UNM Ranks Top 20 Best for Vets College Designation
November 15, 2023 - Dorene DiNaro
The University of New Mexico has earned the 2023 Military Times Best for Vets College designation, ranking 15th in the nation. The ranking comes from survey data collected from colleges and universities based on services and amenities they offer veterans. Rankings are based on the school’s veteran-specific offerings including admissions preferences, priority registration, mental health services, career counseling, academic support, VA work-study options, financial assistance and other services. Based on its commitment to its military-affiliated students via services for veterans, active military and their families, and the consistently high rankings from Military Times, UNM has become a desired destination for this population.
The UNM Veteran and Military Resource Center (VMRC), led by Director Alonzo Maestas is dedicated to offering the highest quality and comprehensive support to military-affiliated students. “We are once again honored and humbled to receive a Best for Vets designation,” Maestas said. “The VMRC staff’s dedication to helping military-affiliated students, along with UNM’s commitment to serve the military-affiliated population, is in my eyes unparalleled.” The University of New Mexico is a Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (PAVE) mentoring program partner.
VMRC provides an embedded mental health counselor to help veterans and the military community overcome mental health obstacles to aid them in academic success. Mental health benefits include stress-management/meditation sessions or workshops, peer support-group meetings, special learning/testing accommodations and referrals to the VA and other off-campus services. “We want our students to feel seen, respected, and valued, and we strive to help them transition to life as a college student, succeed in their academic journey, and continue on to graduate school or their chosen professions,” Maestas said.
Students are also eligible to apply for scholarships specifically for veterans that can be used after the veteran has exhausted his or her VA education benefits. They can utilize an array of financial services including counseling on DoD/VA benefits and financial aid and forms processing assistance. Visit the VMRC website to learn more about their services. To learn more about the rankings visit the MilitaryTimes Best for Vets website.
