FIU named a Military Times “2024 Best for Vets” university ahead of Veterans Day

The university has earned five distinctions for excellence in veterans’ education this academic year

November 7, 2024 at 4:18pm

This week, Military Times announced FIU is ranked among its “2024 Best for Vets” colleges and universities – bringing the university to a total of five distinctions this year for its commitment to providing exceptional educational opportunities to veterans and military-connected learners.

FIU has placed highly in multiple nationally acclaimed publications, including:

Top 10 “Best of the Best” for 2024 by U.S. Veterans Magazine
Top 10 School by Military Friendly
No. 45 public college for veterans by U.S. News and World Report

Additionally, FIU was among the first universities to be designated a Purple Star Campus by the Florida State University System Board of Governors following a rigorous review of academic programming and wrap-around support available to assist student veterans as they transition from the military to university life.

“Service to others is the heartbeat of our FIU community,” said Phillip Lloyd Hamilton, assistant vice president for Student Belonging & Support at FIU. “No group embodies this more than our military Panthers. We are proud to be a destination campus for veteran and military-connected students as they pursue their next careers. Miami is the Gateway to the Americas, providing an unparalleled environment to learn and prepare for the future.”

By registering with FIU Veteran and Military Affairs, students have access to personalized success coaching, priority course registration and a variety of professional development and social opportunities throughout the year. Additionally, the university hosts a U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Vet Success on Campus counselor, who helps students understand and access their military education benefits and also provides career development support.

The Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success connects students to staff and support services across the university, including Admissions, Enrollment, Career and Talent Development, Student Health and Wellness, the Disability Resource Center, and many more. This center, which is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education focuses on increasing persistence, retention, and graduation rates; tracking employment rates following graduation; and coordinating services to address the academic, financial, physical, and social needs of student veterans.

Additionally, there are more than 20 scholarships available to assist our veteran and military-connected Panthers financially.

These services are a vital resource for students like Duilia Mora Turner, who is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration at FIU. Mora Turner is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and is the university’s first Tillman Scholar, a prestigious national scholarship from the Pat Tillman Foundation that empowers military service members, veterans and spouses who are making an impact as they lead through action in the fields of healthcare, business, public service, STEM, education and the humanities.

Following a 25-year career as an airman, Mora Turner is now a senior fellow at the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy and the lead for the Women, Peace and Security Forum as well as a guest lecturer at the Latin American and Caribbean Center.

Mora Turner’s tenure in the military took her all over world. Her career highlights include becoming the chief meteorologist for President Barack Obama’s Air Force One and later being the first chief of Women, Peace and Security at United States Southern Command. Her experiences sparked her interest in how other nations across the region and the world involve women in their armed forces and what influences their upward trajectory to leadership roles. This is now the focus of her research at FIU.

For Mora Turner, the transition from military life to academia felt “like a freefall without a parachute.” She leaned on her family, fellow veterans, and the community she found here at FIU for support as she searched inward for who she was beyond the military, which had become so ingrained into her identity.

“I think it doesn’t matter if you serve four years or for twenty-five years, like I did. The military really becomes part of who you are,” Mora Turner said, “but beyond being an airman, I am also a mom. I am also a wife. I am going to be an academic. I am part of this institution. I am a service-oriented human. I am a humanitarian.”

Connecting with colleagues at FIU and utilizing the services available through the VMA has helped set her up for success as she pursues the next chapter of her life and career.

“When I transitioned out of the military, I wanted four things – autonomy, family, service and impact. And I’m very fortunate that I’ve found this here at FIU.”