EOU Earns Military Friendly® Gold Designation for 2026

EOU Earns Military Friendly® Gold Designation for 2026

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University (EOU) has earned the 2026 Military Friendly® School Gold designation in the Small Public category, recognizing its commitment to creating meaningful educational pathways for veterans, active-duty service members, and their families.

EOU was also named a 2026 Military Spouse Friendly® School (Small Public category), earning the Designated award for its support of military spouses pursuing higher education.

Military Friendly® ratings are based on public and proprietary data collected through the annual Military Friendly® survey, which is offered at no cost to institutions nationwide. Survey topics are developed with input from an independent Advisory Council of experts in veteran education, and the scoring process is fully automated to ensure objective evaluation standards.

Institutions are assessed on their ability to meet established benchmarks in areas such as student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, and overall support services for the military community.

“We are proud to receive the Gold designation,” said Kerry Thompson, EOU Director of Military Services. “Our goal is to ensure that veterans, service members, and their families feel supported from their first inquiry through graduation. Many of us have military experience ourselves, and we understand the importance of clear guidance, strong resources, and a welcoming campus community.”

La Grande veteran Brandon Anger, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps before enrolling at EOU, said the university’s supportive environment made his transition back to college seamless.

“Why not?” Anger said. “I’m from here. I don’t have any complaints — the smaller class sizes are better for me. Smaller is better.”

Anger, a Health and Human Performance major, said his experience at EOU has been positive from start to finish.

“I’ve got nothing to say but good things,” he said. “It has all been super smooth.”

Eastern Oregon University will be featured in the 2026 edition of GIJOBS Magazine®, and its updated designation will appear on MilitaryFriendly.com beginning March 25, 2026.

EOU provides dedicated support services for military-connected students, including personalized advising, assistance with federal education benefits, and connections to campus and community resources.

To learn more about opportunities for veterans and military families at Eastern Oregon University, visit eou.edu/military.