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Armstrong, Coastal College honored as veteran friendly
Photo - Military Times Best Vets 2016

Military Times honored Armstrong State University this week, ranking the institution seventh among four-year schools on its “Best for Vets: Colleges 2016” list. Now in its sixth year, the annual rankings stand apart as the most comprehensive school-by-school assessment of veteran and military students’ success rates. This year marks the second consecutive year Armstrong has been included on the list.

“We are deeply honored to again be recognized by the Military Times as one of the nation’s leading universities supporting active-duty military students and veterans on campus,” said Armstrong President Linda M. Bleicken. “Armstrong offers an extensive array of support to military students, veterans and their families in an ongoing commitment to the military community.”

The rankings are published in full in the issues of Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corps Times on newsstands the week of Nov. 9; and online at MilitaryTimes.com, as well as ArmyTimes.com, NavyTimes.com, AirForceTimes.com and MarineCorpsTimes.com.

The College of Coastal Georgia in Brunswick ranked 62nd on the list.

“It’s a great honor to be ranked nationally among the best colleges for our veterans,” said Coastal Georgia President Greg Aloia. “At the college, we have a commitment to making sure out veterans have every possible resource make their experience as seamless and unburdened as possible. It is the least we can do for those who were willing to put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms.”

As with all Best for Vets rankings, “Best for Vets: Colleges 2016” is an editorially independent news project that evaluates the many factors that help make colleges and universities a good fit for service members, military veterans and their families. The survey-based ranking requires schools to document a spectrum of services, special rules, accommodations and financial incentives offered to military and veteran students and to describe the various aspects of veteran culture on a campus. More than 600 colleges took part in this year’s detailed survey.

Military Times’ series of Best for Vets rankings includes: Colleges, Career & Technical Colleges, Business Schools, Franchises, Employers, Law Enforcement and Places to Live.

“Over the past six years of our surveys, we’ve seen so many schools first begin to foster — through new policies, services and dedicated facilities — and then nurture these wonderful communities,” says Amanda Miller, editor of Best for Vets. “We award the Best for Vets designation to the very best — the colleges that really are setting the example.”

Previously, Armstrong was honored as a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs magazine. The university is ranked in the top 20 percent of all colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide for its military friendly status. Armstrong also has a Green Zone program to support military-affiliated students on campus through faculty and staff awareness training and currently waives all mandatory fees for active duty military.

In addition to providing a supportive campus environment for military students, Armstrong is also part of a network of universities that guarantees transferability of credits for military students, provides in-state tuition for members of the military and their families and offers college credit for military experience.

As a complement to Armstrong’s main campus in Savannah, the university operates the Armstrong Liberty Center in Hinesville, which helps members of the military community and their families pursue higher education and earn college degrees in key fields in Liberty County. A new expanded facility in downtown Hinesville will be open to students in January 2016.

For the full Best for Vets: Colleges 2016 rankings, go to: www.military times.com/bestforvets-colleges2016.

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Groups hand out scholarships
RH theater scholarship
Richmond Hill High School senior Jacey Shanholtzer shows her Dawn Harrington Berry Spotlight Award, which was awarded by the Richmond Hill Community Theatre and includes a $500 scholarship. With her are Tom Harris, Ashlee Farris, Brett Berry and Kim Diebold. The award was created in memory of Dawn Harrington Berry, a long time RHCT member and president who died in 2016. - photo by Photo provided.

Three reports recently presented scholarships

Richmond Hill High School senior Jacey Shanholtzer received the Dawn Harrington Berry Spotlight Award, which was awarded by the Richmond Hill Community Theatre and includes a $500 scholarship. The award was created in memory of Dawn Harrington Berry, a long time RHCT member and president who died in 2016.

Garden Club

The Richmond Hill Garden Club recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Katherine Wood and a $500 scholarship to Carly Vargas, both seniors graduating from Richmond Hill High School.

The awards were presented May 8 during Honors Night at RHHS.

Wood plans to attend Green Mountain College in Vermont and major in environmental studies.

Vargas plans to attend Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee, to pursue a degree in either environmental studies or biology.

The garden club awards a $1,000 scholarship annually to a local high school senior who plans to major in a field related to environmental concerns, plants and/or gardening.

This year, due to having two exceptional candidates, the garden club awarded an additional $500 scholarship.

Exchange Club

The Exchange Club of Richmond Hill recently named Caroline Odom as its student of the year.

The club each month during the school year names a student of the month, and the student of the year is chosen from among those winners.

Awards are based on academic performance, community involvement and leadership.

Monthly winners receive $100, with the annual winner getting a $1,000 scholarship.

The Exchange Club has been recognizing students for more than 30 years.

Odom will go on to compete in the Georgia District Exchange Club against students from across the state.

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