UW-Stevens Point Designated Military Friendly School and Military Spouse Friendly School for 2026-27

Sunday, November 15th, 2026 -- 10:01 AM

Veteran students are finding support as they transition from military service to higher education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Support from fellow students and UW-Stevens Point's Veteran Services Office is helping veterans and military-affiliated students navigate college, access educational benefits and build connections on campus.

Those efforts reflect the university's commitment to serving the military community, earning UW-Stevens Point its consistent designation as a Military Friendly School for the 2026-27 academic year and as a Military Spouse Friendly School for the second consecutive year.

“Having been designated as a Military Friendly School lets veterans know that they will be supported by a dedicated staff and receive a quality education from UWSP,” said Veteran Services Program Manager Christopher Smith.

“Additionally, having been designated a spouse friendly school for the second year in a row shows our continued commitment to support families of veterans as well. We are continuously working to improve the services we can provide to our veteran and military affiliated community on campus.”

The university currently serves approximately 550 veteran and military-affiliated students, including 160 veterans, who use a combination of federal and state education benefits. Through a career spotlight program, Financial Aid and Veteran Services also brings professionals from fields with higher veteran enrollment to campus to discuss career pathways.

Recent speakers have included a supervisory conservation warden and a forester with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. For sophomore Ben Walters, a wildlife ecology and management major from Pulaski, Wis., that transition has included returning to college after a yearlong deployment to the Middle East and finding his place among a student population with different backgrounds and experiences.

Walters enlisted in the Wisconsin National Guard the day after his 17th birthday. He attended basic training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina between his junior and senior years of high school before completing advanced individual training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma in June 2024.

He then began attending UW-Stevens Point in spring 2025 and in June was deployed to Kuwait and Jordan, returning in June 2026. Growing up outdoors and developing an interest in hunting helped lead him toward wildlife ecology and management. He was drawn to the university's College of Natural Resources and hopes to become a wildlife biologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

“I think going through high school I knew I wanted to attend college,” Walters said. “I just grew up outdoors so I knew I wanted to do something with natural resources.” Returning to campus after deployment also brought a different perspective.

One challenge has been finding a sense of belonging among students whose experiences may differ from his own. Walters has found opportunities to connect through resources such as the Nontraditional Student Center, including attending a coffee chat during Nontraditional Student Week.

He also has used the Student Success Center to resolve an enrollment issue and explore the possibility of adding a minor or double major. Another important resource has been UW-Stevens Point's Veteran Services Office, where Walters initially went to learn more about the education benefits available to him and now also works through the VA work-study program.

“This job has been a good way of learning about VA benefits, and lets me help fellow veterans on campus,” said Walters. Smith said the Veteran Services Office helps students understand their education benefits, certify enrollment with state and federal agencies and connect with additional campus and community resources. “From my experience, if it's a veteran coming off of active duty, the big thing is for them is whether they are going to fit in here,” said Smith.

The office also advises the campus Veterans Club, which provides a designated space for veterans to connect with others who share similar experiences. Club activities have included community service, volunteer work with Patriot K9s in Wausau, suicide awareness and prevention presentations, game nights and trivia.

Walters said having access to those resources has helped make college life easier and encourages students to get involved on campus, take their coursework seriously and find opportunities to connect with others.

His advice to other veteran students considering UW-Stevens Point is to reach out and take advantage of the support available. For students making the transition from military service to college, those connections can help them find their place on campus while working toward their next chapter after service.

The Military Friendly designation is determined through a survey at the institution as well as an assessment of the school’s ability to meet the thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence to degree and loan default rates for all students and specifically for student veterans.

The designation is determined through VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned business that connects the military community to civilian employment. UWSP has a long history of earning the honor.

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