U.S. News Ranks Widener University among Nation’s Best Colleges for Veterans

U.S. News & World Report ranks Widener University among the Best Colleges for Veterans. Released on Veterans Day, Widener ranks 48th among national universities in the news publisher’s inaugural ranking of schools that participate in federal initiatives helping veterans and active service members apply, pay for and complete their degree.

“Widener University salutes the sacrifices made by our nation’s military veterans and active service members,” said Widener President James T. Harris III. “Given Widener’s mission as a university committed to civic engagement and service to the nation, and our history as Pennsylvania Military College, this is a great honor.”

The rankings only include numerically ranked schools in the 2014 edition of U.S. News Best Colleges that meet each of the following criteria:

 Is a member of the Service members Opportunity Colleges Consortium

 Is certified for the GI Bill

 Participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program

The full list of U.S. News Best Colleges for Veterans ranking of national universities is available at http://bit.ly/1aAvka2. More information on resources available to veterans at Widener is available at http://bit.ly/OpTVUW.

In September, the university announced that it was selected as a “Military Friendly School” for the fourth consecutive year by Victory Media, Inc., placing it in the top 20 percent of all higher education institutions nationwide that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus.

Widener participates in the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill Yellow Ribbon Program, and the university introduced Widener CARES (Children of Active and Reserve Military Personnel Educational Scholarship) in 2005. This unique scholarship fund ensures that the children of U.S. military personnel, who are killed in action in either Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, have the opportunity to pursue higher education.

Widener was known as Pennsylvania Military College until 1972, and the university still maintains a vibrant Army ROTC program that serves as the headquarters for other college and university ROTC programs throughout the Philadelphia region.

The Widener School of Law also provides one of the few Veterans Law Clinics in the nation, providing free legal aid to veterans in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania who have been denied veterans benefits.