CSI Named Top Military-Friendly School

G.I. Jobs announced the release of its 2012 list of “Military Friendly Schools,” which honors the top 20 percent military-friendly colleges, universities, and trade schools in the nation.    

The College of Staten Island, a senior college of The City University of New York, was recognized for its commitment to serving the needs of students with military experience and its wide array of services specifically designed for current, new, and future veteran students. 

“I am very pleased that CSI has been honored by being named a military-friendly school,” commented Donna Scimeca, the Core Program Coordinator at CSI. “This is in no small part due to the efforts of Vito Zajda, Rose Meyers, and Urszula Echols, who have worked so hard to make CSI a welcoming place for returning veterans.”  

Vito Zajda, Deputy Registrar at CSI said, “The collaborative efforts of the Veterans Educational Transition Services, (VETS) located in the Office of the Registrar, and the Student Veteran Center, located in the Campus Center, facilitate a smooth transition from military to student life for veterans and their families by providing a strong support system and centralized “vet-friendly” services on campus. Both offices offer unique services in providing a “one-stop” approach, from the admissions process to graduation.” 

Other services that the VETS office provides include résumé writing, career placement, academic advisement, education and financial aid benefits. 

Zajda, who is also the Veterans Advisor Certifying Officer and a Transfer Evaluation Specialist, adds that CSI is “anticipating and enrollment of 237 registered veterans for the Fall 2011 semester.”   

These students also have the resources of the CSI Student Veteran Center, which are available online. Services include “disability services, mental health services, academic support, academic and personal counseling, career and scholarship, college testing, and other community resources,” said Zajda. 

CSI offers a general education course that is restricted to all incoming veterans called Core 100, which is specifically designed for veterans.  The course provides a platform for veterans to speak out about their experiences. “This uniquely distinguished section…focuses on the impact of the U.S. military and its role in defining specific periods in U.S. history. We will pay close attention to the formation of each of the five military branches and their specific roles/strategies in major U.S. movements, wars, and struggles,” commented Zajda, who teaches a section of Core 100.“Veterans need a trusted friend to help them decide where to get educated. The ‘Military Friendly Schools’ list is that trusted friend,” said Rich McCormack, G.I. Jobs publisher.

The list was compiled through years of exhaustive research and a recent survey of more than 8,000 schools polled nationwide.  Methodology, criteria, and weighting for the list were developed by the Military Friendly Schools Academic Advisory Panel. 

A detailed list of “Military Friendly Schools” is currently being highlighted in the Guide to Military Friendly Schools.  Their Website contains interactive tools and search functionality to assist military veterans in choosing schools that best meet their educational needs.