Gold Standard: UAS Recognized as a top Military Friendly® School

Award highlights the university's support systems and resources for Veterans, active-duty service members and their families.

Juneau, Alaska

Date of Press Release: March 31, 2026

For the second consecutive year, the University of Alaska Southeast has been awarded the Military Friendly® School Gold designation.

This distinction is reserved for universities that rank near the top in supporting Veterans, active-duty service members and their families as they navigate military-specific circumstances, from admissions to establishing a meaningful career after graduation.

“Our military-connected students bring a unique set of skills and experiences that enrich our entire university community,” said UAS Chancellor Aparna Palmer, Ph.D. “We are committed to ensuring that every Veteran and service member has the resources to translate their leadership and service into academic and professional success.”

As part of its commitment to the military community, UAS has a dedicated staff member to help students succeed throughout their journey.

“Our UAS advisor for Veterans and Veterans Affairs representative, Deb Rydman, helped me and all the others in the UAS Student Veterans Club activate and use our GI Bill®,” said club president Jordan Wade-Mitchell. “She also helped me and other Veterans who were fresh out of the military mentally adjust to college and civilian life, which proved to be the biggest challenge. She did it by connecting us together with the club, and connecting us as individuals to the school's mental health resources.”

In addition to receiving staff support, Veterans and active-duty students at UAS pay in-state tuition rates for both online and in-person courses. They also receive academic credit for military training and national proficiency exams.

UAS will be featured in the 2026-2027 Guide to Military Friendly Schools® in the April issue of G.I. Jobs® magazine and on MilitaryFriendly.com.

The university previously earned the Military Friendly® School Gold Award in 2023 and 2025, and the silver award in 2024.

Military Friendly® School ratings are determined from public data and a free organizational survey. Scored categories include graduation and career outcomes, academic policies and compliance, support and retention, admissions and orientation, culture and commitment, and financial aid and loan repayment.

Military Friendly® is the standard that measures an organization’s commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefits for the military community. Over 3,200 organizations compete annually for the Military Friendly Schools® designation. Military Friendly® is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business. Military Friendly® is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or the federal government. Results are produced via a rules-based algorithm. The data-driven Military Friendly® lists and methodology are available at https://www.militaryfriendly.com.