For the 13th year in a row, Daemen College has been recognized as a 2022-23 Military Friendly School – a designation indicating institutional support for veterans to help them transition from military life to college and onto successful careers.
Paul Muccigrosso
The national veteran-run organization awarding the designation – Military Friendly – uses a number of criteria to bestow the honor, including data on student retention, graduation rate, job placement and more.
“Daemen goes above and beyond in order to exceed the conditions that give us standing as a Military Friendly School,” said F. Paul Muccigrosso II, director of Daemen’s Veteran Services Department. “All of us at Daemen should share in this honor – supporting our veteran and military students is a collaborative effort that the entire college community has embraced for some time.”
In addition to Daemen’s Veteran Services Department, Muccigrosso stated Daemen’s military and veteran students receive support from the Division of Student Affairs, the Registrar’s Office, the Student Success Center, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion and many others.
“When veteran students arrive at Daemen, they are never alone,” said Muccigrosso. “They immediately become part of a supportive community.”
“Most of the time, this is what they need most,” he added.
Muccigrosso explained these students meet with dedicated academic advisors, counselors, and reintegration professionals who help them on their higher education journey to ultimately graduate successfully and secure employment.
“There is little preparation for most veterans leaving the U.S. Armed Forces to have any form of reintegrated care,” said Muccigrosso. “We provide an environment focused on this. The Veteran Services Department also serves as a hub that connects students with supportive resources and groups.”
To help strengthen these students’ sense of community, Daemen provides the Nancy Haberman Gacioch Center for Veterans – a space on campus available 24 hours a day for veterans to join together and study.
“Having this exclusive space where veterans can be with one another has proven to be a very effective resource in helping them with success in their studies and developing their strengths for life overall,” said Muccigrosso.
The latest Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the Spring issue of G.I. Jobs magazine.