Third-Straight Military Friendly® School Honor Marks Continued BSU Service

Bowie State Offers Programs & Resources to Support the Military Community

MEDIA CONTACT: Damita Chambers, dchambers@bowiestate.edu, 301-832-2628 mobile

(BOWIE, Md.) – For the third straight year, Bowie State University was named to the Military Friendly® Schools list, honoring the university’s deep commitment to the military community that includes active members, veterans and their families.

Bowie State is one of only four of the 12 University System of Maryland schools on the 2021-2022 Military Friendly® Schools list, the longest-running, most comprehensive review of post-secondary institutions supporting the military community. The entire list is available online at militaryfriendly.com and will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine by VIQTORY, which provides employment, entrepreneurship and education resources for the military community. The Military Friendly® Schools list sets the standard for educational providers that offer the best opportunities for military members and veterans.

“Having the Military Friendly® Schools designation allows Bowie State University to say to the world that we are supportive of the U.S. military and those students who choose to return to school in the effort to move toward their educational, professional and personal goals,” said Jerry Isaac, director of the BSU Military Resource Center. “Bowie State is a destination for those who want to pursue higher education, and we have tried to create an environment that makes students from the military community feel relaxed and takes away some of the stresses, as they transition to higher education.”

Using both public data sources and voluntary responses from a proprietary survey, the Military Friendly® Schools list measures commitment and success in supporting the military community in six categories, including student retention, graduation and job placement. In earning the Military Friendly® designation, Bowie State exceeded the minimum requirements for each standard, set by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in higher education and military recruitment.

“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data driven standards in our designation process. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to consistently evolve and invest in their programs,” said Kayla Lopez, national director of military partnerships, for Military Friendly®. “Schools who achieve designation show true commitment and dedication in their efforts. Our standards assist schools by providing a benchmark that promotes positive educational outcomes, resources and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community.”

Bowie State University has a long-established tradition of serving the military community, enrolling about 200 military or veteran students a year. The university provides a number of support resources to the military community to help smooth students’ transition into college life. For example, the BSU Military Resource Center is a designated space on campus that fosters a community of military and veteran students and connects them to campus and local support services. Veteran students and their families also get extra assistance during the enrollment process and financial aid services through the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon Program. In addition, Bowie State’s ROTC program, which began in 1974, enrolls about 90 U.S. Army cadets per semester through the Department of Military Science. The Bulldog Battalion has recently flourished with an influx of new ROTC cadets coming from the Green to Gold Program, which allows active military members to pursue their degree on a scholarship while they complete an ROTC program.

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About Bowie State University
Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business, and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about BSU, visit bowiestate.edu.