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Area colleges ease credit transfers for servicemembersBy C.D. Carter

College administrators throughout theWashington, D.C., area know thatwith so many military veterans and

active-duty soldiers working toward de-grees, a campus has to prove its willingnessto transfer servicemembers’ course creditseasily from school to school.

That is why more than 90 campuses inMaryland, Virginia, and Washington arepart of the Servicemember OpportunityColleges (SOC), abiding by the stipulationslaid out by the SOC to ease the credit trans-fer process for servicemen and women whofrequently move and, consequently, oftenswitch colleges and universities.

The SOC program was launched in 1972for military personnel seeking a collegedegree while relocating to a new militarybase every few months, thereby requiringcollege-to-college credit transfers thatoften prove logistically difficult. The pro-gram also allows for the same ease-of-transfer to be granted to a servicemember’sadult dependent family members.

Tony Miller, director of graduate admis-sions at Capitol College, an independentschool in Laurel, Md., said that being amember of theWashington-based SOC hashelped the school recruit military person-nel looking for a school to attend while they

are stationed in the region.“Being a member of the consortium defi-

nitely gives us credibility with current andformer members of the armed forces,” Millersaid, adding that soldiers and veterans oftenask Capitol College officials if the school ispart of the SOC.“The servicemember knowsthat we have agreed to abide by the SOC

principles, especially when it comes to trans-ferring credits into our programs.”

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

Civilian students who move from one

college to another sometimes see creditsdisappear because one school’s curricu-lum is not considered equivalent to thenext school’s coursework. An SOC membercollege works to transfer credits and helpservicemembers avoid taking a course for asecond time on a new campus.

“SOC membership is sometimes viewedas a Good Housekeeping seal of approval,because a student will know the school hasagreed to help them,” said SOC directorKathy Snead. “It lets the servicememberknow that the school is military-focusedand that they’re concerned about theirneeds as students.”

The influx of federal money available forservicemember education after the intro-duction of the post-9/11 GI Bill, Snead said,has encouraged new colleges and universi-ties to become SOC members in recentyears, although SOC does not have esti-mates of how many new member schoolshave joined.

“Being a member helps (colleges) com-pete in the military market,” she said. “Itreally helps the visibility of that institution.”

There are 29 SOC colleges and universi-ties in Maryland; 52 in Virginia; 11 in theDistrict; and more than 1,900 nationwide,according to the SOC website.

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HIGHER EDUCATION • Fall 2011 3

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California University of Pennsylvania250 University AvenueCalifornia, Pennsylvania 15419Web Address: http://www.calu.edu/goAdmission Phone: 724-938-4404 or 1-888-412-0479

Financial Aid Phone: 724-938-4415Military Programs Contact: Millie RodriguezMilitary Programs Phone: 1-866-595-6348Veteran Military Programs Contact: Robert PrahVeteran Military Programs Phone: 724-938-4076Military Programs Email: calugo@calu.edu orveterans@calu.edu

Type of School: 4-year public

Online Courses AvailableTop 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 creditsat the graduate level, we waive all general education requirements to students with anAssociate’s Degree, we also accept CLEP, and Military Credit

Tuition: Undergrad $242.00 per credit; Grad $387.00 per creditOther 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-specificinformation.

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 bestcustomer 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 toaddress our students’ concerns and provide assistance throughout their time as a student atCal U. We are proud to extend our affordable in-state tuition to spouses and dependants andnow to reservists, as well.

CALU_SS_PROFILE

4 HIGHER EDUCATION • Fall 2011

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American Military Universitywww.amuonline.com/comprint

111 W. Congress St.Charles Town, WV 25414

Admission Phone: 877-777-9081Financial Aid Phone: 877-372-3535Military Programs Email: info@apus.edu

Associate DegreesAssociate programs are designed for students who seek a two-year degree as either their final degree in higher education or thefoundation for further study at the bachelor’s level. An associatedegree typically requires 61-64 semester hours (20 courses and 1-4 labs). Students must possess a high school diploma or itsequivalent to be admitted to an associate program.

Bachelor’s DegreeThe bachelor’s degree program is also open to students whopossess a high school diploma or its equivalent. This minimum120-124 credit program is the standard “four-year” undergraduatedegree desired by most employers and prepares the student forgraduate study. All students who enroll in the bachelor’s degreeprogram must enroll in COLL100 - Foundations of Online Learningas their first course.

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

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 HumanitiesThe University is unique in offering a full range of online degrees in arts and humanities thatare based on the great ideas, works, and thinkers that have defined civilization as embodiedin the “great books” tradition. The curriculum addresses humankind’s fundamental topicsthrough study of courses in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Courseworkis designed to develop high-level research, analytical, and interpersonal skills and preparesstudents for a broad range of professional careers.

School of BusinessThe School of Business offers a flexible, dynamic and interactive program to accommodatemany types of learners. We integrate new technologies to keep the classroom interestingand 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 practicalknowledge for students seeking preparation or advancement in business and leadershiproles in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.

School of EducationGraduate programs in the School of Education are designed to meet the most rapidlygrowing demands of the profession. Our certification programs are built to the highest stateand national content standards. We provide opportunities to practicing teachers to enhancetheir professional training in critical needs areas such as special education, reading andliteracy, TESOL, and Gifted Education.

School of ManagementThe School of Management offers relevant and dynamic management programs forstudents who seek broad managerial knowledge, skill, and ability. Specifically, specializeddegrees are designed and offered in the high growth areas of sport sciences and the ever-prolific transportation and logistics management career fields. Students will addresstraditional and topical management and leadership matters, while at the same time beinfluenced by foundational and conceptual underpinnings that remain vital in today’scompetitive markets.

School of Public Safety and HealthThe School of Public Safety and Health houses several of the university’s flagshipprograms; namely emergency and disaster management, criminal justice, and homelandsecurity. It is also the home of up-and-coming programs in security management, legalstudies, and public health. Our faculty combine top academic credentials with practicalexpertise. Our programs in many cases are professionally accredited or recognized in theirindustries. These recognitions include the Foundation of Higher Education for theemergency and disaster management program. Additionally, the public health program is anapplicant for accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Otheraccreditations are pending with professional organizations.

School of Science and TechnologyScience and technology professionals are vital to society’s continued innovation. Academicprograms in this school help students cultivate the problem solving, creative, andtechnological skills necessary for advancements in their chosen field - whether it bepursuing innovations in environmental policy, space studies, or one of the manyprofessions within the information technology field.

School of Security and Global StudiesThe 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 understandingof the world - appreciating differences in political, economic, and social cultures. Ourfaculty members are highly credentialed and respected leaders in their fields, and many ofthem currently work in the U.S. government and in the U.S. intelligence community. Ourgraduates are employed in leadership positions at agencies ranging from the Department ofState, Defense, and Homeland Security to the intelligence services, as well as privatebusinesses throughout the world.

By C.D. CarterAt 26, Adam Fus isn’t a curmudgeon. But

the junior at the College of William & Maryin Williamsburg, Va., said he prefers nightclasses filled with working adults in theirlate 20s and early 30s — people he canrelate to better than the 18- and 19-year-olds in his daytime classes.

Fus, a Virginia native who served inAfghanistan and Iraq for the Marine Corpinfantry, is not alone. Interviews with mili-tary veterans and servicemembers aroundthe Virginia, Maryland and Washington,D.C.,region showed that adjusting to inter-action with younger students is a centralpart of transitioning from military life tocampus life.

“With having the experience I had in themilitary, and in life in general, there’s acommunication barrier with a lot ofyounger students,” said Fus, who left the

military in 2007. He added that the barrieroften takes digital form. “A lot of kids areeither playing on Facebook orTwitter. I pre-fer face-to-face communication, the waypeople used to talk to each other.”

Veterans returning to the classroom aftertheir military service begin their pursuit ofa degree the same way a recent high schoolgraduate would: in introductory classes.That puts veterans in classrooms and lec-ture halls with students almost a decadeyounger. Teenagers lack the life experienceof a military veteran who has served over-seas, students said, making it difficult tochat with classmates, or work with them ingroup projects.

“The reality is that even at 25 or 26, youmay be the oldest in the class by severalyears,” said Olayta Rigsby, veterans affairscoordinator at Howard Community Col-lege, a 10,000-student campus in Columbia,

Md. “They realize that these are kids sittingnext to them, and [veterans] express con-cern about their maturity level sometimes.”

Forming friendships with recent highschool graduates who might goof off inclass—arriving late and leaving early, sleep-ing during lectures — is difficult for militaryveterans who risked their lives in battlezones so they could attend college andadvance their careers, Rigsby said.

“They find that some of the younger stu-dents are intimidated [by professors] or justnot interested in what’s happening inclass,” Rigsby said. “Veterans made a sacri-fice to get into the classroom, so they take itvery, very seriously.”

Student veterans said they find themselvesparticipating in class while younger students

HIGHER EDUCATION • Fall 20116

They‘d rathercome out at nightSome veterans choose evening classes

to be with older, experienced classmates

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Variety of scholarships availablein Maryland for servicemembers

by C.D. CarterCharles Grigg, a sergeant in the U.S.

Marine Corps, will graduate this spring fromWashington College in Chestertown, Md.,after receiving one of the most generousmilitary scholarships in thestate — more than$100,000 in edu-cation costs duringfour years.

Grigg was one ofthree veterans of thewars in Afghanistanand Iraq to receiveWashington College’sfirst Hodson Trust StarScholarships, a programthat pays for military ser-vicemen and women’shigher education on fourcampuses: Washington,Johns Hopkins University,Hood College in Frederick and St. John’sCollege in Annapolis. The program waslaunched in 2007.

The Hodson scholarships cover all edu-cational expenses—including classes,

books, student fees, and room and board—but there are also many military-specificscholarships that offer some relief fromtuition prices that can require substantialstudent loans during a four-year educa-

tion. Some are available to all mili-tary members, but oth-

ers target service-members who fit spe-

cific criteria, such assingle parents, Purple

Heart recipients andwounded veterans.

“It is an extreme reliefknowing that I’m begin-ning my job hunt withouthaving that debt looming

over my head,” said Grigg,25, a Shady Side, Md., resi-

dent who served an 18-monthtour in Iraq that ended in April2007. “A lot of my friends havethat debt and they’re already

feeling the effects of it. In one sense, I feelkind of bad because I don’t have to gothrough that. But on the other hand, I

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Serving our Servicemembers

Baker College Online takes pride in serving our military students withindividual attention to put together a personalized educational program. Fromadmissions 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 hadattended Baker College of Muskegon, Michigan until joining the Navy Reserve.Because of the required training and travel, Baker College Online became thepractical choice for continuing his education while on the move. When Nick wasdeployed to Kuwait, he thought his education would be put on hold. Yet he soondiscovered 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 hopeswill help him when he applies for Officer Training. “Everyone at Baker pitched in to help me,” he says. “Myinstructors, advisers, even the Dean. They were always there to answer my questions and they were veryunderstanding and flexible. They never left me hanging. In fact, I got more personalized assistance while I wasdeployed in Kuwait than my fiancé got from college that she was attending back in the states! I’m planning on acareer 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 CollegeOnline is included in the top 15 percent of colleges, universities, and trade schools on the G.I. Jobs 2011 list ofMilitary Friendly Schools.

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

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

As a career college, Baker focuses completely on providing students with the most marketable jobskills, in the shortest time possible. Our curriculum is grounded in the real world; most all of our instructors arepracticing professionals in the subjects they teach and our classes stress the most current technologies and bestpractices. Each Baker Online degree program at the certificate, associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral level istargeted at one of the fastest-growing fields in business, health or information systems and can help advanceeither 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 inthe 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 ore-mail our admissions office at adm-ol@baker.edu to get started today. 1040839

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

The thought of trying to earn your degree while serving in the military may seem overwhelming and just notpossible. That’s why Baker College® Online has developed over 40 degree programs that are compatible withyour military service. Classes are available 365/24/7 with no campus requirements for maximum flexibilityanywhere you’re stationed or deployed—anywhere in the world. Baker Online is regionally accredited and a long-time partner of the GoArmyEd programs and other branches of the military. We are DANTES, SOC, and VAapproved. Plus our programs focus on delivering an education that’s practical, results-driven, and totallydedicated to giving you the skills and knowledge you’ll need to succeed in a military or civilian career.

What “Military Friendly” means to us.

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

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

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

• 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.

Baker College Online: Military Friendly, Mission-Ready

Photo used with consent fromUT2 Nicholas Waldo, USN

HIGHER EDUCATION • Fall 201110

Virginia gives in-state tuition rates to veteransBy C.D. Carter

Earlier this year, Virginia lawmakerspassed legislation that could trim veterans’college tuition by tens of thousands of dol-lars every year.

Virginia’s military veterans won’t haveto meet the state’s one-year residencyrequirement before qualifying for in-statetuition rates after the House and Senateunanimously passed the legislation, andGov. Robert McDonnell signed the billinto law.

Veterans new to the Commonwealthcould save a bundle with the extension ofin-state tuition, which is paid for with ben-efits from the Montgomery GI Bill. Virginiajoins Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, and NewMexico as states with similar offers ofimmediate in-state rates for former ser-vicemembers.

George Mason University’s out-of-statestudents pay $33,388 annually, andVirgini-ans pay $8,864, according to the StateCouncil of Higher Education for Virginia.The College of William & Mary chargesout-of-state students $42,448, and in-statestudents pay $12,188.

At the University of Virginia, whereout-of-state students shell out $42,226,their in-state counterparts pay $16,628.James Madison University charges out-of-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 poli-cy at George Mason who has researchedhow laws affect education and militarymanpower. “I would have to think it wouldbe pretty popular on both sides of the aislegiven the fact that it would help our ser-vicemen and women ... and I personallythink it’s a good idea.”

Armor said offering tuition as little asone-fourth of current out-of-state ratescould attract even more military veteranstoVirginia, a state with an already large mil-itary population.

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

There are 822,300 military veterans livingin Virginia, according to statistics from theU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Mary-land is home to 471,200 veterans, and thereare 37,300 veterans in Washington, D.C.California has the largest veteran popula-tion, with almost 2 million.

That high veteran population is why GlenLacroix, a student at the University of Ari-zona and president of the school’s chapterof the Student Veterans of America, helpedpush an Arizona law last year that granted

in-state rates to veterans who had not metthe one-year residency requirement.Lacroix said former servicemembers werenot getting into public California universi-ties because budget cuts had decreasedclass sizes and made the state’s universitysystem 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 get-ting in.” Lacroix and other veteran advo-cates were pleased when Arizona legisla-tors passed a law granting in-state rates toveterans with honorable discharges. Thelaw there took effect in time for this fallsemester.

State laws that can serve as recruitingtools for military veterans, Lacroix said,have proven popular with local businessowners who look for former servicemenand women to fill job openings.

“You bring veterans in by being veter-an friendly,” Lacroix said. “Most veter-ans come to a place and they want tostay and build a life there. And a lot ofemployers, when they’re hiring, want tohire veterans because they have experi-ence and leadership.”

State lawmakers grappling with budgetshortfalls and scrutinizing budget itemsone line at a time find veterans’ in-statetuition legislation particularly appealing,

he said. Drawing just 1,000 veterans fromCalifornia would bring about $10.7 millionin tuition and fees for Arizona State Univer-sity in the next year, for example.

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

ISTOCKPHOTO/DANIEL BENDJY

Will for-profit college rulesaffect military student choices?

By C.D. CarterFederal regulations aimed at strengthen-

ing standards at for-profit colleges are notexpected to drive away military veteransand servicemembers from popular for-prof-it programs, but the new rules could promptstudents to take a closer look at communitycolleges and traditional campuses.

The U.S. Department of Educationunveiled its long-awaited “gainful employ-ment” regulations for for-profit programs,such as the University of Phoenix and Kap-lan University. Under the rules, for-profitinstitutions that churn out large numbersof students who leave school with enor-mous student debt and few job qualifica-tions would lose access to federal studentaid money.

Money provided in the Post-9/11 GI Billhas proven central to the rapid growth offor-profit schools, many of them conduct-ing classes almost entirely online. In 2006,for example, 20 for-profit institutions tookin $66 million in military educational bene-fits. Four years later, those same schools col-lected $521 million in military educationmoney, according to a 2010 report released

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

Richard Heath, director of financial aid atAnne Arundel (Md.) Community College,said he expects servicemembers and veter-ans to more carefully consider collegechoices after a two-year federal rule-mak-ing process that included reports of uneth-ical recruitment practices and highercourse costs at some for-profit schools.

“We think [military students] will cometo our school more now,” said Heath, anArmy veteran, adding that for-profit publicrelations 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 badlight. … Then you have another generationof students coming along with little or noknowledge of what happened and they goalong with life as normal.”

The new federal regulations—whichrequire for-profits to meet three require-ments in order to receive federal studentaid—could make for-profit schools more

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11HIGHER EDUCATION • Fall 2011

Servicemen and women are not subjectto the same credit-transfer restrictions atSOC member campuses.

For instance, Bowie State University doesnot hold SOC members to the same credittransfer limitations as civilian students,and Bowie State officials allow SOC stu-dents to complete 75 percent of theircoursework outside the university.

The final 30 credits of degree work forundergraduate and graduate degrees, how-ever, must be completed at the university,said Herbert Mills, theVeteran Affairs coor-dinator at Bowie State.

The SOC requires that member collegesrequire military students to complete nomore than 25 percent of the degree require-

ments at the college from with which theyare seeking their degree. SOC has specificprograms for servicemembers in theMarines, Air Force, Army, the Army Nation-al Guard and the Coast Guard.

Miller said Capitol College has tracked amarked increase in the number of militarypersonnel asking campus counselors if theschool has joined SOC and will work withthe student to move credits from their pre-vious college.

Fifteen percent of Capitol’s students areactive duty servicemembers or armedforces veterans, Miller said.

“Capitol [College] has a long history serv-icing veterans and active duty students andwe firmly believe in and follow the SOCprinciples,” he said.

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keep their heads buried in books or laptops.JustinWillis, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteranand a homeland security major at AnneArundel Community College, said that at 30years old, he is more comfortable with rais-ing his hand during class discussions thanstudent fresh out of high school might be.

“Instructors don’t get a lot of participa-tion, so I have to step in a lot,” Willis said.“He’d be pulling teeth trying to get peopleto answer his questions, and it seems likesome [students] just refuse. I don’t know ifthey need coffee or what.”

Willis said he would “definitely recom-mend” night classes to veterans returningto college. Being surrounded by classmateswho juggle family life and a full-time jobwith college courses makes for a smoothertransition into higher education for ser-vicemembers.

Fus said his spring semester scheduledoes not allow for night classes. However,in William & Mary’s business school, hesays even the youngest students partici-pate in class.

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

Rigsby said many veterans transitioninginto Howard Community College don’tbegrudge their younger classmates forbeing immature or failing to participateduring discussions with instructors.Instead, military veterans catch a glimpse ofwho they were before their national service.

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

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know that I’ve been through somethingthat most people will never get to experi-ence, and that there are people out therewho recognize that sacrifice by helpingthose like me get through college.”

Jeremy Rothwell, another recipient ofWashington College’s Hodson scholarship,said having $40,000 in tuition costs coveredby the scholarship brought him back tocampus for his final year in the college’spolitical science/history programs in 2007.

“One of the only reasons I stayed was thatthey offered to pay for everything,” saidRothwell, 24, a medic in the National Guardwho grew up in Cecil County and now livesin Chestertown. “Obviously, I was verypleased with the opportunity.”

The University of Maryland-College Park,the state’s flagship campus, has eight schol-arships available for active military person-nel and their dependents. Some scholar-ships offer $1,000 to military members,such as the Robert E. Evasick MemorialScholarship or the Paul E. and Jane F. ButlerScholarship Fund.

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

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

Most military scholarships on Marylandcampuses are available to servicemen andwomen in every branch, but some scholar-ships are made available to veterans of theongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The University of Maryland-UniversityCollege’s Military Veteran ScholarshipFund, for example, seeks those who haveserved in the current battlefields, butremains open to other veterans and activeduty personnel, according to the school’sfinancial aid website.

UMUC’s Blewitt Endowed MilitaryScholarship assists active-duty single par-ents and their children, as well as militarymembers who have been wounded in thewar on terrorism.

Other scholarship programs, such asUMUC’s President Gerald A. Heeger Trib-ute Scholarship, provide tuition costs formilitary members who have received aPurple Heart since Aug. 1, 2000.

Rothwell and Grigg said Washington Col-lege’s financial aid officials helped themthrough the scholarship application process—a critical step in connecting servicemenand women with the various scholarshipsdesignated specifically for them.

“It meant incredibly more than I couldhave imagined, as I do not think I wouldhave been able to go back to college withoutit,” Grigg said of the Hodson scholarship.“Financially, I could not have afforded to goback to college unless I took a loan out.”

SCHOLARSHIPS, continued from 6

popular among veterans researching col-lege options, for-profit officials said.

“Gainful employment” rules “may helplimit debt for students … as they tighten upon definitions and rules around how wereviewacademicactivity,”saidGarySpoales,associate vice president for financial servic-es operations at American Military Universi-ty, which has offices in Manassas,Va.

Spoales said AMU would make a con-certed effort to explain the new federalregulations to students and ensure theyunderstand that for-profit colleges canprovide a quality education.

“The media attention that this has gen-erated spreads the word and creates asense of fear and anxiety,” he said. “Theonly [information] some people haveabout how it might impact you comesfrom a third-party source.”

The three-year grace period included inthe Education Department’s final ruleswill give for-profit colleges time to adjust

to the new standards.“We feel very comfortable with what we

do and how we do it,” he said. “Whenchanges are brand new, they create lots ofquestions before you get to final results.… I don’t think it’ll impact us as muchbecause we have a good reputation withmilitary students.”

In 2008, about 76,000 military service-members who attended for-profit col-leges used $640 million in GI Bill benefits,according to Harkin’s 2010 report. The203,000 servicemen and women whoattended public colleges and universitiesspent $697 million in benefits that year.

Even before “gainful employment”rules were announced, AACC’s militarystudent population was growing steadily.There are more than 1,000 military veter-ans and servicemembers at the collegethis year, a 400-student increase from2009, Heath said.

“We suspect that is only going to growmore,” he said. “Word of mouth in the mil-itary community is a very big seller.”

CHOICES, continued from 10

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

1035511

Joint BaseAndrews

301.420.2256

Bureau of Medicine &Surgery (BUMED)

202.223.9224

Joint BaseAnacostia-Bolling

202.561.4382

Fort BelvoirBarden Education

Center703.781.7942

Southern MarylandHigher Education

Center301.420.2256

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

12 HIGHER EDUCATION • Fall 2011

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Admission Requirements

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

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

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

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 liberalarts college, seminary, and graduate schools offering more than forty majors and seven graduateprograms 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 theHudson River and Tappan Zee Bridge, just twenty-five miles north of Times Square. Branch campusesexist 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 thenation’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. TheChronicle of Higher Education named Nyack a “2011 Great College to Work For,” with recognition in threecategories: 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 isaccredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

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

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Hall of the States444 North Capitol Street NWSuite 700Washington, D.C. 20001Admissions Phone: (202) 220-1300Financial Aid Phone: (202) 220-1300

Military Programs Contact: George HairstonMilitary Programs Phone: (202) 220-1300Military Programs Email: admissionsdc@nyack.edu

Type of School: School of Business and LeadershipNyack College | Washington, D.C. campusHall of the States444 North Capitol Street NWSuite 700Washington, D.C. 20001

Online courses available: Yes

Nyack College

Top Major 1: Bachelor of Science inOrganizational ManagementTop Major 2: Master of Science in OrganizationalLeadership

Offers Credit for Work Experience: YesTuition (per semester): Varies per program

Yellow Ribbon Program Participant? YesYellow Ribbon Amount (per semester):Varies perprogram

Special Tuition rates available for military,spouses, &/or children?Post 9/11 GI BillYellow RibbonServicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC®)