Military-friendly Abington supports veterans

Abington ROTC

Abington offers Army ROTC as well as many programs for student veterans.

Credit: Penn State

Penn State Abington boasts a wide range of initiatives and programming aimed at providing veterans with the skills for success. The college's renewed designation as a Military Friendly School enhances it ongoing efforts.

This is the second consecutive year Abington has been included on the list of Military Friendly Schools, which honors the top 20 percent of institutions nationwide. The college earned the distinction by exhibiting leading practices in recruiting and retaining vets.

The nearly 100 veterans registered at Abington work with Admissions staff certified by the federal Veterans Administration and a transfer counselor. A student veteran also assists in Admissions.

Abington is the first location within the Penn State to offer priority registration to vets. The idea originated with Abington faculty members and veterans Peter J. Capelotti and James Ulinski.

Subsequently, priority registration for veterans was approved University-wide, effective Spring 2014. Under federal regulations, education benefits are only available for eight semesters so priority registration offers vets access to courses that may fill quickly.

On the extracurricular side, a chapter of the Student Veterans of America is active at Abington with Ulinski, lecturer in Human Development and Family Studies, as its adviser.

Abington partnered with the nonprofit Workforce Opportunities Services and Prudential Financial Inc. in 2012 for an innovative work-study program. Upon completion, each veteran receives an academic certificate from Abington and has the opportunity to work at Prudential.

The second class graduates next week. To find out more about the partnership, go to http://news.psu.edu/story/151135/2012/03/05/partnership-redeploys-veter…

Abington’s active Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program boasts 15 cadets, led by Rodney J. Santos, assistant professor of military science. Air Force ROTC also is available off campus.

For more information about veterans at Abington, go to www.abington.psu.edu/admissions/adultveteran-students.