By Janice Cooper, University Marketing Communications
The University of West Florida was recently named one of the top military-friendly institutions in the United States by Military Advanced Education. And it’s no surprise. UWF has joined forces with the military for decades to produce astronauts, help recent veterans get a start in their teaching careers, help deployed service members get an education and offer ROTC programs for students. UWF faculty and staff are dedicated to serving those who serve others.
Students in the UWF Army and Air Force ROTC programs learn communications and leadership while emphasizing physical conditioning and teamwork. Cadets take advantage of these programs through scholarships and use the program to become officers. Throughout the year, cadets take part in many events that include land navigation, water survival, rappel training and even helicopter rides during orientation.
“Graduation from ROTC means that students leave UWF as military officers, but that does not always mean they go active duty,” said Maj. Steve Duckworth, UWF Army ROTC. “Many students elect to serve in the Florida National Guard or the Reserves as officers. These students enjoy both a military career and a civilian career. A degree from UWF and a military commission go a long way to ensure employability in the civilian sector.”
From Pensacola and the Emerald Coast to Okinawa, Japan, military service members take advantage of programs through UWF’s Online Campus, combining the flexibility of distance learning with the ability to harness their skills on the job for career advancement. UWF currently offers 23 fully online degree programs and certificates that can align to service members’ career goals.
“Approximately 50 percent of military participating in off-duty education choose online learning courses due to their temporary duty, deployments or just the need to have flexibility and portability, as some days are 12 hour days, while others may be shorter,” said Pamela Northrup, associate provost, Academic Innovation and Continuing Education.
Through UWF’s Online Campus, students can take advantage of a PDA program, a mobile learning model created four years ago in a partnership with the United States Coast Guard Institute and two community colleges, Florida Community College at Jacksonville and Coastline Community College. As a result of a successful implementation with the Coast Guard, UWF was awarded a $1 million congressional earmark to continue work with the U. S. Navy for deployed service personnel. Through this mobile learning model, UWF serves students in Iraq, Japan, Afghanistan and across the United States.
And, for those transitioning from military to civilian lives, many service members opt to guide young minds through UWF’s Hometown Heroes Teach program, which gives veterans several opportunities to complete the requirements for teacher certification. Whether it’s through e-learning, traditional learning or the nine-month online certification program, TeacherReady, the goal of the program is to assist, counsel, screen and mentor eligible veterans through the certification process.
“Empirical evidence shows that 50 percent of the recent college graduates that go into the classroom are gone in five years,” said Paul Frederick, project director of Hometown Heroes Teach. “Of the military people that go into the classroom, 80 percent will still be there in five years.”
For more information, contact the UWF Veteran Services Office at (850) 474-2262 or visit uwf.edu/veterans.