On Nov. 1, the Military Times listed Southeast Missouri State University as one of the best universities in the country for veterans on the Best for Vets: Colleges 2017 list.

Of the 500 schools that participated in the 150-question survey, Southeast placed 112 out of 130.

The Military Times, an independent news source that primarily deals with issues surrounding the military community, found Southeast to have four star staff support, three star extracurriculars, having policy agreements like Principles of Excellence and being part of the Department of Defense’s Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Southeast’s inclusion on the list is significant, considering it is a state school that often contends with private universities to provide the best service and assistance to veterans, said Amanda Woods, Office of Military and Veterans Services Outreach coordinator and Veteran Affairs Certifying Official.

Southeast’s Office of Military and Veterans Services was a major reason for the university to be included on the list because of its assistance to veterans and support.

“We treat our veterans and their families very well … (We) make sure our veterans and their families are taken care of and get the services and support they need,” Woods said.

For students who have served, the office has proven an effective way for those on campus to have a place to come for assistance with the college experience.

“This office makes it easy, it’s a place where (all veterans) can come together,” Army National Guard E4 Specialist Joe Swofford, a sophomore at Southeast, said.

Southeast also offers programs like Show Me Gold, which allows students to earn a degree and become future officers in the Missouri National Guard, and Air Force ROTC, which puts members on a path to become commissioned officers and then commissioned as a second lieutenant in the active duty Air Force upon graduation from the university.

“We make students veterans, we put them into service when they graduate,” Retired Air Force technical sergeant Vance Pawielski, secretary for the Air Force ROTC at Southeast, said,

Outside services and programs connected to the U.S. military, Southeast has done its work to make veterans feel welcome at the university and honor their service.

Woods said the office and relationship the university pursues with veterans is a major reason they choose to come to Southeast.

Pawielski said the Office of Military and Veterans Services and Southeast will soon place a plaque near Memorial Hall, because the building was built after World War II and named to honor those who served in that war.