Albany, N.Y. (August 16, 2011) – Membership in NCOA now comes with a unique new benefit: accredited, nonprofit higher education, at a reduced tuition rate. NCOA spouses are also eligible for these higher education benefits.

NCOA and Excelsior College have signed an education partnership agreement that will offer NCOA members and their spouses reduced-cost college tuition when they choose to attend Excelsior.

Excelsior College is an accredited, nonprofit distance learning institution based in Albany, NY, serving nearly 30,000 students. Members of the military and veterans comprise about one-third of Excelsior’s student population.

The Excelsior education benefits for NCOA members and their spouses provide reduced tuition for programs in liberal studies, business and technology, nursing and health sciences. NCOA members would also have access to Excelsior College® Examinations, a credit-by-exam program based on independent study.

According to NCOA’s Executive Director, Clifford “Scoop” Davis, the Association is proud of its new relationship with Excelsior College, an educational institution that truly supports the men and women who serve and their families.

“This program for our members has been in the works for many months now and is the very first benefit of its kind for our members and their spouses,” Davis said. “I couldn’t have been prouder than at the moment I signed my name to the agreement, knowing that this is such a great benefit for many of our members.”

The agreement was signed at the NCOA national convention July 12, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Excelsior College President John F. Ebersole said, “We are thrilled to include the NCOA and its members and their spouses in our education partnership. This national partnership will strengthen the NCOA’s membership and contribute to members’ and spouses’ quality of life as they further their educations. For Excelsior, we are pleased to add NCOA to the ranks of our military and veteran partnerships.”

Excelsior College’s credentials include:

• Excelsior’s course, “Success Strategies for Military and Veterans” earned the 2010-2011 Innovation Award from the Center for Transforming Student Services (CENTSS). The course provides college orientation to veterans and military members and teaches transition strategies for those entering the civilian workforce after a military career.
• Excelsior is a recipient of the Council of College and Military Educators’ (CCME) Institutional Award.
• Excelsior’s military academic advising team includes veterans who are uniquely attuned to the unique needs of military students, veterans, and their spouses.
• Susan Dewan, executive director of Excelsior’s Center for Military Education, is the recipient of the 2011 William E. Kennedy Award from the Council of College and Military Educators (CCME), which recognizes leadership in providing higher education programs to personnel at U.S. military installations.
• Excelsior President Ebersole is a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who served in Vietnam and received the Secretary of the Army Public Service Award in 2010 for his leadership in contributing to the Army’s educational mission.
• Excelsior College received the designation “Best for Vets” from Military Times Edge magazine.

About NCOA

NCOA was established in 1960 to enhance and maintain the quality of life for the entire enlisted force in all branches of the Armed Forces, past and present, their families, and their survivors. The Association works diligently in three primary areas: Legislative Representation; Social and Fraternal Programs; and Member Benefits in the area of specialized services and discount programs. NCOA has over 60,000 members in the Association with much to offer its members, and would like for you to join the fold. Join NCOA.