ABOVE PHOTO: Flags outside of the Memorial Student Center honor veterans and service members.
For the 15th year, University of Wisconsin-Stout has been named a Military Friendly® School for its efforts in creating sustainable and meaningful education paths for members of the military community.
UW-Stout received a gold designation as a Military Friendly School, leveling up from its silver designation for 2022-23 and 2023-24.
It also received a gold designation as a Military Spouse Friendly School.
UW-Stout has approximately 400 military-affiliated students, who include veterans, current members of the U.S. military (active and reserve) and eligible family members. The university’s most recent First Destination report stated that 100% of veteran graduates were employed within six months of graduation.
“We’re very excited about the gold designations because they’re a good testament to the quality of programs and services we offer at UW-Stout to military-connected students,” said retired Army Lt. Col. Brian Hackner, military education benefits coordinator with UW-Stout’s Veteran Services.
“The Military Friendly® School designation tells veterans that Stout really supports them and cares about their education. They are relevant and wanted at Stout. And even more special is the Military Spouse designation because it shows we care about veterans and their whole family,” he said, noting that 50 to 75 military spouses are supported by Veteran Services.
Veteran Services collects data and submits a survey annually to participate in the Military Friendly® rankings.
UW-Stout is among 243 schools in the nation that received the gold designation. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2024-25 survey. Ranking criteria include retention, graduation, employment and loan default rates among students, especially veterans. The list of Military Friendly® schools will be published in a special feature of G.I. Jobs Magazine.
Last November, Military Times ranked UW-Stout first among public universities or colleges in Wisconsin on its 2023 Best for Vets list. Overall, UW-Stout was 24th in the Midwest and 151st among the 325 schools that qualified nationally.
