Frequently Asked Questions
What steps do I need to take to begin taking classes at McKendree University?Who can I contact if I have questions?Where do I find more information about the GI Bill?Where can I learn more about the Yellow Ribbon Program?Will you accept credit for my professional military experience?W
hat steps do I need to take to begin taking classes at McKendree University?1. Apply for enrollment to the university. Apply online here.
2. Apply for financial aid.
3. Find out about educational benefits (What are you eligible for?) Detailed information can be found by contacting your regional V A office or at www.gibill.va.gov.
4. Submit your DD-214, certificate of eligibility and official transcripts (i.e., high school, college, and military – AARTS, SMART, CCAF, USCG).
5. Contact the Admission Office at the site you wish to attend to register for classes.Who can I contact if I have questions?Lebanon, IL campus - Beth Juehne
(618) 537-6532, by e-mail bjuehne@mckendree.eduScott AFB campus - Tom Pawlow
(618) 256-2006, by e-mail tapawlow@mckendree.eduLouisville campus - Sheila Kurz (502) 266-6696, by e-mail
sakurz@mckendree.eduRadcliff campus - Eveline Higgs (270) 351-5003, by e-mail
erhiggs@mckendree.eduWhere do I find more information about the GI Bill?The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has set up a web page with information at
http://www.gibill.va.gov/. You can read a pamphlet on the new GI Bill
here.
If you have specific questions about your personal eligibility, please contact the VA directly.How can I find more information about the Yellow Ribbon Program?
Effective this fall, McKendree University, in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), will offer a full tuition scholarship to veterans who qualify and apply under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
The new initiative, entitled the Yellow Ribbon Program, is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. McKendree has entered into a voluntary agreement with the VA to fund tuition expenses that exceeds the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition and fees. McKendree will waive 50 percent, the maximum amount allowed, of the difference in tuition cost and the VA will match that amount. This will enable qualified students to essentially attend McKendree tuition-free.
The scholarship, called the McKendree Post-9/11 Veteran Award, will be available for coursework or training pursued on or after August 1, 2009. In order to be eligible for Yellow Ribbon Program benefits, you must be eligible for the full benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. This means you must fulfill one of the following: served at least 36 months on active duty beginning on or after Sept. 11, 2001; honorably discharged from active duty due to a service-related disability and have served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001; or you are a dependent eligible for the full benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, eligible veterans enrolled full-time are entitled to a tuition benefit, monthly housing allowance, and a $1,000 yearly stipend for books and supplies.
Just like the other benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the Yellow Ribbon Program is treated like a grant, not a loan. Military students that benefit from the Yellow Ribbon Program do not have to pay back the benefits they receive.
“McKendree University is pleased to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program by initiating this new scholarship. We have a long history of serving the military community and we hope that the McKendree Post-9/11 Veteran Award will enable even greater numbers of veterans to take advantage of the outstanding programs that we offer,” said Dr. Christine Bahr, provost and dean of the university.
The new GI Bill was introduced and sponsored by U.S. Sen. James Webb (D-Va.) and the Yellow Ribbon provisions were added by Sen. John Warner (R-Va.). For more information on the Yellow Ribbon Program, visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_BILL_info/ch33/yellow_ribbon.htm.
Will you accept credit for my professional military experience?
Servicemembers Opportunity College
McKendree University has been designated as an institutional member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC), a group of over 400 colleges and universities providing voluntary post-secondary education to members of the military throughout the world.
As a SOC member, McKendree University recognizes the unique nature of the military lifestyle, and has committed itself to easing the transfer of relevant course credits, providing flexible academic residency requirements, and crediting learning from appropriate military training and experiences.
SOC has been developed jointly by educational representatives of each of the Armed Services, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and a consortium of thirteen leading national higher education association. It is sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges (AACJC).
Concurrent Admissions Program (ConAp)
ConAp is a joint program of the Army, Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges, and participating colleges to admit new soldiers to college at the time of enlistment.
McKendree admits eligible soldiers on a full or provisional basis and defers enrollment until completion of active military service. The agreement is in effect for two years following completion of the initial enlistment for active duty soldiers or, for Army Reserve soldiers, two years after completing initial active duty for training.