In its quest to win recognition as one of the most military-friendly schools in the country, Brenau hit an unexpected goal when it ranked No.12 in the Southeast among comprehensive universities in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2015 “Best Schools for Veterans” survey. In only the second year that the magazine has ranked institutions that participate in federal initiatives to help veterans and active-duty service members apply for, pay for and complete their degrees, private, not-for-profit Brenau was the only Georgia institution near the top of the list.

Then in May, the magazine’s 2015 edition of “Best Online Graduate Education Programs for Veterans” placed Brenau’s online graduate programs in education that cater to aspiring schoolteachers and school administrators at 38th in the nation, second only to the University of Georgia’s education programs in those rankings. Brenau’s online graduate business programs ranked 60th, but no other Georgia schools made that list.

Since students are not required to report military service unless it is pertinent to financial aid or tuition discounts, available Brenau data indicates that at least 200 veterans or dependents currently are enrolled in programs on all campuses and online. About 15 members of the faculty and staff are veterans. Moreover, scores of other students who are active duty military are what Brenau President Ed Schrader described as “veterans-in-waiting.”

Brenau for close to half a century enjoyed a reputation as a higher education institution of choice for military personnel and their families with, among other things, operations on U.S. Army and Navy military installations. Its newest campus is in Jacksonville, Florida, where a near majority of the population has military ties. Retired Navy Rear Adm. Patricia Wolfe, BU ’84, a Jacksonville resident, recently joined the Brenau University Board of Trustees where she will have a great influence on the university’s services for military personnel and veterans.

“All of these rankings underscore the importance that Brenau University places not only on our commitment to those who have served our country in the past but also to those currently engaged in military service around the world,” said Schrader. “We are proud of the recognition, but we will continue making it our mission to
do better.”