CUNY SPS Once Again Earns Spot on Military Friendly® School List

Award Highlights CUNY SPS’s Ongoing Commitment to Military and Veteran Students

For the second year in a row, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) has been designated a Military Friendly® School by the website MilitaryFriendly.com, earning a Bronze Award for 2022-2023.  

The 2022-2023 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found online now.

“It is gratifying to see that Military Friendly® has once again recognized the efforts CUNY SPS makes to support our military and veteran students,” said Christopher Leydon, associate director of student services, who oversees military and veteran services at CUNY SPS. “We are proud that our student body includes veterans who have faithfully served our country and dedicated service members who continue to do so. We value their ongoing contribution to the CUNY SPS community and are honored to support their success by providing a range of services, scholarship opportunities, and individualized attention from faculty and staff.”

“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,” said Kayla Lopez, national director of military partnerships at Military Friendly®. “Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard.”

The Military Friendly® designation is the latest public recognition of CUNY SPS’s commitment to its active military and veteran students. This January, the School was rated #5 in the Nation on U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 list of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, in its highest ranking to date.

An example of the extensive support provided by the School can be found in the newly launched CUNY SPS U.S. Military Bachelor’s Degree Completion Scholarship, which covers all remaining tuition and fees not reimbursed by the Department of Defense so that active military undergrads may earn their bachelor’s at CUNY SPS without paying a penny themselves.

For CPO Matthew J. Maicher of the United States Coast Guard, who currently attends the CUNY SPS BA in Communication and Media program, this scholarship has helped motivate him to complete his undergrad degree so that he may pursue a career in marketing or brand management.

Nearly two decades prior, Maicher had begun a bachelor’s program but later found the student loans he had accumulated from his classes to be a significant obstacle to continuing his education—until he enrolled at CUNY SPS and won this scholarship.

“Knowing that the expenses involved would be covered moving forward by being awarded a scholarship created a sense of freedom that has allowed me to grow both in the classroom and in life,” said Maicher. “I am truly grateful for the wonderful students, teachers, and staff at CUNY SPS.”

To learn more about this scholarship and related offerings, visit the CUNY SPS Military and Veterans Services page.

About Military Friendly ® Schools:

The Military Friendly ® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources from 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 Military Friendly’s website.

About the CUNY School of Professional Studies

As New York’s leader in online education since 2006, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) offers the most online bachelor’s and master’s degree options at the City University of New York, and serves as the University’s only undergraduate all-transfer college. With 24 degrees and numerous other non-degree and grant-funded workplace learning programs, CUNY SPS meets the needs of adults who wish to finish a bachelor’s degree, progress from an associate’s degree, earn a master’s degree or certificate in a specialized field, and advance in the workplace or change careers. Consistently ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report for its online offerings, and noted for its soaring growth and enrollment, CUNY SPS has emerged as a nationwide leader in online education. The School’s renowned and affordable online programs—which offer in-state tuition to all students regardless of where they live—ensure that busy working adults may fulfill their educational goals on their own time and schedule.

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Andrea Fagon
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