(SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Feb. 25, 2016) Desiree Drindak, SUNY Empire State College’s interim director of the award-winning Office of Veteran and Military Education, has been appointed president-elect for the New York State Advisory Council on Military Education.

“Serving as a leader of the New York State Advisory Council on Military Education is a great honor,” said Drindak. “New York state veteran and military students, and their dependents, have done so much for our nation and they deserve to be represented in statewide discussions on higher education.”

The advisory council focuses on three areas:

• evaluating and restructuring policies related to acceptance and transfer of credit for veterans, military students and their adult family members
• enhancing the educational aspirations of the military populations in the state
• making educational programs accessible in cost, location and scheduling.

The New York state advisory council, like other state advisory councils across the country, is affiliated with the Council of College and Military Educators, a national organization with individual state affiliations committed to addressing military education issues within their respective states.

Membership is open to advocates, all institutions of higher learning, military personnel, education service officers and community organizations.

Drindak was appointed president-elect in the fall of 2015 and begins her term of office as president in the fall of 2016.

Drindak will serve for one year as president-elect, one year as president and one year as immediate past president.

About SUNY Empire State College

SUNY Empire supports veterans and active-duty military with low in-state and the waiving of most fees, an overall culture supportive of veterans and members of the military and veteran and military academic support.

The college, and its MBA and graduate business leadership programs, are annual named as “Best for Vets” by Military Times and as a “Top School” by Military Advanced Education and Transition magazine.

In addition, college supports veterans and members of the military community through education partnerships with the military, Credit Where Credit is Due: Veteran and Service Member Pathway to the MBA, its Graduate Certificate in Veterans Services and Student Veterans and Military Club.

SUNY Empire also accepts academic credit for military training recommended by the American Council on Education.

In addition to awarding credit for prior college-level learning, the college pairs each undergraduate student with a faculty mentor who supports that student throughout his or her college career.

Working with their mentors, students design an individual degree program and engage in guided independent study and course work onsite, online or through a combination of both, which provides the flexibility for students to choose where, when and how to learn.

Students have the opportunity to enroll five times during the year.

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Media contact: David Henahan, director of communications

518-587-2100, ext. 2918

David.Henahan@esc.edu