Military Times, the independent news outlet focused on military and veteran information, ranked University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) as the top primarily online university and #1 in both the Mid-Atlantic region and the state of Maryland for educating military-affiliated students, as well as No. 5 in the nation among public universities.
“UMGC continues its laser focus on veterans and military personnel since its founding more than 75 years ago,” said UMGC President Gregory Fowler. “It’s an honor to be recognized by such a respected publication. Chalk this up to extremely dedicated faculty and staff who are constantly evaluating and improving our services to our military-affiliated students.”
Military Times annually issues its “Best for Vets” rankings. UMGC has ranked #1 in its category for the last three consecutive years.
UMGC enrolls more than 55,000 servicemembers, veterans and other military-affiliated students who pursue online and hybrid courses at more than 175 locations, including on U.S. military installations, around the world. The university offers 135 undergraduate and graduate degrees, certificates and specializations in high-demand career fields.
“We take a significant amount of pride in offering the best services we can to our military students,” said UMGC Senior Vice President for Global Military Operations Lloyd Miles, a retired U.S. Army major general. “We know from decades of experience that military-connected students face unique challenges while serving, transitioning out of the military or as veterans who are striving for post-military career success.
“UMGC continuously looks for ways to improve these services, ensuring that our students understand the changing landscape, whether that is understanding their education benefits, learning skills needed to succeed or preparing to stand out in a competitive job market,” he added.
These students and their families are eligible for reduced tuition rates, and UMGC accepts up to 90 transfer credits for military training and experience, prior college coursework and workplace learning. The university’s advisers assist military-affiliated students in navigating their educational benefits and planning their academic paths, and it offers special tutoring assistance.
“This ranking is a testament to our unwavering commitment to supporting military-affiliated students, no matter where they are located around the world,” said Xavier Bruce, associate vice president of UMGC’s Stateside Military Operations. “By being recognized as No. 1 in ‘Primarily Online Programs,’ as well as across multiple regional and national categories, we highlight our dedication to providing flexible, high-quality educational opportunities that cater to the unique needs of servicemembers and their families.”
Since 2017, UMGC’s nationally recognized Veterans Assistance Fund (VAF) has awarded over $203,000 in grant-based funding to student-veterans who have exhausted their benefits.
In addition, the university’s Pillars of Strength Scholarship program supports the educational aspirations of volunteer caregivers of injured, wounded or ill veterans. Since its launch in 2013, the scholarship program has offered 84 scholarships, providing full tuition for recipients in degree programs. Funded through donations, the scholarships have grown in number annually since the program’s start.
Kristin Byerly, UMGC director of Veterans Initiatives and Outreach, said the Military Times’s survey, used by the publication to evaluate a university’s resources for military students, showed just how many university departments are connected to providing the unique needs of military students.
“We not only serve a global community of students, but we are a global team, comprised of multiple departments working together to support those who have given so much,” she said. “We are constantly discovering areas of opportunity and building on what we offer military students to ensure we are meeting the needs of our military-connected population—one student at a time.”
UMGC offers peer-to-peer mentoring—including assistance in navigating military benefits—for military-affiliated students through the university’s virtual student union platform. Mentors on the site also provide encouragement for students, who sometimes are studying under unusual circumstances, including during military training exercises or deployments in war zones.
UMGC faculty and staff undergo a comprehensive training program, known as Green Zone, that highlights the characteristics, demographics and needs of military-affiliated students.
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