KINGSTON, R.I. — April 23, 2024 — The University of Rhode Island has been named a Top Ten Military Friendly School for the 2024-2025 school year, its highest designation to date. Previously, URI has been awarded both Silver and Gold status.

Schools recognized as military friendly were evaluated using public data sources, and responses from a proprietary survey. The survey is known to be the longest-running, most comprehensive review of college and university investments that serve military and veteran students. 

URI enrolls approximately 300 military students, whether they’re active or veterans, with approximately 170 military dependents. More than 300 members of the faculty and staff at URI are affiliated with at least one branch of the military. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2024-2025 survey. Approximately 660 earned the Military Friendly designation.

“The Top Ten rating is recognition that the University leadership, students, staff and faculty have doubled down on their commitment to veterans and military-connected students at URI,” said Bob Flynn, director of URI’s Center for Military and Veteran Education. “Additionally, our alumni have recognized these efforts and are supporting our veteran students with additional financial aid. We have a terrific community and veterans and their families add so much to its vibrancy.”

The honor is the result of University-wide efforts that include such URI offices and departments–Enrollment Services, Community, Equity and Diversity, URI Foundation and Alumni Engagement. The University offers advising and mental health support. The University has an active Military and Veteran Education program and Student Veteran Organization efforts. 

URI provided the Center for Military and Veteran Education with new space in the Memorial Union in September, 2022. Flynn was hired as the full-time director shortly after and his team got right to work. 

“All of this work at URI shows a commitment to support veterans and their families,” Flynn said. “The center is centrally located and large enough to have events. We also have more than 10 students working at the center.”

Each year, a new Military Friendly Schools list is created and released to the public. It is based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,000 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and survey responses from participants. Schools were measured on their ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence, and loan default rates. They were measured for all students, but specifically those who are student veterans. Survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. 

For more information about the University’s programs for student veterans, current military and military-connected schools, visit uri.edu/veterans. 

Benjamin Smith, a senior sports media and public relations major at the University of Rhode Island and an intern in the Department of Communications and Marketing, wrote this press release.