After breaking into the Top 10 last year, Columbus State University has moved up to No. 5 in the newest MilitaryFriendly.com rankings of small public military-friendly schools. As a result, it is the only ranked and only Gold-level school in that category in Georgia. This year's ranking is the highest the university has reached in its decade-long run in MilitaryFriendly.com’s annual rankings.

The university’s recently reimagined Military-Connected Student Services office coordinates educational assistance and advising programs for active-duty service members, retirees, veterans and their families. The office’s enrollment counselors and support staff serve more than 1,300 active-duty soldiers, military retirees, veterans, and their spouses and dependents—nearly 20% of Columbus State’s current student body.

University and Army leaders agree that Columbus State’s Military-Connected Student Services office in the Schuster Student Success Center embodies CSU’s enduring commitment to current and former soldiers and their families.

“Columbus State was founded to serve the needs of our community—and that has always included Fort Moore and our military partners who loyally and unselfishly serve our nation,” President Stuart Rayfield said. “It’s our duty and responsibility to understand and serve their educational needs. It's truly an honor to be a part of their educational journey.”

“Columbus State helps our soldiers be more and has been such a steadfast partner with Fort Moore over the years—this is just yet another example of that partnership,” said Maj. Gen. Curtis A. Buzzard, commanding general of the U.S. Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Moore, at the Aug. 29, 2023, ribbon-cutting for the office’s new location. “[This office will continue to] benefit not just our soldiers but their families and the many students here with a military background.”

Columbus State’s other efforts to serve its community of military learners and their families since last year’s rankings include:

• eliminating nearly all university student fees for military-affiliated students using Military Tuition Assistance toward their education, so the cost of a Columbus State education remains within MTA caps [read more on the Columbus State website];
• expanding its educational partnerships with the U.S. Army—especially around the Army’s Captains Career Courses and Sergeant Majors Academy—with additional graduate-level transfer credits and shorter time to degree completion [read more on the Columbus State website];
• deepening its services to and support for military spouses, especially the Fort Moore Spouses Club [read more on the Columbus State website];
• aligning academic, research and outreach programs with a greater understanding and appreciation of the military’s role and legacy in our society [read more on the Columbus State website].

The Military Friendly® Schools survey is the longest-running, most comprehensive review of colleges’ and universities’ investments in serving active-duty, veteran and military-affiliated students. According to MilitaryFriendly.com Military Friendly® Schools strive toward and succeed in the areas that matter most in helping veterans transition from the military to school and, ultimately, satisfying careers in the civilian world.

The “Small Public Schools” category includes Columbus State University and other public colleges and universities with fewer than 10,000 students.