HPU is Named Hawaii's "Military Friendly" University

News Release from HPU September 16th, 2013

Hawai‘i Pacific University is once again the state’s only university to appear on the Military Friendly Schools® list, the annual recognition of America’s leading campuses in providing educational service to military service members, veterans and spouses.

While other branch campuses and “virtual” schools serving Hawai’i are on the list, along with Honolulu, Kapiolani, Leeward and Maui community colleges, HPU remains the only local university recognized among 1,868 other schools nationwide. Victory Media, which published the list, recognizes HPU and the other included schools as exhibiting “leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience.”

“These schools have world-class programs and policies for student support on campus, academic accreditation, credit policies, flexibility and other services to those who served,” reads a company statement the accompanied the list.

“HPU’s long-standing commitment to serving military service personnel, veterans and their families is an important part of the university’s history and culture, and we’re honored to be included in this listing once again as evidence of that,” said HPU Military Campus Programs Interim Dean Justin Vance. “We have a strong population of military students this year, and we look forward to helping them succeed in their academic programs.”

HPU has received numerous national honors for its service to military students, including the prestigious Institution Award from the Council of College and Military Educators and the “military-friendly university” designation by Military Advanced Education magazine. It continues to be a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a partnership between the university and the Department of Veteran Affairs, to supplement the tuition benefit of the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Like many colleges and universities with significant military student populations, HPU saw a dip in military enrollment when the federal budget sequester earlier this year resulted in funding being temporarily suspended for the military Tuition Assistance Program. Federal lawmakers subsequently appropriated funds to restore the program, and military enrollment at HPU has rebounded strongly.

“Inclusion on the 2014 list of Military Friendly Schools® shows Hawaii Pacific University's commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students,” said Sean Collins, vice president at Victory Media and a nine-year Navy veteran.  “The need for education is growing and our mission is to provide the military community with transparent, world-class resources to assist in their search for schools.”  Complete survey methodology is available at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/Article/methodology-press-kit .