According to national military publication G.I. Jobs Magazine, the University of Massachusetts was ranked in the top 15 percent for the third year in a row as one of the nation’s most “military friendly” universities.

According to a press release by the UMass Office of News and Media Relations, the survey that conducted the research looked at 12,000 different schools, ranging from liberal arts colleges to private and public institutions of higher education, and based their judgments and results on how the students serving in the military were treated. This included whether or not students had access to special services, as well as programs that assisted with their educational experience.

UMass has several programs that reach out and assist both currently serving military individuals, as well as veterans.

The University Without Walls (UWW) is one of the most highly regarded academic programs that is offered to military students since the Vietnam War because of its many services. For over 40 years, this academic major has been flexible, allowing active members of the military to design their own schedule of study at a pace that is best for them.

Melanie DeSilva, a marketing staff member of UWW, claims that over 800 students on campus at UMass benefit from the services of this program.

“We provide so many opportunities for our military students,” DeSilva said.  “University Without Walls offers one-on-one advising and support. We are also the only organization that allows the experiences of our military students to become academic credit towards graduation.”

UWW programs can be found at colleges across the country, and according to DeSilva, most students nationwide complete the program online. It is easily accessible over the Internet, so that if a student is actively in duty or frequently moving, they are able to obtain their degree without ever having to step foot onto a campus.

Another organization that is heavily involved with providing services to individuals of the military is the Veterans Support Center. This program currently serves 400 veterans at UMass, and works with undergraduate advising to help them transition from the battlefield to the college lifestyle.

“Our goal is to ease the transition for veterans coming to UMass,” said Judy Gagnon, head coordinator of Veteran Services. “We provide the assistance that our veterans deserve, such as a drop-in center, where students can relax, have the support of our staff, as well as have coffee and play Xbox video games.  Academic advising is also available as well.”

The Veterans Services is currently working with the UMass Alumni Association to further expand and enlarge the program. It hopes that with the help of the alumni, the program can build more resources for the veterans and continue to give support to the military population on campus.

Since the Veterans Educational Assistance Act was put into place in 2008, UMass has also been a part of the Yellow Ribbon Program. This allows for the military student body to obtain funding for any out-of-state tuition costs at public institutions.

UMass has also received additional recognition from other organizations concerning for how well the military student body is treated.  It was also named a “Best for Vets College” by Military Times Edge, a company dedicated to helping military individuals obtain an education, find employment and receive benefits.

“As a university, we all work as a team,” Gagnon said. “Whether it’s the Veterans Service Organization, the University Without Walls Program, or even just one member of our faculty here at UMass, we all try to play a role in making sure our military students are supported, feel welcomed, and receive the assistance they have earned.

“We are all so proud that UMass has received this title again, and we will continue to treat our military population with dignity and respect.”

Daniel Rodriguez can be reached at [email protected]