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TRENTON—New Jersey veterans now have a valuable resource to help them transition back to their civilian careers through career advancing opportunities in higher education. Thanks to a joint effort by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, a new, user-friendly website is available to help veterans plan their college careers or complete the degrees that their military service interrupted. The website, which is the result of New Jersey’s “Troops to College Act” signed by Governor Corzine in September 2009, complements the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 GI Bill. The GI Bill’s educational benefits cover the cost of tuition and fees at public institutions. Known as the “Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program,” it allows public and independent degree-granting institutions of higher learning to voluntarily enter into dollar-for-dollar matching agreements with the VA to cover any outstanding tuition and fees above those covered by the base GI Bill benefit. The website was designed to provide veterans with a comprehensive list of the vast array of services provided by New Jersey’s public colleges and universities to help ease their transition into the college classroom. Veterans will be able to find a list of New Jersey colleges and universities participating in the “Yellow Ribbon” program on the new website. Users will also find answers to questions about certificate and degree programs being offered, services, financial aid, and other benefits available at participating institutions. There also are links to contact information for representatives who can provide further information about the programs and services. Acting Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education, Ms. Marguerite Beardsley, stated that” New Jersey colleges provide excellent services to our veterans. Our goal is to make it easy for veterans to find the services they need.” For more information, visit the website for the “Troops to College
Program” at http://www.nj.gov/highereducation/TroopsToCollege/. # # # |
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