- Center will serve veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces
- Center to be located in San Diego, a national hub for military personnel
- Increase in graduation rates, higher job placement, lower unemployment, and higher retention rates for veterans anticipated
San Diego, Calif. – National University, the second-largest private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California, will be expanding its services to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces through the Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success, Interim President Patricia Potter announced today.
The Center, which will be located at National’s Spectrum Business Park Campus in San Diego, a national hub for military personnel, is the result of a $621,299, three-year grant that was awarded to National University by the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). For more information about FIPSE, visit http://www.ed.gov/fipse.
The Center will be a centralized point for the coordination of services that focus on four key areas: 1) easing veterans’ transition to campus life, 2) increasing retention, 3) improving achievement of educational and career goals, and 4) providing a higher quality of life through the coupling of pre-existing services and support with newly-created programming specifically developed to meet the needs of veteran students.
As part of this project, National University will establish the Veteran Student Support Team to facilitate the development and implementation of the Center and its services. The Center will serve as a one-stop referral center to provide guidance and assistance in directing veterans to the additional services they need. Funding from the grant also will facilitate a military peer-to-peer mentoring programming that will assist with retention and academic achievement. As a result of the Center, National University anticipates an increase in graduation rates for veterans, higher job placement, lower unemployment, and higher retention rates.
National University enjoys a distinguished reputation for its commitment to military education. The University is a past winner of the prestigious Ray Ehrensberger Award for Institutional Excellence in Military Education. Additionally, Doug Barr, associate regional dean of military students at National University, is a recipient of the William Kennedy Award by the Council of Colleges and Military Educators for outstanding service in military education.
National University also has been named a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs magazine and one of “America’s Top Military Friendly Colleges and Universities” by Military Advanced Education magazine.
About National University
Founded in 1971, National University is the second-largest private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California and the 12th largest in the United States with 22,000 full-time students and 240,000 alumni. The flagship institution of the National University System, National University is dedicated to making lifelong learning opportunities accessible, challenging and relevant to a diverse population of students. Five schools and one college offer 100 graduate and undergraduate degrees and 22 teacher credentials at more than 30 locations throughout California and in Henderson, Nevada. A leader in online education, National University offers more than 60 degree programs via the Internet. National University is headquartered in La Jolla, California. To learn more, visit www.nu.edu.