Walsh University is proud to announce it is among 10 public and independent colleges and universities newly designated as Collegiate Purple Star campuses for their efforts to support students with military backgrounds by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) Chancellor Randy Garner.
Since its founding in 1960, Walsh has been a military-friendly school. And today, as a member of the Yellow Ribbon Program, designation as a Top Ten Military Friendly® School, and with the appointment of the first ever Veteran Affairs Coordinator for the newly established Office of Veteran Affairs, Walsh is positioned to fully support veterans, ensuring they enjoy the full value of the education benefits that they have earned.
“The longtime support for veterans and service members at Walsh University extends to its newly established Center for Veteran Affairs and the school’s first-ever Veterans Affairs Coordinator. I’m pleased to have Walsh University among this latest group of Collegiate Purple Star recipients,” Chancellor Randy Gardner said.
Ohio was the first state in the nation to offer Collegiate Purple Star campus designations, which advance the work already done by Ohio’s PreK-12 school system to create the Purple Star designation for those schools that worked to become military friendly.
“This designation assures service members, veterans, and other military-connected students are able to access the resources and support systems they need to pursue their educational goals,” Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said.
This latest group of 10 Collegiate Purple Star campuses increases to 46 the number of schools that have earned the designation since 2022.
Colleges and universities in Ohio are offered the opportunity to apply for the Collegiate Purple Star designation. The designations are determined by a Collegiate Purple Star Advisory Committee appointed by the Chancellor and composed of members from organizations that include but aren’t limited to ODHE, the Ohio Veterans Education Council (with representation from two-year colleges, four-year universities, and independent institutions), the Ohio Department of Veterans Services, the Ohio Adjutant General’s Department, and the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission K-12 Purple Star Committee.
Criteria for being chosen as a Purple Star college or university include having a dedicated military/veteran point of contact and/or office on campus, establishing priority registration for veterans and servicemembers, surveying student veterans and servicemembers – along with spouses and dependents – about the needs and challenges, and allowing for the establishments of student-led groups and organizations for veterans and servicemembers.
