Laurel Ridge receives two Military Friendly designations

For the 12^th year, Laurel Ridge Community College has been designated a 2022-2023 Military Friendly® School. It was given a silver distinction. Also, for the first time, the college has been named a Military Spouse Friendly® School.

The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using a public driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

Laurel Ridge scored especially high in the graduation and job placement category, exceeding the standard by more than 94 percent. Other areas in which the college excelled included support and retention of student veterans, financial aid and assistance, and culture and commitment.

Laurel Ridge Associate Vice President, Student Services and Academic Support, Caroline Wood praised the college’s veteran academic advisors/school certifying officials Jeanmarie Corrado and Sharon Painter.

“Jeanmarie and Sharon serve dual roles as both academic advisors to their assigned students, and also as LFCC’s designated school certifying officials, which involves interpreting and certifying a complex menu of students’ educational benefits available through the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense,” said Dr. Wood. “Both Jeanmarie and Sharon think of their offices within our Campus Veterans Centers (one in Middletown and one in Fauquier) as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for our student veterans and their families. They also serve as a general resource and referral agent to local Veterans Affairs services and programs. Their commitment to their students is noteworthy.”

Serving veterans, and their spouses and dependents is “an honor,” according to Painter.

“From inquiry to graduation, Laurel Ridge Veteran Services is dedicated to serving student veterans, active-duty service members, guardsmen and women, reservists, and their spouses and dependents through an array of support services designed to help them navigate their transition to higher education and to ultimately achieve their educational goals,” added Corrado.

More than 1,800 schools participated in this year’s Military Friendly® School survey, with 785 earning the Military Friendly® designation. Just under 350 schools earned the Military Friendly® Spouse designation.

“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,” said Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®. “Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard.”

The Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at militaryfriendly.com. The Military Spouse School list will be published in June in the Military Spouse magazine.

To learn more about veteran services at Laurel Ridge, please visit laurelridge.edu/veteran.