Cayuga Honored for Supporting Student-Veterans

For the fourth consecutive year, Cayuga Community College has received a special designation recognizing the institution for its commitment to student-veterans and their families.

This week Cayuga earned a 2021-2022 Military Friendly® School designation, an award applauding colleges and universities for supporting members of the military community with dedicated academic, career and financial services. The designations are awarded annually by VIQTORY, a veteran-owned small business, and the Military Friendly® Advisory Council, which includes leaders from the higher education and military recruitment community.

Cayuga Assistant Director of Community Education and Workforce Development Emily Cameron, who also oversees the College’s Veterans Programming and Initiatives, said the College was proud of its efforts to support student-veterans and their families.

“Everyone at Cayuga is appreciative and supportive of our veterans and their families. They are an essential part of our campus community, and we work each day to create a welcoming, supportive atmosphere for our student-veterans. We look forward to helping our student-veterans and their families in the year ahead,” she said.

Cayuga offers diverse support services for student-veterans, which are currently set in a distance learning environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The College offers an online orientation designed for student-veterans to illustrate available services, and hosts monthly workshops featuring guest speakers outlining services and benefits available at the College or in the community. Special online programming was also available during Veterans Week.

The College also offers transition assistance, networking events, a Veterans Club, and opportunities to meet with trained personnel for assistance accessing educational financial benefits.   

As part of a regular internal evaluation, the College created a Student Veterans Support Team, comprised of members from all College departments. The committee works to determine how Cayuga can meet the needs of student-veterans and their families.

“We’re continuously looking for ways we can improve our services for student-veterans and their families,” said Cameron. “It is a priority for us to constantly connect with our veterans and military-affiliated students, to make sure they have their questions answered and access to any services they may need.”

More than a decade old, the Military Friendly® Schools list is determined by public data and survey responses from participating schools. Colleges volunteer to participate, and are assessed on their ability to meet thresholds in areas including student retention, job placement and loan repayment.

Ratings are assigned in six categories: academic policies and compliance, admissions and orientation, culture and commitment, financial aid and assistance, graduation and career, and military student support and retention. Cayuga exceeded the Military Friendly® standards in all six categories. Out of more than 1,200 colleges and universities that volunteered, 747 earned a designation.

For more information about Cayuga’s veterans services, visit https://www.cayuga-cc.edu/students/services/veterans/. For more information about Military Friendly® Schools, visit www.militaryfriendly.com.