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How Does UMGC Help Veterans?

UMGC is proud to provide support to our student veterans as they transition from military to civilian life, and we are there for them every step of the way. 

“The support and services we provide to veterans at UMGC are all-encompassing. From the point of inquiry all the way up to graduation, our students are provided individualized advising and support by whatever measure works best for them,” says Kelly Grooms, assistant director of veterans initiatives at UMGC. “Our team is available on site at specific locations, by phone, email or on the spot or scheduled virtual appointments.”

Student veterans can access education benefits and make their degree at UMGC more affordable by earning credit for their prior experiences or through scholarship opportunities. UMGC offers credit for military education and training, which can help students fast-track their degree and save money. UMGC also has designated military and veterans scholarships, and are awarded based on merit, military affiliation, financial need, and other considerations. 

“UMGC offers several scholarships to veterans along with Workshop Wednesdays, which discusses employment opportunities that are available to veterans within their trained skill set,” says Johnson.

The Veterans Assistance Fund is designed to help students in the military and veterans enrolled at UMGC cover costs related to their education, and UMGC also offers additional scholarships through the Veterans Initiatives Office and the Student Veteran of the Year ���ɲ�����.��

“At UMGC, we have a dedicated team of certifying officials ensuring that veterans receive their endowment in a timely manner as well as financial resources and scholarships when education benefits are not available,” says Grooms. “Last year, UMGC was named No. 1 for Best for Vets in Primarily Online Education and No. 1 Best for Vets Employer in Education by Military Times.”

How Does UMGC Help Students Look for Employment Opportunities?

For more than 75 years, UMGC has served military students and their families by helping them find opportunities to begin their next success. Today, we enroll more than 56,000 active-duty military servicemembers, reservists, veterans, and their family members. UMGC provides our students and graduates with lifetime career services at no additional cost. 

“UMGC's career services offers veterans the assistance with translating their military experience into real-world examples,” says Grooms. “Additionally, the career services department offers veterans access to resources to assist with interview prep, resume writing, and networking.”

Student veterans can find resources regarding advising, networking, and events through the Vessey Virtual Student Union. UMGC also offers a One2One Mentorship program, which provides individualized support to veterans and servicemembers. Students looking for networking opportunities can also join UMGC’s Alumni LinkedIn network, which has over 10,000 members, or one of UMGC’s many student organizations. 

“We offer the opportunity for veteran students to join our chapters for national organizations such as the SALUTE National Honor Society and Student Veterans of America,” says Grooms. “In addition, there is a virtual student union specifically for military connected students along with social media pages exclusive for military connected students.”