Military Friendly list awards UNG gold status

The University of North Georgia (UNG) has been named a Military Friendly School for 2022-23. This is the ninth time in 10 years UNG has made this list released by Viqtory Media and the first time since 2018 UNG has earned gold status.

Of more than 1,800 schools who completed the 2022-23 survey, 282 were gold honorees. Gold award winners have programs that scored within 20% of the 10th-ranked institution within a given category.

"We've received this multiple times over the years, but this is our first time in a while receiving gold. We've worked our way up making adjustments, and to receive gold again it really means a lot to the university," Christy Orr, assistant director for Nighthawk Engagement & Student Transitions (NEST), said. "It's a testament to the level of dedication UNG provides to our veteran population."

UNG drew the highest marks for graduation and career, with the list tabbing the university as exceeding the Military Friendly standard by almost 95% in that category. UNG exceeded the Military Friendly standard by almost 85% in academic policies and compliance and by almost 89% in financial aid and assistance.

"As the Military College of Georgia, we have a broader and better understanding because we are training students to be military leaders," Orr said.

Much of this can be seen with UNG's NEST office, which has several initiatives aimed at assisting active-duty service members and veterans.

"We offer the veteran lounges for them to meet each other, get access to free printing, provide snacks and drinks, and student workers are all veterans in the center. NEST is also the main point of contact for veterans in that we can help answer their questions or refer them to a specific staff member or department, depending on their needs," Orr said.

One of the veteran student workers, Philip Weed, who is pursuing a bachelor's in cybersecurity, sees firsthand the opportunities for assistance.

"I appreciate the way UNG serves veterans. I always feel like I have a person to connect with physically, especially with financial aid, considering there is a designated person. The NEST office is really active and encouraging in supporting and promoting veteran issues and the idea that veterans are here on campus. The military culture is sometimes hard to translate, but the NEST office does a pretty great job of doing that."

Any veteran or military-connected student may call 706-864-1010 or email nest@ung.edu for assistance.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey from Viqtory, ensuring an organization's commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefits for the military community. For more on UNG compares to other institutions and what it means to be on the list, visit the Military Friendly Schools website.