Empire State University has more military-affiliated students than any other State University of New York institution. The university currently supports over 1,000 military-affiliated students throughout their academic journeys, according to data from the most recently completed academic year.
Empire State University offers flexible programs to accommodate diverse needs, including students who may be active duty, guard, reserve, or veterans, along with their spouses and child dependents. The university recently launched the Veteran and Military Resource Center (VMRC), a central component in supporting military-affiliated students, which dedicates staff, programming, and resources to students throughout their degree completion.
“Our mission ideally fits the needs of our military-affiliated students and we have been able to enhance our resources through the VMRC and throughout the university to implement programming that maximizes their military transfer credits, reduces cost barriers, and creates a culture of understanding of their unique needs,” Desiree Drindak, director of the VMRC, said.
“While institutions across the country are seeing declines in enrollment, Empire State University is seeing an increase as we are increasing access, which is of particular importance for our military-affiliated students,” said Andrea Hennessy, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing.
“We have expanded programming by opening the VMRC, increasing community engagement, launching a new Veteran and Military Student Club, collaborating with departments around the university to develop a Military and Veteran Opportunity Program (MVOP) and by hiring a Veteran Career Coordinator,” Drindak said. “We continually look for ways to enhance the student experience, remove barriers and build community among our students.”
You can learn more about opportunities for military-affiliated students by visiting the Veteran and Military Resource Center website at sunyempire.edu.