WE ARE PROUD TO BE A MILITARY FRIENDLY SCHOOL AND PURPLE HEART UNIVERSITY
S Saint Martin’s recognizes its 10th America’s Service Heroes Scholarship recipient Staff Sgt. Michael A. Vidick, a member of the U.S. Air Force for more than 11 years. The America’s Service Heroes Scholarship was created in partnership with America’s Credit Union to provide financial assistance to service members and their families who have sacrificed for our nation’s well-being and security. Vidick, who is originally from Pueblo, Colorado, joined the Air Force right out of high school at the age of 18. He began his journey at the Air Force’s Basic Training Gateway, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. Throughout Vidick's career, he has been on three combat tours; two in Iraq and one in Kyrgyzstan. Vidick also served as a Special Investigator with the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), where he worked on numerous felony-level investigations. He holds two Air Force Commendation Medals, one Army Commendation Medal, three Air Force Achievement Medals and two Army Achievement Medals that were earned throughout his Air Force career. Vidick completed an associate of applied science degree in police science in 2019 from the Community College of the Air Force. He is enrolled at Saint Martin’s University as a criminal justice major. u
aint Martin’s University has been named a Military Friendly® school for 2019-2020 by VIQTORY and ranked ninth in the nation within the category of private, non-doctoral-granting institutions. The Military Friendly® Schools list is designed to provide a comprehensive guide for veterans and their families about the higher education institutions that give the best opportunities to veterans and their spouses. VIQTORY creates the Military Friendly® Schools list each year based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. In March 2019, the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) designated Saint Martin’s University a Purple Heart University, making Saint Martin’s the first university or college in Washington state to receive the honor. The Purple Heart University designation is in recognition of Saint Martin’s history of supporting veterans and their families. The recognition letter from MOPH stated that the designation honors the entire veteran community at the University, as well as the students, faculty and staff, Board of Trustees and administration. Col. James Sims, USMC (Ret.) HS’57, ’62, former national commander of MOPH, nominated the University for the recognition. “It’s the attention that’s given at Saint Martin’s to veterans and students in general to make sure they can succeed—it’s the attitude of the faculty,” he said. The Military Order of the Purple Heart was formed in 1932 for the protection and mutual interest of all combat wounded veterans and active duty men and women who have received the Purple Heart Medal, which is given to U.S. military members who are wounded in combat or to their next of kin if they are killed in action or die from wounds received in action. Chartered by Congress, the MOPH promotes patriotism, fraternalism and the preservation of America's military history. u
INSIGHTS SUMMER 2019
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