(Orange, CA) —Santiago Canyon College (SCC) recently announced it has earned the 2018-2019 Military Friendly® School designation.
“Santiago Canyon College is honored to receive this distinction from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council and Victory Media,” said President John C. Hernandez, Ph.D. “SCC strives to assist our student veterans in reaching their educational goals and this recognition confirms the student success efforts in our Veterans Service Office (VSO) in providing comprehensive services for veterans of our U.S. Armed Forces. This recognition validates that what happens here matters, not only to our students but also to our community.”
U.S. Army Sergeant Matthew Jones served for three years in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper infantryman and was deployed once to Iraq as part of his service. Although he originally chose to attend SCC due to its proximity, he believes he made the right choice and is thankful for SCC’s VSO.
“I was extremely nervous returning to school because I failed out prior to joining the Army,” he said. “I also have a family now who I need to provide for. The Veterans Service Office staff was so helpful getting me on track for priority registration, counseling appointments, veterans’ educational benefits and scholarships. They made the transition from soldier to student very easy.”
Jones, who will receive an associate degree in physics and mathematics with honors this spring, has been accepted to University of California, Irvine, this fall where he will major in mechanical engineering.
“Prior to exiting the military, I already had my mind set on majoring in an engineering field,” he said. “However, the VSO does have information for those who are unsure about their career path. The staff has made it incredibly easy when it comes to my benefits and scholarships. The VSO doubles as an office for veterans and scholarships. To be honest, if it weren’t for them pushing it on the vets, I never would have found out about that opportunity. Being a full-time student, husband and father, the last thing you want to worry about is the VA and the process of receiving benefits. The people who work in the VSO make this happen and I am so grateful to have met them.”
Institutions, like SCC, earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey, and for the first time, student survey data was taken into consideration. More than 1,400 schools participated in the 2018-2019 survey with 41 earning the designation.
Methodology, criteria and weightings were determined by Victory Media 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, student veterans.
According to Victory Media chief product officer Daniel Nichols, “Our ability to apply a clear, consistent standard to colleges creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to invest in programs to provide educational outcomes that are better for veterans.”
The 2018-2019 Military Friendly® Schools list was published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com. For more information about SCC’s student veteran programs, visit www.sccollege.edu/VSO.
About Military Friendly® Schools
The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
About Santiago Canyon College
Santiago Canyon College (SCC) serves more than 17,000 credit and noncredit students each semester. In 2017, SCC was ranked #13 among the 50 Best Community Colleges in the U.S. by College Choice, a leading authority in college and university rankings and resources. The college prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions and careers, and provides courses for personal and professional development, as well as customized training for business and industry. The college is recognized for its adult education program which keeps the working adult – and senior – in mind by offering flexible schedules and community locations. Serving the residents of Anaheim Hills, Orange, Tustin and Villa Park, SCC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District.
About Victory Media
Founded in 2001, Victory Media is a service disabled, veteran owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, education and entrepreneurial opportunities through G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly® brands. Victory Media and its brands are not part of or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about Victory Media at www.victorymedia.com.
For further information or to arrange interviews, contact:
Santiago Canyon College
Judy Iannaccone
iannaccone_judy@rsccd.edu
(714) 480-7503
Victory Media
Brian O’Malley
Gordon C. James Public Relations
bomalley@gcjpr.com
(480) 703-8338
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