Colorado State University-Global Campus Launches New Initiative for Military Students: Operation EDU

In an effort to best support military students seeking to complete their degree, Colorado State University-Global Campus (CSUGlobal.edu) announced today the launch of Operation EDU. This new initiative features services, resources and a new scholarship program exclusively designed to help active duty service members, veterans and their families successfully finish their college degree online. Operation EDU is the latest addition to CSU-Global’s comprehensive military program, which has earned the University recognition by Military Advanced Education Magazine, GI Jobs Magazine and, most recently, Victory Media, which last week named Colorado State University-Global Campus a Military Friendly School for 2014, an honor awarded to only the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide.

“A high-quality and affordable college degree should not be among the sacrifices military and veteran students make in service to their country,” said Dr. Becky Takeda-Tinker, President of Colorado State University-Global Campus. “Based on our past data-driven success with active military, veteran and family member students, the launch of Operation EDU advances our mission to help military-affiliated students complete the degree they need to continue their professional development in the military or to guide their successful transition to the civilian sector.”

CSU-Global is dedicated to providing U.S. service members and their families with the tools and support they need to achieve their academic and professional goals.  As part of Operation EDU, CSU-Global has expanded its training for military academic and financial service advisors, who must now complete an intensive internal certification program. Additionally, all instructors are now required to participate in “boot camp” training to ensure they are prepared to meet the unique needs of military students. CSU-Global has also created the Operation EDU scholarship program, which will award ten $1,000 scholarships to new applicants with a military affiliation. The deadline to apply is November 15, 2013. More information, including full eligibility requirements, is available at CSUGlobal.edu/military/scholarship.

“CSU-Global takes its responsibility towards all students very seriously, working every day to help students achieve maximum returns on the time, effort and tuition they have invested in their education,” said Dr. Takeda-Tinker. 

Operation EDU builds on CSU-Global’s long-standing commitment to military inclusive policies and practices. The University has an internal task force dedicated to addressing military and veteran issues, accepts all types of military tuition assistance and offers a special military tuition rate that is guaranteed not to increase as long as the student remains enrolled. CSU-Global also waives its application fee for qualifying military personnel and their families and works to maximize the number of transfer credits accepted. The University’s robust career resources include placement support, resume help and career events for military affiliated students. Additional financial aid options are available including CSU-Global’s U.S. Military Active Duty/Veteran Bachelors Degree Completion Scholarship for undergraduate students and a U.S. Military Active Duty/Veteran Master’s Degree Scholarship for graduate students.

Colorado State University-Global Campus has an MOU with the U.S. Department of Defense, is VA approved and a VA Principals of Excellence Program participant, a member of SOC and is one of a select number of institutions participating in the General Education Mobile (GEM) program with the Community College of the Air Force.  It is currently number seven in the United States on U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs. The Fall 2012 course completion rate for military and veteran students was 96 percent and the Fall 2011-Fall 2012 persistence rate for military and veteran students was 75 percent. Time-to-graduation is consistent with all CSU-Global bachelor’s degree students at an average of two years.

“Currently at least one of every ten students at CSU-Global is a current or former service member,” said Victoria Webb, Military Coordinator at CSU-Global. “Whether they’re currently deployed or at home, the 100 percent online coursework makes it possible for military affiliated students to complete their degree from anywhere in the world without putting their other responsibilities on hold.”

CSU-Global classes start every four weeks year round. Military affiliated students interested in learning more can visit CSUGlobal.edu/military, contact an Admissions Counselor at 1-800-920-6723 or apply online at CSUGlobal.edu/apply.