Provided/From left, first-year History major Richard Belmont, of Absecon, works in Stockton's Military and Veterans Success Center with Director Michael Barany and Assistant Director Ashley Jones. The center is located on Stockton's Galloway campus
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP - Stockton University continues to be recognized for its outstanding outreach to military veterans, ranking No. 7 among small public schools nationwide in a new Military Friendly listing.
Stockton also was No. 1 among surveyed New Jersey schools in the small public schools category. It's the third year in a row Stockton obtained a Military Friendly designation, and it's also the third year in a row the school has improved in the rankings. Stockton received the Gold award in 2023-24 and Silver in 2022-23 year.
The designation comes from the Military Friendly Schools survey, which is the longest-running and most comprehensive review of college and university investments in serving military and veteran students. The survey is sent out by VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment and educational and entrepreneurial opportunities.
This success lies with the dedication and commitment of Stockton's faculty and staff guiding military-affiliated students through their time at Stockton, said Michael Barany, director of the Military and Veterans Success Center at Stockton. The students first' approach of the center and partners in financial aid allows relationships to be built that are key to providing tailored support services and referrals to our on- and off-campus partners.
Institutions earning the Military Friendly Schools Awards designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2024-25 survey and only 10 in the small public schools category were awarded a number ranking.
Barany said one of the highlights of Stockton's program is the care provided to National Guard and Reserve students who faced activation and deployment in the past year.
Working closely with faculty, the MVSC was able to ensure minimal disruption to students in their course of academic study, he said. Ultimately, this Military Friendly Designation recognizes the hard work and commitment of the MVSC and Stockton as a whole in increasing the success of military-affiliated students personally, academically and professionally.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution's survey scores with the assessment of the 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.
Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process. Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community, said Kayla Lopez, national director of Military Partnerships for Military Friendly. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard.
The Military Friendly Schools list will be published in G.I. Jobs magazine's May and October issues and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
The goal of the Military and Veteran Success Center at Stockton University is to ensure Stockton's military-affiliated students; who are military veterans, active duty, reserve, National Guard service members, and their dependents (spouses and children); succeed personally, academically, and professionally by providing access to affordable, quality education, and comprehensive support services to more than 400 military-affiliated students. The center serves as a first-stop shop by assisting military-affiliated students and veterans in transition to civilian life by coordinating the certification of education benefits for which they are eligible, providing socialization opportunities, military-affiliated student club, and the guidance, advocacy and referrals to veteran/military service organizations and college services that support their academic success.
If you would like further information regarding Stockton University's Military and Veterans Success Center, email [email protected] or call 609-652-4315.
