Post Classifieds
College named military friendly
By Michael Mazzuto
On October 10, 2012
Few consider college to be a battleground.
However, for many of the current and former service members that choose to pursue a degree, it's
exactly that.
Instead of rifles and barracks inspections, it's homework and lab time. The area of operations has
transitioned from the desert to the classroom. For some, that can be hard.
Buffalo State, recently named a military friendly school for 2013 by G.I.jobs.com, tries to make that
transition as easy as possible.
"I can see why, I have had no trouble with the staff or students because of my military status," said Ryan
King, an Air National Guardsman graduating this winter. "They helped me with all the paperwork for my
GI Bill."
The campus has approximately 800 veterans and active duty military members, which include reservists,
dependents and spouses enrolled at Buffalo State. The Veterans and Military Services Office offers a
wide range of support and referral resources and has full-time veterans counselors on staff. Veterans
Affairs issues, GI Bill inquiries and scholarships like the Military Service Scholarship Fund and the
Returning Veteran Award Fund are some of amenities offered by the campus.
The partnership between Buffalo State and the Armed forces Organization provides a support network
for military members and veterans transitioning to civilian life.
"The college has made tremendous strides in the interaction with the influx of veterans over the years,"
Margaret Shaw-Burnett, associate vice president of Continuing Professional Studies, said. "We serve as
the liaison to the Veterans Administration for the students."
More resources include: The Student Veterans of America (SVA), which holds monthly meetings and
helps coordinate career development workshops. The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), a program
shared with Niagara University, and the aforementioned student Armed Forces Organization (AFO).
Separate Veterans Orientation and an "emergency loan fund" programs have been established to assist
financial hardship cases as well.
"We have helped numerous students stay afloat until their benefits were received," Shaw-Burnett said.
Even with all the resources, the transition can be difficult, said Jeremy Lis, an Air Force reservist in his
second year.
"I've felt a little bit out of place," he said.
That's when being named a military friendly school becomes relevant to those who have served, or are
serving.
"In my experiences...they've been very helpful and accommodating," Lis said, referring to the military
and veterans services at Buffalo State. "They've helped me a great deal."
According to its website, G.I. Jobs.com is a media company dedicated to providing support services for
military members transitioning back into civilian life.
The 2013 Military Friendly Schools include more than 1,700 U.S. universities, colleges and trade schools
working to educate America's veterans. The schools are recognized by offering scholarships, veterans'
clubs, military credit, a full-time staff and other services for those who served.
The campus' two full-time coordinators communicate with a part-time admission's specialist, financial
aid liaison and a liaison in the orientation office to welcome past and present service members in order
to cultivate a military friendly school, Shaw-Burnett said.
Michael Mazzuto can be reached by email at mazzuto.record@live.com.
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