LACEY, Wash. — Saint Martin’s University was awarded the gold designation as a 2025-2026 Military Friendly® School for the sixth time by VIQTORY.
“For decades, Saint Martin's has been dedicated to creating a welcoming educational environment for military students and their families,” said Bill Brownsberger, S.T.D., president of Saint Martin’s University. “This gold designation is a testament to that commitment, and we will continue to strengthen our support for those who have given of themselves in service to our country.”
The Military Friendly® Schools list has become a benchmark for higher education institutions committed to offering exceptional opportunities for veterans and their families. Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2025-26 survey with 830 earning special awards for going above the standard. The 2025-26 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.
“Saint Martin’s has a long and proud history of serving the military and veteran’s communities. We are grateful to be recognized as having outstanding, tailored programs for military affiliated students,” said David Olwell, Ph.D., dean of the Hal and Inge Marcus School of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences and interim director of JBLM operations. “As a veteran myself, with the other veterans who staff these programs, and with the entire campus, we remain committed to their education in a welcoming and supportive environment.”
Methodology, criteria and weightings were determined by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of 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 Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
“Our military-affiliated students bring invaluable leadership, discipline and diverse experiences to our campus,” said Adam Takata, director of the Washington Veterans to Technology (Vets 2 Tech) certificate program. “With dedicated programs like Washington Vets 2 Tech and the Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success, we strive every day to provide programs and support tailored to strengthen the skills these students arrive with so that they can seamlessly transition into new careers, continue their legacy of service in new ways and confidently pursue their professional and academic goals.”
“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,” said Kayla Lopez, national director of military partnerships at Military Friendly®. “Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard.”
This year, Saint Martin’s was also named a Military Support College of Distinction as well as a Military Supportive College. The University was also named the first Purple Heart University in the state of Washington by the Order of the Purple Heart.
For more information about the resources and programs that Saint Martin’s offers to support the military community, both at its Lacey and JBLM campuses, visit the military community page on the Saint Martin’s website.
About Military Friendly® Schools
The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
About Saint Martin’s University:
Saint Martin’s University is an independent coeducational university, with undergraduate and graduate offerings, located on a wooded campus of more than 380 acres in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 13 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Saint Martin’s University empowers students to pursue a lifetime of learning and accomplishment through its 31 majors, 11 master’s programs, one doctorate program and six certificate programs spanning the arts and sciences, business, counseling, education, engineering, nursing, and leadership. Saint Martin’s welcomes more than 1,300 undergraduate students and 250 graduate students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its Lacey campus, and more students to its extended campus located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
About VIQTORY:
Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly® brands. VIQTORY and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about VIQTORY at www.viqtory.com.
For additional information:
Nate Peters
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
360-438-4367
npeters@stmartin.edu
Military Friendly ® Schools:
Kayla Lopez
Senior Director of Military Partnerships
For press inquiries visit:
www.militaryfriendly.com/support
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