For the third consecutive year, CSU Monterey Bay has been named a “military-friendly school” by G.I. Jobs magazine.

The list honors the top 20 percent of colleges and universities that are doing the most to embrace America’s military members and veterans as students, according to the magazine’s publisher, Rich McCormack.

The magazine polled more than 8,000 schools nationwide in determining the results, examining criteria such as efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students.

Among CSUMB’s military-friendly practices are web pages with information specifically for veterans; a designated veterans services liaison and campus support team to help veterans make the transition from active duty service to successful educational pursuits; and a Student Veterans Organization that launched this fall. CSUMB has seen an increase in the number of queries and applications from veterans since the webpages went up and the veterans' contact was put in place. The number of veterans contacting the university for pre-admission counseling has increased, with queries coming from veterans and active-duty service members across the U.S. and around the world. This semester, CSUMB has 64 student receiving educational benefits from the Veterans Administration (GI Bill) to support their educational goals; 54 of them are receiving the new Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit, which helps pay tuition/fee costs as well as offering a monthly housing stipend and a book allowance during the semester.

Another 23 students are eligible for the Federal VA Dependents Educational Assistance program (DEA) as dependents of deceased or disabled veterans. The DEA program offers a monthly stipend to offset living expenses during the semester. The State of California also offers a state tuition waiver to dependents of deceased or disabled veterans through the California Department of Veterans Affairs. There are 87 students at CSUMB this semester who are using this program.

To learn more about federal veterans educational benefits, click here. Information about services for veterans at CSUMB is available here or by e-mailing veteran_services@csumb.edu. G.I. Jobs Magazine’s list of top veteran-friendly schools can be viewed here.