Michigan State University has earned the highest ranking “gold status” from the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency in its annual ranking of veteran-friendly schools. The ranking recognizes higher education institutions for their dedication to student veterans and dependents using their GI Bill and other educational benefits. This is the seventh consecutive year MSU has earned the status.

“Earning the gold-level, veteran-friendly school status from the MVAA requires us to meet commitments and provide support beyond the veterans resource center,” said Patrick Forystek, director of the Student Veterans Resource Center. “MSU’s consistent ability to hit that mark is only possible through campuswide support for our veterans, their dependents and those currently serving.”

MSU participates in the Michigan Veteran Education Initiative and operates the Student Veterans Resource Center, within the Division of Student Life and Engagement, providing programs and services to support student veterans and their families at MSU.

MVAA uses seven criteria to determine the level of support provided to student veterans and military-connected students on campus. A college must meet at least six of these seven criteria to earn gold status:

• An established process for the identification of current student veterans
• A veteran-specific website
• An active student-operated veterans club or association
• Veteran-specific career services resources, advising and/or outcome monitoring
• An on-campus veteran coordinator and/or designated staff point of contact
• A system in place to evaluate and award credit based on prior military training and experience
• Monitoring and evaluation systems for student veteran academic retention, transfer and graduation rates

MSU is home to more than 400 student veterans and more than 2,000 military-affiliated students and continues to show it has the infrastructure and the services to support veterans and their academic success.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website.