Casper College top 10 in ‘Most Military Friendly Small Community College’ rating
Casper College has been named to the top 10 overall in the country to the 2023-2024 Military Friendly Schools list, No. 2 in the Small Community College category, and a Gold Award recipient by Viqtory Media.
“Casper College is the only school in Wyoming to receive this designation,” said Nick Whipps. The list, compiled by Military Friendly, honors those colleges, universities, and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus.
According to Military Friendly, over 1,800 schools participated in the 2023-2024 survey. From that group, 530 schools earned awards-level designations in gold, silver, and bronze. Two hundred and fifty were selected for “Gold” award status for their leading practices, outcomes, and effective programs. Casper College ranked in the Top 10 of all schools nationwide, including online universities, small public schools, nontraditional schools, and private schools. The Top 10 were selected from the gold group.
Final survey results and ratings were determined by combining each institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet minimum thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
“I believe that Casper College consistently receives the gold standard as a military-friendly campus in Wyoming and across the country because we are committed to taking the extra step to create a structure of support for our military-affiliated students,” said Whipps, veteran and military student services coordinator. “As advocates, we know that one of the best ways to ensure the academic and personal success of these students is to get them connected. There are many resources out there, and we pride ourselves as resource experts. I have found that it is not enough to just pass the resource information along to our students in hopes that they will act. We have decided that to truly live out our mission of breaking down barriers to success; we have to bring the resources to our students,” Whipps said.
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.
The list of Military Friendly Schools and Military Friendly Schools ratings is assessed by evaluating public data about the institution and proprietary data gathered through the Military Friendly Schools survey. The annual, data-driven Military Friendly Schools survey assessment is offered to more than 8,800 institutions nationwide. Each year, schools taking the survey are held to a higher standard than in previous years via improved methodology, criteria, and weightings developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and the Military Friendly Schools’ Advisory Council.
The 2023-2024 Military Friendly Schools list was published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found here.
Viqtory determined methodology, criteria, and weightings with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent higher education and military recruitment community leaders.
Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment and educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs and Military Friendly brands.