NW Missouri Times

Northwest Missouri State University has been recognized as a Military Friendly School for the 2024-2025 academic year by Viqtory, a media entity that assists military personnel in transitioning to civilian life. This marks the 13th consecutive year that the university has received this honor, which acknowledges institutions that provide excellent experiences for military students.

The Military Friendly Schools list includes more than 1,800 participating schools, with 537 earning award-level designations of Gold, Silver or Bronze. Northwest received a Silver designation for its commitment to embracing military service members, veterans and their families and ensuring their success on campus.

"The University understands student veterans often have various life experiences that provide them with a different lens when viewing the world, life and even the curriculum they are being taught," said Travis Surprise, a Northwest instructor of emergency and disaster management who is also a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Army. "The University will turn those real-life experiences into college credit, and the student veteran knows that their sacrifices to that point count towards more than just service to their country."

Viqtory's profile of Northwest highlights its high graduation and career placement rates as well as its low student-to-teacher ratio and opportunities for student employment and profession-based learning experiences. The report states: “Northwest has high graduation and career placement rates and offers rigorous academic programs, small class sizes, and opportunities for student employment and profession-based learning experiences."

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Northwest is approved for certification of students eligible to receive educational assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The university offers numerous degree and certification programs beneficial to military students. It also gives credit for the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST), following American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations when granting credit for military experience or from other regionally accredited institutions.

Northwest partners with multiple veterans organizations and regularly hosts a veterans service officer to assist with filing for VA benefits. The university participates in several federal and Missouri state programs such as the GI Bill and Missouri Returning Heroes, offering a variety of scholarships for military personnel and veterans.

In collaboration with the Missouri Army National Guard, Northwest offers the (GOLD) program to develop qualified Missouri citizens into commissioned officers through classroom instruction, leadership laboratories and a physical conditioning program.

Northwest boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 students and offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs. Its high retention rate and graduation rate place it in the 95th percentile among its peers. Furthermore, 97 percent of Northwest bachelor’s degree earners and 99 percent of master’s degree earners secure employment or continue their education within six months of graduation.

Founded in 2001, Viqtory is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs and Military Friendly brands.