For release: September 19, 2012
For press information, contact Curt Guenther, 901-678-2843

Victory Media, the premier media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life, has included the University of Memphis on its Military Friendly Schools ® list for 2013. The list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus.

“Inclusion on the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools ® shows the commitment by the University of Memphis to providing a supportive environment for military students,” said Sean Collins, director for G.I. Jobs and vice president of Victory Media.   “As interest in education grows, we’re thrilled to provide the military community with transparent, world-class resources to assist in their search for schools.”

Jean Nelms, coordinator of Veteran Services for the U of M, said of the University’s inclusion on the list of military friendly schools, “We value our nearly 700 veterans and veterans’ dependents, and we are constantly reviewing our practices and processes to determine better ways to serve them.  We are excited to be included on the list of Military Friendly Schools, because it means our efforts are being recognized.”

The Military Friendly Schools ® media and website, found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com, feature the list, interactive tools and search functionality to help military students find the best school to suit their unique needs and preferences.  The 1,739 colleges, universities and trade schools on this year’s list exhibit leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience.           

Now in its fourth year, the list of Military Friendly Schools ® is compiled through extensive research and a data-driven survey of more than 12,000 Veterans Administration-approved schools nationwide. The survey tabulation process, methodology and weightings for the 2013 list were independently verified by Ernst and Young LLP.   Complete survey methodology is available at http://www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/Article/methodology-press-kit.

Each year schools taking the survey are held to a higher standard than the previous year via improved methodology, criteria and weightings developed with the assistance of an academic advisory board consisting of educators from schools across the country.  A full list of board members can be found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/board.

A full story and detailed list of 2013 Military Friendly Schools ® will be highlighted in the annual G.I. Jobs Guide to Military Friendly Schools ®, distributed in print and digital format to hundreds of thousands of active and former military personnel in early October.  The Guide and associated media will also be featured at the Carrier Classic college basketball game on Nov. 9, between Ohio State and Marquette on the deck of the USS Yorktown. Both participating schools are on this year’s list of Military Friendly Schools ®.

Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business founded in 2001. Victory’s lists are also published in G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, and Vetrepreneur magazines, re-published in national and local periodicals, and are frequently cited on national and local television. Victory’s free, data-driven Military Friendly ® lists can be found at www.gijobs.com/2012Top100 www.militaryfriendlyschools.com and www.militaryfranchising.com.