VIQTORY, a veteran-owned business that connects the military community to civilian employment and educational opportunities, named Clark State College the nation’s number one Military Friendly School, as well as the nation’s number one Military Spouse Friendly School. Both honors were awarded in the small community college category.
“I am ecstatic that Clark State is being recognized for our commitment in supporting veteran and military students and their spouses,” said Diana Seaman, registrar at Clark State who applied for the designation. “It is an honor to be part of a college that shows such dedication toward effective educational pathways and services for military communities.”
To earn a Military Friendly designation, an institution must provide in-depth documentation about their military services, programs, successes and opportunities. A college must also meet minimum thresholds for academic policy and compliance, student retention, graduation and career outcomes, culture and commitment, financial aid and loan repayment, as well as admissions and orientation, for all students, specifically student veterans.
To be ranked number one, an institution must earn the highest assessment and threshold ratings in their category. Clark State earned the top spot out of more than 8,800 academic institutions invited to participate in the survey.
“Earning this designation is definitely an honor, but more importantly, it reinforces that Clark State offers programs and services to help our military communities thrive in their post-military educations and careers,” Seaman said.
Clark state offers a 50 percent reduced tuition rate and priority registration to all Active military, Reserve and Ohio National Guard members, as well as their spouses. In 2024, 339 military affiliated students enrolled at Clark State.
On April 22, Clark State will induct four of these students into SALUTE, the national honor society which recognizes and honors the service and the scholastic achievements of veteran and military students. All honorees have earned a 3.0 GPA or above.
Clark State is the first Ohio college to receive the Purple Heart Campus designation, awarded to colleges and universities for their purposeful approaches to supporting military-affiliated populations. Clark State also works with the Community College of the Air Force to offer online courses that meet the CCAF requirements for the Associate of Applied Science degree.