South Texas College has become one of only six institutions across Texas to receive a Military Friendly School Gold Award and Military Friendly Spouse School recognition for the 2023-2024 school year. The recognition comes from VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business, which publishes the annual Military Friendly rating for schools nationwide.
The awards affirm STC’s commitment, effort and success in creating opportunities for the military community on all its campuses.
“What this designation and award really means is that if you are a veteran and you want to get your education started, STC is only one of a few institutions in the state that will provide a superior standard when it comes to attentiveness and the quality of education you can receive,” said Javier Cardenas, Veterans Affairs outreach and certifying official at STC. “I think it speaks to the level of outreach that we try to do as a veterans service office here. We are always asking ‘What more can we do or how much more can we provide’ and we are really setting the bar for what a veterans office should be on campus.”
Award-Winning Services
STC earned the “Gold” distinction for exceeding in areas such as academic policies and compliance, admissions and orientation, culture and commitment, financial aid and assistance, graduation and career and military student support and retention, according to the Military Friendly rating.
The Gold and Military Friendly Spouse Awards expand across STC’s Pecan, Mid-Valley and Starr County campuses, each with a Student Veterans Affairs Office to service the more than 800 veterans, veteran spouses and dependents attending STC.
STC’s Office of Student Veterans Affairs employees are certified by the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department, to assist veteran students and their families in completing the documents necessary to receive benefits such as the GI Bill and Hazlewood Act. In addition to benefits and enrollment assistance, STC’s Veterans Affairs also offers safe havens known as the “Foxhole,” a room dedicated to veterans, spouses and their dependents, that is equipped with comfortable seating, computers, televisions and printers.
There is a “Foxhole” available at the Pecan, Mid-Valley and Starr County campuses.
For more information about STC’s Office of Student Veterans Affairs and the resources offered, visit www.southtexascollege.edu/