Aims Community College earns 2026-27 Military Friendly Schools Designation, recognized as a gold-level school
Institutions that earn the Military Friendly Schools designation are evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Final ratings are determined by combining an organization’s survey score, public data and an assessment of the institution’s ability to meet and exceed thresholds for student recruitment, retention, academic progress, graduation rates, career placement and support services for veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses.
“At Aims, we recognize the unique experiences and strengths that military-connected students bring to our campuses,” says Dr. Leah L. Bornstein, CEO and president of Aims Community College. “This designation affirms our ongoing work to create an environment where they feel supported, valued and empowered to achieve their goals.”
Aims has always been deeply embedded within the community it serves. Weld County has roughly 18,000 veterans, about seven percent of the total population. The college is acutely aware of the responsibility to this demographic.
“While this national recognition is an amazing accomplishment, it is only the first step toward our goal of ensuring veterans, dependents, spouses and survivors in our community have the resources, education and support they deserve to build successful, fulfilling civilian lives,” says Dr. Ross Atkinson, veteran student success coach at Aims. “With that goal in mind, we still have work to do.”
The Aims Veteran Services Department is a holistic office dedicated to supporting all student-veterans and military-connected students across all of Aims’ campuses. This comprehensive approach allows the college to provide granular, individualized support for every challenge that arises during the transition from military service to higher education. Wrap-around services include processing VA education benefits, organizing veteran programming, advocating for students, supporting clubs and honor societies and providing academic and social support. Aims also serves as a reliable crisis point of contact and maintains strong relationships with community partners to bridge any resource gaps for students.
Atkinson is a U.S. Army combat veteran who discovered his passion for education while deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. He went on to earn both his master’s in English and his Ph.D. in education sciences from Colorado State University.
“What truly sets us apart is our shared experience,” Atkinson says. “Our staff has a profound understanding of the unique challenges our students face because we were once those students. Because we have navigated this exact transition, we are deeply invested in helping our students overcome these obstacles and achieve their academic goals.”
Building on this commitment to supporting military-connected students, the impact of such efforts is recognized on a broader scale.
“Earning the Military-Friendly designation is more than a badge of honor. It is a reflection of an institution’s deep-rooted values and strategic commitment to those who served,” says Kayla Lopez, Military Friendly vice president of memberships. “Their support is transformative, proving that investing in military-connected students is both a moral imperative and a standard for educational excellence.”
To learn more about services and support for military veterans and their families at Aims, visit aims.co/veteranservices.
