LAURINBURG — St. Andrews Presbyterian College recently became a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity College Consortium in an effort to better serve military students faced with frequent moves and other challenges to completing an education.

The consortium is a group of colleges and universities who have agreed to design transfer practices to minimize loss of credits, streamline administrative procedures related to deployments and reassignments, and avoid duplication of course work by military students. The program also offers military students the opportunity to earn credit for learning experiences in the military, as well as credit through national testing programs.

“We recognize that, because of frequent moves and deployments, our military students face significant challenges to reaching their higher education goals,” said Dr. William McConnell, associate dean for adult and extended programs. “Our association with the Servicemembers Opportunity College Consortium acknowledges that we are military-friendly and supportive of these special students.”

St. Andrews has also been accepted as a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program of the Post 9/11 GI Bill and is a participant in the Concurrent Admission Program of the United States Army.

Students may take their courses in person on the St. Andrews main campus in Laurinburg or at St. Andrews @ Sandhills on the campus of Sandhills Community College or online. St. Andrews continues to expand the number of courses it offers online.

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges is a consortium of more than 1,800 colleges and universities that provide educational opportunities for service members and their families. SOC is cosponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the American Association of Community Colleges in cooperation with 13 other educational associations, the Military Services, the National Guard, and the Coast Guard.

Soldiers and veterans wishing to access their benefits for enrollment at St. Andrews should contact their Career Retention Counselor, Base Education Officer, or Veterans Benefits Counselor. Information on both the Montgomery GI Bill and the new Post 9/11 GI Bill of 2008 is available from the Veterans Administration at www.gibill.va.gov. Servicemembers and veterans also may learn more on the St. Andrews website at www.sapc.edu/military/index.php.