More so than most universities, The University of Tulsa is dedicated to assisting student veterans as they pursue their educational and career goals. That commitment was nationally recognized when UTulsa earned two distinctions for 2024-25: Military Friendly University – Gold and Military Friendly University – Spouse.
“These highly competitive ratings signal to student veterans, their families, and the nation at-large that UTulsa is committed to capturing and advancing the best practices for military students,” said Robert Kowal, director of Veterans Affairs and a retired U.S. Army first sergeant. “By earning these titles, it makes clear this is a place where they can come to be supported, acknowledged, and celebrated.”
Military Friendly is an organization that has, for more than two decades, focused on employers and schools that do more for military members, veterans and their families. These Military Friendly ratings are determined via a rules-based algorithm with data gleaned from both public sources as well as through an organizational survey and cannot be paid for but must be earned. The Military Friendly rating is the gold standard for military veterans and their families who often look to its seal of approval to ensure an employer or school will provide them support and confidence.
The University of Tulsa knows that student-veterans and their families bring unique experiences and challenges to college, which is why UTulsa has an entire office called the Calvin C. McKee Veterans Success Center. There is also a student veterans house, which offers an on-campus space for student veterans to relax, study, and connect with one another. Finally, two of the university’s most important roles, that of president and dean of students, are filled by veterans.
“The McKee Veterans Success Center and the work we do here honors the military service of our student veterans by empowering their academic success and long-term achievement,” Kowal concluded.