By Maya Yegorova
The end of summer always causes a reflection in goal-setting as a new school year approaches for military families and students review what they wish to achieve in the upcoming year. While families prepare their children for academic success, it’s a perfect time for military spouses to advance in their own professional development and consider educational opportunities too. Military spouses have and continue to dedicate so much time to relocations and taking care of their families, but flexible school programs mean spouses can set aside time to invest in their educational pursuits.
The benefits of enrolling in educational programs and obtaining degrees are endless, as a degree opens up one’s network, may contribute to a higher salary, and can make graduates ready to succeed in more specialized industries. Growth is inevitable, as you should see improvement in your time management skills, discipline, critical thinking, and independence.
Here is an overview of three advantageous opportunities that can help military spouses achieve their educational goals.
1: University of Texas
The University of Texas is a public school system in the Lone Star State that comprises eight universities and five health institutions. While the wide selection of academic programs is impressive, this school system has three particular exceptional campuses due to their unwavering support for those who have served our country: The University of Texas-Austin, was named to the MilitaryTimes’s Best For Vets: College 2021 list, The University of Texas- San Antonio earned a gold distinction as part of Military Friendly’s 2022-2023 Military Friendly Schools list, and the University of Texas-Dallas earned a bronze distinction as part of Military Friendly’s 2022-2023 Military Friendly Schools list.
In 2015, 8,500 retirees, active-duty veterans, and spouses were enrolled in the University of Texas system. Spouses will have immense support on-campus once they are students: UT offers mental health counseling, priority course registration, and tutoring dedicated solely to the military community.
2: MySECO
The Department of Defense offers many valuable resources for spouses, including Spouse Education and Career Opportunities—known as MySECO. MySECO offers evaluations that reveal the spouse’s personality strengths and how to maximize these skills in the workplace, a comprehensive resource library with updated information on scholarships, resume templates for inspiration, and career coaching services.
3: Applying For An American Corporate Partners Mentorship
As spouses embark on their education journey, they should strongly consider having a mentor. Discussing goals with a mentor keeps one accountable and serves as motivation. In addition to advising student mentees on topics such as achieving school-personal life balance, managing stress, and discussing which degree you should obtain, mentors function as a support system.
American Corporate Partners provides a free, year-long mentoring program to post-9/11 veterans and active-duty military spouses. Veteran and spouse protégés in the program are paired with an accomplished employee in an industry that aligns with the protege’s career objectives. While ACP partners with more than 100 Fortune 500 companies such as Disney, MLB, and Nike, ACP also works with educational institutions like the University of Phoenix and UT. Interested spouses can apply through this link: https://www.acp-usa.org/spouseapp.
