For the fifth year in a row, SVA has received designation as a Military Friendly School, a title that signifies the College's commitment to supporting military service members, veterans and their spouses as part of the student body. Awarded by Victory Media, the designation is granted to higher learning institutions that meet key benchmarks in areas including graduation rate, job placement and loan repayment, and encourage on-campus success and maximum professional opportunity for service members.

Each year, the list of Military Friendly Schools is provided to service members and their families, helping them select the best college, university, or trade school to receive the education and training needed to pursue a civilian career. According to Daniel Nichols, a Navy Reserve veteran and chief product officer at Victory Media, “Our ability to apply a clear, consistent standard to the majority of colleges gives veterans a comprehensive view of which schools are striving to provide the best opportunities and conditions for our nation’s student veterans.”

“It's an honor to receive the Military Friendly School designation,” says assistant registrar and veterans counselor Gemma Prosper-Brown, who, as staff liaison to veterans at the College, was involved in completing the Military Friendly survey for SVA's consideration. “SVA remains dedicated to furthering the advancement of our nation's veterans and military students through education. We have dedicated staff and services available to veterans and students on campus and it is my goal to continue to advocate for the student veteran's needs.”

SVA was co-founded in 1947 by World War II veteran Silas H. Rhodes, with support from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The majority of the College's original 35 students were veterans. Today, the Veteran Coalition of Arts, a collective of veterans studying at SVA, provides a source of community and visibility for these students, as does the College’s chapter of Student Veterans of America.

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