MCC--A Military Friendly School

McHenry County College was recently designated as a Military Friendly School for 2011 by G.I. Jobs magazine, which honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s veterans as students. Schools on the list include state universities, private colleges, community colleges and trade schools. The common bond is their shared priority of recruiting students with military experience.

The magazine polled more than 7,000 state schools nationwide in determining the results, examining criteria such as efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students, and academic accreditations.
According to Lynn McCabe, coordinator in Financial Aid and Veterans Services at MCC, the college has 103 veterans/veterans dependents registered and certified for collecting Federal Veterans Benefits.

“When they come in I generally try to explain the various chapters of the GI Bill they are eligible for and how each one works and what they pay,” McCabe said. “I also let them know about the IVG (Illinois Veterans Grant) and about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and help them out if they have questions on how to complete this.”

“MCC has done an excellent job of caring for veterans to make the transition from military service to college,” said Paul Wheeler, MCC student of Crystal Lake and founder of the Chi Gamma Iota (XGI) student veteran’s organization on campus. “The college informs veterans about what’s available moneywise and about services available in the county,” he said.
Wheeler is a 2001 graduate of Crystal Lake Central High School and served in the Navy in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is pursuing an associate degree in criminal justice and plans to become a police officer.

“I’m very excited and pleased to learn of MCC’s designation as a Military Friendly School, said Lesley Frederick, MCC’s dean of students. “MCC has dedicated staff in Financial Aid and other student services offices that support the many veterans on our campus. Our returning veterans have definitely made an impact here at MCC. They have a Veterans Student Organization, XGI, which provides support, collegiality, and service to our veterans. They are helping to host a Veteran’s Forum on campus, (which will take place from 6-9 p.m. on Oct. 13) and have taken other active leadership roles. I’m proud that MCC is able to support these students and provide outstanding service for them as they pursue their education here at MCC.

Another MCC student, Tim Frake, of Crystal Lake, is an Army veteran who served in Viet Nam. He also praised the college for their support of veterans. “MCC is definitely helpful and very friendly toward veterans,” Frake said. “They’ve helped me with setting up the classes I want to take. I plan to graduate in the spring with an associate’s degree in accounting.”

Like other schools on the “veteran friendly” list, MCC has realized the value these students bring to the classroom and student body.
Dr. Dorothy Bassett, dean of Duquesne University’s School of Leadership and Professional Advancement, a Military Friendly School, noted, “Military students bring a high degree of maturity, life experiences, diversity, leadership and worldliness to the classroom. Other students and faculty benefit from the different perspectives that service members and veterans bring.”

The tens of billions of dollars in tuition money now available with the passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill last year has intensified an already strong desire by colleges to court veterans into their classrooms.

“This list is especially important now because the Post-9/11 GI Bill has given veterans virtually unlimited financial means to go to school,” said Rich McCormack, G.I. Jobs publisher. “Veterans can now enroll in any school, provided they’re academically qualified. So schools are clamoring for them like never before. Veterans need a trusted friend to help them decide where to get educated. The Military Friendly Schools list is that trusted friend.”

Derek Blumke, president of Student Veterans of America and a member of the list’s Academic Advisory Board, agrees. “The Military Friendly Schools list is the gold standard in letting veterans knows which schools will offer them the greatest opportunity, flexibility and overall experience. It’s especially important now with so many schools competing for military students.”

Schools on the Military Friendly Schools list also offer additional benefits to student veterans such as on-campus veterans programs, credit for service, military spouse programs and more. Criteria for making the Military Friendly Schools list included efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students and academic accreditations.

The list was compiled through exhaustive research starting last April. Methodology, criteria and weighting for the list were developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board (AAB) consisting of educators from Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, Colorado State University, Dallas County Community College, Old Dominion University, Cleveland State University, Lincoln Technical Institute and Embry Riddle; as well as Keith Wilson, VA’s director of education services; Michele Spires, American Council on Education’s assistant director of military programs; Janet Swandol, associate director for CLEP and Derek Blumke, president of Student Veterans of America.

G.I. Jobs (www.gijobs.com) is published by Victory Media, a veteran-owned business which also publishes “The Guide to Military Friendly Schools,” “Military Spouse” and “Vetrepreneur” magazines and annually rates the nation’s “Military Friendly Employers,” “Military Spouse Friendly Employers” and “Best Corporations for Veteran-Owned Businesses.”