The transition from military to civilian life is challenging. Endicott College is welcoming and accommodating for military and veteran students, and is ranked for Best Colleges for Veterans Regional Universities North by U.S. News & World Report. The College’s priority is to make G.I. benefits, housing allowance, and financial support easy to navigate while meeting your needs and lifestyle with a flexible format at all levels. Support systems are also in place with the Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership (VITAL) program, Stars Curriculum, and personalized advising.
How we support our military & veteran students:
- Application fees are waived for all veterans and active military
- All GI Bill® programs are accepted towards tuition costs
- Endicott is a post-9/11 GI Bill® Yellow Ribbon School, so any extra costs over the GI Bill® cap are covered
- Tuition Assistance is accepted
- GI Bill® military housing allowance (BHA) benefit is available for eligible students
- Direct transfer of Joint Service Transcripts is accepted for undergraduate programs
What are some of the common concerns you hear from former and active service members as it relates to beginning or returning to their academic studies?
Most veterans and active duty service members integrating back into the academic world are nervous about being able to keep up with the coursework, i.e. writing papers, reading assignments. Veterans and active duty members all have the advantage of overcoming these nervous issues. They all have discipline and work ethic. We are here to guide them through the tough areas and give them the best path to individual academic success. They're concerned about being in class with young students and all civilian students, but our classes have a mixed group of ages, including other active duty and veteran students. They're also under the impression sometimes that they're previous military training doesn't "count" for anything in the classroom; they can not only transfer credit from their military service (JST) but they already bring incredible leadership skills and other skills from their training into the classroom community.
In what ways are active military and veterans supported and educated during their admission and financial aid process?
They work with an academic advisor to get connected with school resources (academic support, counseling center, and career center) and with financial aid information should they choose to use it. Most military students rely on their benefits but they are still welcome and encouraged to apply for financial aid, and this information should be provided to them by their advisor. Another admission support is that our application fee is waived for all military personnel, and the tuition rate has been adjusted for all military students using benefits so that they pay a military tuition rate.
How has Endicott created innovative, relevant, and attractive academic programming for active military and veterans to maximize their skills and career goals?
Endicott offers a course both on campus and online that is a transitional course for veteran students. We employ a number of veteran adjunct faculty members as well as a number of adjunct faculty with experience in federal work as a way to further encourage engagement between faculty and students around military student issues, current global affairs, and to create a greater network for our students to tap into this side of the workforce. We have integrated a career transitions course into our bachelor’s degree curriculum for all students; this provides a practical course through which military students can explore their options of researching and pursuing new career opportunities while relying on their military training and experience. Our offsite locations provide opportunities for military students to learn in an environment that is already familiar to them and among their peers. These sites are only accessible to those with federal or military identifications. Our homeland security concentration has been of great interest for our military population as much of their military training is relative to the curriculum.
How does Endicott’s faculty and staff assist former service members during their academic journey to ensure success and career outcomes?
We partner with the Bedford VA VITAL team to further encourage students to connect with the VA. Academic advisors work with students to assist in setting them up with a schedule that is both beneficial to their academic goals and aligns with the requirements of their military benefits. We highly encourage students to connect with the Internship & Career Center—and to seek out the mentorship of their professors—to start exploring career options for when they graduate. We have a close relationship with the Veteran Center at North Shore Community College (NSCC) and keep our students aware of other job-related events hosted by NSCC that are open to all military students. We have incorporated a veteran initiative into the career fair held by Endicott every year; this past year we marked all tables with an American flag that were "veteran friendly" or specifically looking to hire veterans for their company. We are members of the Student Veterans of America and have a Veterans Club at Endicott College. The Veterans Club sponsors two events a year—this year we sponsored a Veteran’s Day Ceremony, gave away free turkeys for Thanksgiving, presented a workshop titled “Design Thinking for the Entrepreneur,” and wore the color red on a designated day to Remember Everyone Deployed (R.E.D).
At its core, why does Endicott hold great value in providing an academic path for active service members and veterans?
Endicott is a community of inclusion; we want to provide educational opportunities for everyone. In this way, we are committed to creating opportunities for veteran students, like accepting their military training as transfer credit toward their degrees. Additionally, we are committed to bringing military student voices and experiences into the classroom for the enrichment of civilian students' experiences. By creating space for all of these students and all of their experiences, we are creating a richer and more diverse community of learners.
Learn more about admission considerations for military and veteran students.
