The State University of New York at Old Westbury has earned a 2025-26 Military Friendly® School Silver designation.
The honor is due to SUNY Old Westbury’s efforts in creating meaningful education paths for the military community in categories including student support and retention, graduation and career outcomes, financial aid and loan repayment, culture and commitment, admissions and orientation, and academic policies and compliance.
“Earning this designation confirms the need for work we are very proud to be doing,” said Cristina Notaro, assistant provost for student success. “Supporting all students, and especially those who have served our nation, is critical to ensuring their success both while they are on campus as our students and after they complete their studies and move on.”
SUNY Old Westbury was the first college or university in New York State to open a Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success when, in 2022, it was awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Today, the center serves more than 100 veterans and family members of veterans taking classes on campus.
CEVSS, as it’s known, serves all veteran, active duty, reservists, and national guard members. The center supports Old Westbury’s student success initiatives through advising, financial counseling, and academic interventions. Additionally, the center has worked to build a supportive community among veterans on campus, while at the same time conducting outreach to community organizations and services focused on Long Island’s veteran community in an effort to bring awareness to the community supports available to students.
Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2025-2026 survey with 830 earning special awards for going above the standard. The annual, data-driven assessment is offered at no cost to more than 8,800 institutions nationwide.
“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process. Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages Institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, exceeding the standard,” Kayla Lopez, vice president, Military Friendly® said.