The University of Wisconsin-Madison was named to the 2013 Victory Media list of “Military Friendly Schools,” which honors the top 15 percent of universities nationwide that best accommodate veterans.
Currently, UW-Madison has over 600 military students enrolled. For these students, the university offers special social programs and academic support, including keeping accounts of students on active duty open, allowing them to continue checking email and register for classes before returning to campus.
Additionally, the Pres House, a student apartment complex, now offers special housing scholarships for veterans.
John Bechtol, assistant dean of students for veterans, said he hopes to look out for the best interests of student veterans and help them whenever he can.
“The goal [is] that the issues they face as new students are simply issues that any other new student would face,” Bechtol said. “Being a veteran should not be a burden in any way shape or form.”
In addition to help from Bechtol, Vets for Vets, a student organization on campus, aims to make the transition back to campus for student veterans easier. It became the UW-Madison chapter of Student Veterans of America, a national organization dedicated to helping student veterans, and was voted best SVA chapter in 2011.
While the university has been recognized as one of the most military-friendly universities, Bechtol said he will continue to do all he can to help student veterans.
“Getting a compliment isn’t going to stop our work for trying to assist veterans on campus,” Bechtol said.
