“G.I. Jobs” has announced the release of its 2010 list of Military Friendly Schools. The list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities, and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s veterans as students.

Southwestern College Professional Studies is on the list.  

“‘G.I. Jobs’ is a major publication read by military personnel and veterans worldwide, so being part of their Military Friendly Schools listing is an honor for Southwestern College Professional Studies,” says Karen Pedersen, vice president for SC Professional Studies. 

Schools on the list range from state universities and private colleges to community colleges and trade schools. The common bond is their shared priority of recruiting students with military experience.

Schools on the Military Friendly Schools list also offer additional benefits to student veterans such as academic credit for military service, military spouse programs, and more. The list was compiled through research starting last May during which G.I. Jobs polled more than 7,000 schools nationwide. Methodology, criteria, and weighting for the list were developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Committee consisting of educators and administrators from Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Toledo, Duquesne University, Coastline Community College, and Lincoln Technical Institute.

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.  A new Web site will launch in September with interactive tools and search functionality to assist military veterans in choosing schools that best meet their educational needs.

Criteria for making the Military Friendly Schools list included efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students, and academic accreditations.

“We’ve been actively collaborating with the service branches for nearly 10 years, so this honor is coupled with a long tradition of serving the voluntary education needs of service members,” Pedersen says.