For more than a decade, the University of Michigan-Flint has built a record of supporting veterans, service members and their families. That commitment has once again earned statewide recognition.
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency has named UM-Flint a Gold-Level Veteran-Friendly School for the 12th consecutive year, continuing a distinction the university has held since the program began in 2015.
Gold is the MVAA program’s highest designation and recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate a strong commitment to serving military-connected students. Schools are evaluated on measures ranging from veteran-specific advising, career services, and campus resources to the recognition of military training for academic credit and the monitoring of student veterans’ academic progress.
For UM-Flint, however, the designation represents more than meeting a set of criteria.
“Earning this recognition year after year reflects UM-Flint’s commitment to ensuring that our military-connected students are welcomed, valued and supported throughout their educational journeys,” said Chris Giordano, vice chancellor for student affairs. “We recognize that each student brings unique experiences, strengths and aspirations to our campus, and we are committed to providing personalized support that helps every student succeed; an enduring expression of who we are as a student-centered institution and the values we strive to live every day.”
Much of that work is centered in UM-Flint’s Student Veterans Resource Center, which helps veterans, service members and their families navigate the transition to college and provides assistance with educational benefits, admissions and veteran-specific campus and community resources.
The center also gives military-connected students something that can be just as important as navigating paperwork: a place to connect.
Located in the University Pavilion, the SVRC offers students a dedicated space to study, meet with staff and build relationships with others who understand the experience of moving between military service and university life. The center also hosts programming throughout the year, including veteran-focused events, career and professional development opportunities and the university’s annual Veterans Day and graduation observances.
“What we hear most often from students is how much they value having someone they can turn to for answers, whether they’re navigating university processes or trying to make sense of VA benefits,” said Helen Budd, program manager for UM-Flint’s Student Veterans Resource Center. “That kind of personalized support matters, especially for students who are balancing their education with work, family and other responsibilities. Adding staff to our team this past year has strengthened our ability to provide that support to students, whether they’re learning on campus or online. It’s that responsiveness and personal attention that I believe continue to set our university apart.”
The latest recognition continues a string of acknowledgments for UM-Flint’s work with military-connected students. The university was also included in Military Times’ 2025 “Best for Vets” rankings, marking its fifth consecutive appearance on the national list.
Together, those recognitions reflect an approach that extends from helping students understand and use their military education benefits to creating the relationships and sense of belonging that can help them persist toward graduation.
The university has 278 veterans enrolled for fall 2026, an 11.2% increase from the prior year. Additionally, there are 81 dependents enrolled, for a combined total of 359 veteran/veteran-related students.
For more information about resources and services available to veterans, service members and their families, visit the UM-Flint Student Veterans Resource Center website.
