Daemen University has been named a Military Friendly School for the 15th consecutive year, recognizing the institution’s efforts to create sustainable and meaningful education paths for the military community.
For the first time, Daemen earned the elite Military Friendly School Gold designation – which means the institution is rated within 10% of the 10th-ranked organizations for the category “private offering doctorate” – and a Military Friendly Spouse School designation.
“These achievements symbolize our deep-rooted commitment to our veterans, recognizing their valor and selflessness,” said Mark Martinez, the director of veteran services. “Together, we’ve crafted a nurturing environment where every transitioning service member finds not just a school, but a home where their ambitions can soar.”
Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2024-2025 survey with 537 earning special awards for exceeding the standard.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory, with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council and independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
“Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our process,” added Kayla Lopez, the director of military partnerships at Military Friendly. “This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to consistently evolve their programs. Award-level schools have gone beyond that standard, showing true commitment and dedication in their efforts. The Military Friendly benchmark promotes positive educational outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community.”
In October, Daemen opened the Foundation 214 Veterans Success Center within the Alfiero School of Business, creating a central location for coordinated services, support, and programming for veteran and military-aligned students. The center complements the services and support offered through the Nancy Haberman Gacioch Veterans Center located in Duns Scotus Hall.
The 2024-2025 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.