Military Friendly: How Bowie State Supports Veteran Students

University Awarded Gold Ranking in Survey

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Jonathan Saxon, jsaxon@bowiestate.edu, 301-860-3607

(BOWIE, Md.) – Bowie State University was designated a military friendly campus after earning a gold ranking in the latest survey by VIQTORY measuring how colleges and universities support military personnel, veterans, and their families.  

The gold ranking measures universities’ performance in the following categories: academic policies and compliance, support for military students, financial aid and assistance, graduation and career outcomes, community and culture, recruitment and admissions, flexibility for military service.  

Andre Clayton, the director of Bowie State’s Military Resource Center, detailed why those factors are so important for the veteran students on campus. 

“Most of the time, the veterans are a little older,” said Clayton. “Some of them have families or they’re working a job and going to school. So, their challenges aren’t the same as some of the other students that attend the university.” 

Bowie State offers dedicated resources like the Military Resource Center and Veterans Affairs (VA) Office on campus.  Students can also access advisors who are trained to understand the unique challenges that military and veteran students face.  

The university has policies in place that support military and veteran students, such as credit for military training, flexibility in course schedules, and compliance with the GI Bill and other military-related educational benefits. Additionally, BSU participates in programs like Yellow Ribbon, which helps cover the gap between tuition and the GI Bill and offers mental health and counseling services specifically designed for veterans.  

Clayton said Bowie State actively recruits military and veteran students through targeted outreach and by attending military-specific recruitment fairs. 

“We go to different installations to tell veterans about our programs of study and how Bowie State can better assist them,” said Clayton.

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About Bowie State University
Founded in 1865, Bowie State University is the first Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in Maryland and one of the ten oldest in the country. As a leading institution of higher learning, Bowie State offers more than 65 bachelor's, master's, doctoral and certificate programs across arts and sciences, technology, business, education, healthcare and related disciplines. The university provides high-quality and affordable educational opportunities in a supportive environment that empowers students to think critically, make new discoveries, value differences and emerge as leaders in a highly technical, rapidly changing global society. For more information about Bowie State University, visit bowiestate.edu.