U.S. News and World Report ranked Southwestern the ninth Best College for Veterans in its recently released 2017 Best Colleges rankings, which ranked Southwestern as the No. 1 Liberal Arts College in Texas. Colleges that made the Best Colleges for Veterans list participate in federal initiatives helping veterans and active-duty service members pay for their degrees. This news comes shortly after Southwestern University Veterans Association (SUVA) became an official chapter of Student Veterans of America in April 2016.

“This is a momentous occasion for Southwestern, and I’m excited to see SUVA’s efforts have led our campus to become a new home for the veteran community,” says SUVA CEO Matt Lara. “Transitioning from the military to student life can be a daunting undertaking; however, Southwestern and the SUVA strive to provide a sense of family, which makes the transition into our tight-knit community much easier.”

Each school reported on their benefits for veterans as part of U.S. News and World Report’s annual statistical survey of undergraduate schools during spring and summer 2016, and met the following criteria:

  • The institution is certified for the GI Bill®.
  • The institution participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program or is a public school that charges in-state tuition to all out-of-state veterans.
  • The institution is in the top half of its ranking category and had 20 or more students who used GI Bill benefits to partially or fully finance their tuition and fees during 2015-2016.

[The Department of Veterans Affairs asks that the following notice appear after use of the term “GI Bill”: GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.]

Lara singled out the second criterion for emphasis. “The opportunities afforded through the Yellow Ribbon program have opened the door for allowing veterans to become a part of the Southwestern family.”

For a detailed explanation of the overall Best Colleges for Veterans rankings, see the methodology.