University of Dubuque Named a Top 10 Military Spouse Friendly® School
May 25, 2021 | University Relations staff
DUBUQUE, Iowa – The University of Dubuque was named a Top 10 Military Spouse Friendly® School for its leading practices, outcomes, and effective programs for military spouses.
It is the latest Military Friendly® designation for the university. Earlier this year, UD received the highest honor for private schools offering a doctorate in the 2021-2022 Military Friendly® Schools. It earned the Military Friendly® Top 10 Schools award, given to “guidon bearers” for military/veteran programs and initiatives, and was ranked No. 1 in the Private Offering Doctorate category.
Korissa Clark (MMCM’19), whose husband, Ricky Paul Clark Jr. (C’19), is a soldier with the United States Army Reserve, appreciated the flexibility provided by UD’s LIFE program.
“The LIFE program offers an accelerated master’s program in which I was able to earn my degree in one year. As a military spouse with two children and a husband who is frequently away on military duty, the accelerated program and evening classes offered through LIFE gave me the flexibility to achieve one of my lifelong goals,” said Clark, operations and promotions manager for University of Dubuque Heritage Center and the Department of Fine and Performing Arts.
Clark’s husband is currently enrolled in the master of business administration program through LIFE.
“My husband and I are extremely grateful for the support we have received and continue to receive during our education. Rick Ernst, director of the Sergeant Jeffrey B. Dodge Veterans Center, and the LIFE administrators and professors work to ensure that my husband has access to attend classes remotely when traveling for military duty. Because of their support, he doesn’t miss classes, was able to graduate on time with his bachelor’s degree, and is on track to graduate on time with his master’s degree,” Clark said.
UD’s commitment to service members and veterans dates back to World War II with the Navy’s V5/V12 programs and continues to the present day with a vibrant U.S. Army ROTC program. Additionally, the Sergeant Jeffrey B. Dodge Veterans Center provides veterans a seamless transition from military life to civilian college life. The veterans center director, Rick Ernst (CSM, USA, Ret.), is a veteran himself.
“Knowing that there is a full-time veteran on staff is reassuring because I know if my husband was ever called to duty, we would have his support and expertise to help guide us. Rick has also assisted us with military-related financial resources and questions. He and the entire Sergeant Jeffrey B. Dodge Veteran’s Center are truly an asset for UD and all veteran students and their spouses,” Clark said.
Institutions earning the Military Spouse Friendly® School designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Over 1,200 schools participated in the 2021-22 survey with 747 earning the Military Friendly School designation, of which 194 were selected for the Military Spouse Friendly Schools list.
The 2021-2022 Military Spouse Friendly® School list was published in Military Spouse magazine’s May issue and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey response set and government and/or agency public data sources, within a logic based scoring assessment. The institution’s ability to meet the following thresholds were measured: student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
For more information about veteran services at UD, visit http://www.dbq.edu/Veterans/.
