Brown University is now officially a participating institution in the
department’s Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding,
which will allow the University to reach out to active service members on
military bases.
*PROVIDENCE, R.I.* [Brown University] —PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University]
— A few years ago, a Brown University admissions officer visiting Norfolk,
Va., thought to add the nearby Navy base to the itinerary of his trip. But
Brown was not certified by the U.S. Department of Defense to reach out to
potential students at military facilities, so the visit couldn’t take place.
That is the case no longer. With the University having completed and signed
the Defense Department’s Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of
Understanding <https://www.dodmou.com/>, Brown is now free to conduct such
outreach, said Karen McNeil, program director for student veterans and
commissioning programs.
“This is a big deal for us, because reaching student veterans has been a
significant challenge,” McNeil said. “It’s not like with traditional
students, where admissions officers visit high schools and know the
guidance counselors. Veterans who have just gotten out of the military and
are looking to go back to school could be literally anywhere.”
The University is eager to make sure that service members consider Brown as
a potential educational opportunity, McNeil said.
“It has always been a plan of mine to reach out to them while they are
still active duty, either while they are close to transitioning to civilian
life, or even earlier in their career, just to make them aware that schools
like Brown are an option,” she said.
“Now the next time the admissions office is going to Norfolk, or anywhere
else, they will be able to arrange a visit to the educational office on the
base and talk to prospective students,” McNeil added.
Signing on to the memorandum will also elevate Brown’s stature in guides
that provide armed forces members with information about college, McNeil
said. Brown has been rising in such guides, recently earning a Silver
designation in G.I. Job's "Military Friendly Schools
<https://news.brown.edu/articles/2017/04/militaryfriendly.com> — 2017"
issue.
