By Amber Kennedy
Old Dominion University earned a Gold ranking as a Military Friendly® School for 2022-2023 from militaryfriendly.com.
This marked the first time ODU was included among Tier 1 Research Institutions following the University's designation as a Research 1 institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education in January. In 2021-2022, ODU earned the site's Gold ranking as a Tier 2 research institution.
The rankings evaluate an 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. Of those thresholds, ODU scored highest on its record for military-affiliated graduation rates and career options, with 91.67% of respondents saying the University "exceeds the standard."
Hampton Roads is home to one of the world's largest populations of military personnel. ODU is located near the world's largest naval base and the only NATO command on U.S. soil. A quarter of ODU's student body is connected to the U.S. military, and the University has been consistently recognized for its efforts to help active-duty personnel, veterans and their families. ODU has also been ranked a "Best for Vets" school in Virginia by Military Times.
ODU's student veterans can connect through the University's chapter of Student Veterans of America. In January, Katherine Martinez, the first female president of the SVA chapter, was named the national Student Veteran of the Year.
To help military Monarchs transition and thrive, ODU offers:
- The Military Connection Center, providing comprehensive support to assist military-connected students with transitioning to academic life, including securing academic tutoring and navigating financial aid.
- A Military to ODU Transition Program that gives new students information about available resources.
- A Veterans Administration work-study program and a career center to help graduates in their job search.
- Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (PAVE), a support program connecting incoming student veterans with trained Peer Advisors who can help them navigate college life, address challenges and provide ongoing support.
- VetSuccess on Campus, a partnership between the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and ODU to provide a counselor to help students navigate VA benefits, career counseling and more.
"I am so proud of the incredible team of professionals here at Old Dominion University who work tirelessly every day to provide outstanding support to our military-affiliated students," said Robert Clark, director, military activities liaison and special projects at the University. "This Military Friendly® recognition is a testament to the dedication and drive of the staff and faculty who work diligently to support our active-duty service members, veterans and military dependents in navigating the VA benefit process and achieving their educational goals."
Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-2023 survey. Around 665 schools earned the designation, with 282 schools earning "Gold" status for their leading practices, outcomes and effective programs.
The 2022-2023 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at militaryfriendly.com.
