Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 14 UCW APRIL 14-20, 2021 W hile rank signifies hierarchy and chain of command in the militar y, it can also be a dis- tinction of excellence and superiorit y for ser- vice to those in the militar y. In relation to the latter, Methodist Universit y is uniquely quali- fied, distinguished and honored. In 2021, MU was awarded Gold Rank sta- tus — as a universit y that sets an excellent example with its programs and initiatives — by Militar yFriendly® Schools. Methodist is recog- nized by this national organization annually and is scheduled to receive another superior ranking for its services to militar y families later this month. "Our new Gold Militar yFriendly® designation, recognizes a universit y-wide effort and com- mitment to increase educational opportunities, services, and programs to meet the unique needs of our militar y-affiliated student popula- tion," said Billy Buckner, director of MU's Fort Bragg Office. "We are dedicated to serving ser- vice members, veterans, and their families with compassion and support they deserve." Annual recognition is telling, but there are other obvious differences that make MU the best choice for militar y families. For instance, MU's main campus is just a few miles from Fort Bragg and Pope Army Airfield and the univer- sit y offers classes on post with its Fort Bragg Office. MU's Fort Bragg Office is staffed with expe- rienced members who understand the militar y, and facult y at MU's main campus work with the time challenges often associated with a life spent in service. With an office on post, expe- rienced staff, and educators who understand the unique requirements and needs of service members and their families, MU is uniquely positioned to "Serve Those W ho Serve." Methodist Universit y also has a continued commitment to America's veterans through participation in the GI Bill®'s Yellow Ribbon Program. This significant commitment upholds a long histor y of MU support for our veterans and their academic and career endeavors. MU continues to find ways to enhance its academic offerings and develop militar y-cen- tric degree programs that best meet the needs of its students. In Januar y 2021, Methodist began offering 100-percent online degree pro- grams at both the undergraduate and graduate levels that best serve veterans, spouses and their families. Catalina Jara Hurtado is a wife and mother who drives trucks for the Army. She will gra- duate from MU this May with a Business Administration degree. She wants to work in human resources and loves to solve problems. She was recently promoted to Sergeant and has the responsibilit y of leading 10 soldiers. The staff at MU's campus at Fort Bragg hel- ped Jara Hurtado with her classes and transfer credits. She received dozens of transfer credits for her militar y training and education and academic work at other educational instituti- ons. This helped cut her education time almost in half and enables her to earn her degree in two and half years. Jara Hurtado praises Mara Baker, MU's Fort Bragg admission's counselor, with helping her take advantage of transfer cre- dits and tuition adjustments. "She was ver y helpful. Mara answered ever y question I had and walked me through ever yt- hing I needed to do," said Jara Hurtado. Jara Hurtado wasn't surprised to discover MU had earned Gold Rank status. She experienced MU's commitment to militar y families first- hand. The nature of her job often calls her away on missions at unexpected times. She knew militar y life wouldn't always coincide with uni- versit y deadlines, but MU's professors — some who are veterans themselves — are empathetic and helpful. "W henever I have a schedule conf lict, I con- tact the professors and they are ver y friendly and understanding," she said. "They're always tr ying to help me, and I've never had any issues with any professors because of my job." Another benefit for MU students is having access to the nearby Davis Memorial Librar y with its vast collection of books and research resources. Jara Hurtado said when she started her MU journey, she visited the librar y often, but then discovered the power of accessing the catalog online, a big benefit when working from home. "You can access the librar y from home with your MU account. I do almost all my homework research online now," Jara Hurtado said. The fully online programs are just one exam- ple of MU's eagerness to bring its world-class education to the militar y and their families. In addition to new Methodist Universit y ful- ly-online programs, students can continue to attend classes in a variet y of modalities to include evening classes where they can earn BS degrees in Entrepreneurship, Environmental & Occupational Management, Leadership Communication, Health Care Administration, Business Administration and Political Science. "Methodist Universit y Online is a huge bene- fit for our militar y-affiliated student population and affords students the f lexibilit y and conve- nience they need to balance family, work, and school," said Buckner. "Also, MU Online truly addresses the needs of our Special Operations Forces and other service members who serve in militar y occupational specialties who cannot attend in-person classes because of their mili- tar y duties." For more information, contact MU at Fort Bragg: 910-436-3624 or methodist.edu/bragg. Registration for summer classes is open now, and classes begin May 3. 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