Iowa Lakes Named Military Spouse Friendly® School

(Estherville, Iowa) Iowa Lakes Community College has earned the 2022-2023 Military Spouse Friendly® School designation for providing exceptional educational opportunities and support services to the spouses and families of those who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces.

“Military spouses make a lot of sacrifices that allow the military member to serve the country. Iowa Lakes recognizes that sacrifice. We do everything we can to make their transition here seamless and their experience here rewarding. We work as hard with military spouses as we do with military members to make their education journey successful,” explained Tim Ireland, Career and Veteran/Military Services Coordinator.

Only 346 schools in the United States met the stringent requirements to make the Military Spouse Friendly®  list. The Military Friendly® team collects and processes vast amounts of public and proprietary data through automation to determine the colleges that offer sustainable and meaningful educational paths for military spouses.

VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business, establishes the criteria, methodology, and weightings used to determine the ranking and the list. VIQTORY connects the military community to civilian employment, educational, and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs®, Military Spouse, and Military Friendly® brands.

The Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community also provides input on the lists. Final ratings are determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with an assessment of student retention, graduation rate, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student-veterans.

The 2022-2023 July and August Military Spouse Magazine® will include Iowa Lakes in a featured listing. Also, the 2022-2023 Military Spouse Friendly® School List is posted on www.MilitaryFriendly.com.

Iowa Lakes has a proud tradition of recognizing and supporting the service member community. Iowa Lakes currently has two Veteran Centers on the main campuses in Estherville and Emmetsburg, where military-affiliated students can study, hold meetings, and relax.

Additionally, Iowa Lakes offers a supportive Peer and Staff Mentorship program to ensure educational success and has multiple Military and American Legion scholarship opportunities available specifically for military-affiliated students.

Other recognitions and awards received by Iowa Lakes for ensuring a top-notch and supportive educational environment for military-affiliated students, staff, and families include a 2022-23 Military Friendly School® Silver designation, 2021 Top Veteran-Friendly School from U.S. Veterans Magazine for the seventh consecutive year, 2021-22 Top 10 Military Friendly® designation, and a Certified Higher-Education Academic Military Partner (CHAMP) designation.

For more information about military and veterans services at Iowa Lakes, please contact Tim Ireland at tireland@iowalakes.educreate new email or 712-852-5284.

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