{"id":5694,"date":"2024-03-04T20:08:27","date_gmt":"2024-03-04T20:08:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/?p=5694"},"modified":"2025-03-28T16:36:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T20:36:28","slug":"wilmu-supports-service-members-as-a-military-friendly-gold-award-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/2024\/03\/04\/wilmu-supports-service-members-as-a-military-friendly-gold-award-school\/","title":{"rendered":"WilmU Supports Service Members as a Military Friendly\u00ae Gold Award School"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kadence-column5694_594073-2a > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);}.kadence-column5694_594073-2a > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column5694_594073-2a > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column5694_594073-2a > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column5694_594073-2a > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column5694_594073-2a > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column5694_594073-2a > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column5694_594073-2a{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column5694_594073-2a > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column5694_594073-2a > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column5694_594073-2a dynamic-main-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p>Army Sgt. 1st Class <strong>Wandy Ortega<\/strong> spent more than 27 years serving his country, deploying to Egypt during peacetime and Iraq during war. He recruited for the National Guard, raised a family, and bought a commercial cleaning business. But instead of relaxing in retirement, Ortega is finishing something he started almost a decade ago \u2014 completing his bachelor\u2019s degree at Wilmington University.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWilmU has been my first choice,\u201d says Ortega, who began taking classes in 2015 but then returned to active duty. \u201cThe whole process is so smooth.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He credits the University\u2019s Military Affairs Office for a seamless transition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey drop what they\u2019re doing, and they give you the help that you need. And I love that,\u201d Ortega says. \u201cThey don\u2019t waste time (when they\u2019re) working on your behalf. It doesn\u2019t get better than that.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This level of service is one of the reasons WilmU earned the Military Friendly<sup>\u00ae <\/sup>Schools Award Gold-Level distinction. An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militaryfriendly.com\/schools\/\">independent survey<\/a> measured the University\u2019s commitment to service members\u2019 success, including graduation rates and job placement. While more than 1,800 schools participated, only 250 achieved gold status. WilmU stands out with its flexible scheduling options, affordable tuition rates, and dedicated military support services.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide wu-blockquote-row is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote wu-blockquote-simple is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>[WilmU\u2019s Military Affairs Office drops] what they\u2019re doing, and they give you the help that you need. And I love that.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<cite>\u2014 Wandy Ortega<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s so exciting to have the knowledge to be able to help individuals,\u201d says <strong>Dr. James Webb<\/strong>, an Air Force veteran and Wilmington University\u2019s director of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/military\/\">military affairs<\/a>. \u201cEvery day I get a thank-you from somebody, and that\u2019s what keeps me going \u2014 it touches the heart, for sure.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ortega is one of more than 1,500 military-connected WilmU students. He received credit for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/degree-completion\/\">military experience, training, and prior coursework<\/a> by submitting his Joint Services Transcript.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI started this degree with 51 credits, so I was way ahead of the game,\u201d says Ortega, who is studying business and marketing. \u201cThe goal is to go for my master\u2019s.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Living in Dover, Delaware, he can easily attend WilmU classes in person. However, the University also offers degrees and certificates 100% online so that students can learn anywhere with web access. Active-duty service members can take advantage of WilmU\u2019s undergraduate online military tuition rate. And counselors can help maximize military benefits, such as Tuition Assistance and the GI Bill<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would highly recommend it,\u201d Ortega says. If considering a degree program, \u201cyou will be able to fall right in place.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-wrap.wp-block-kadence-rowlayout.kb-row-layout-id5694_5f4d17-54{margin-top:2em;}.kb-row-layout-id5694_5f4d17-54 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:center;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id5694_5f4d17-54 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:center;}.kb-row-layout-id5694_5f4d17-54 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );max-width:var( --global-content-width, 1290px );padding-left:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-right:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-top:0em;padding-right:0em;padding-bottom:0em;padding-left:0em;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}.kb-row-layout-id5694_5f4d17-54{border-top:1px solid #eeeeee;border-bottom:1px solid #eeeeee;}.kb-row-layout-id5694_5f4d17-54 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id5694_5f4d17-54 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id5694_5f4d17-54{border-top:1px solid #db1313;border-bottom:1px solid #eeeeee;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kb-row-layout-id5694_5f4d17-54 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id5694_5f4d17-54{border-top:1px solid #db1313;border-bottom:1px solid #eeeeee;}}.wu-text-col,.wu-img-col {\tmin-height: 114px;}.wu-text-col > div,.wu-img-col > div {\tflex: 1;}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id5694_5f4d17-54 alignnone FULL wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-row-layout-right-golden kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-middle kb-theme-content-width\">\n<style>.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:var(--global-palette9, #ffffff);}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}.kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec figure.image-is-svg {-webkit-margin-after: 1em;  margin-block-end: 1em;}img[src$=\".svg\"] {  max-width: 220px;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column5694_5e82cf-ec kb-section-dir-horizontal wu-img-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-image5694_432063-44:not(.kb-image-is-ratio-size) .kb-img, .kb-image5694_432063-44.kb-image-is-ratio-size{padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.kb-image5694_432063-44 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image5694_432063-44 image-is-svg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"230\" height=\"120\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/wilmu-cta-logo-wu.svg\" alt=\"Wilm U post footer logo\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-17727\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:stretch;}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery{align-self:stretch;}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:#eeeeee;}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84{align-self:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84{align-self:auto;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}}.kt-row-column-wrap > .wp-block-kadence-column {align-self: stretch;}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > div {  padding-block: 1em;}.kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 > div p:last-of-type {  -webkit-margin-after: 0;  margin-block-end: 0;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column5694_cf1e29-84 kb-section-dir-vertical wu-text-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p style=\"font-size:1rem\"><em>Discover how to get started at <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/military\/index.aspx\"><em>Wilmington University<\/em><\/a><em> as a military service member.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Army Sgt. 1st Class Wandy Ortega spent more than 27 years serving his country, deploying to Egypt during peacetime and Iraq during war. 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