Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency Awards College Gold-Level Status Third Year in a Row
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency once again named Kalamazoo Valley Community College a Veteran Friendly School, with gold-level status and certified the college as an official Veteran Connector school, a program that connects veterans to benefits and resources in all areas of life, including education, employment and health care. The Michigan Veteran-Friendly Schools Program recognizes academic institutions committed to supporting the needs of veterans and military-connected students. These institutions are awarded gold, silver and bronze-level status based on their veteran-centric services and programs.
Any academic institution or training facility in Michigan eligible to receive veteran education benefits can apply for the program. Veteran-Friendly School Program criteria includes:
- Established processes for identification of current student veterans
- Veteran-specific website
- Active student veteran organization or club
- Veteran-specific career services, resources, advising and/or outcome monitoring
- On-campus veterans' coordinator and/or designated staff point of contact
- System to evaluate and award academic credit based on prior military training and experience
- Monitoring and evaluation of student veteran academic retention, progress, and graduation rates
Schools are accepted into the program at the bronze, silver, or gold level. A school that is accepted at the gold (highest) level has met at least six of the seven criteria to be a Veteran Friendly School.
Kalamazoo Valley's Veteran Services Coordinator Charles Heidelberg said it is an honor to be named a 2023 Veteran Friendly School.
"Achieving gold-level status for the third year in a row is a real testament to the college's efforts to not just be veteran-friendly for our more than 250 student veterans, but veteran-embracing," Heidelberg said. "We work tirelessly to create a smooth transition from soldier to student, supporting these men and women every step of the way."
For more information about the veteran services available on campus, contact Heidelberg at 269.488.4970 or .