March 26, 2026

Contact Brianna Lawrence at 608-796-3016 or brlawrence@viterbo.edu

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Viterbo University has been designated a Gold Military Friendly® School for 2026–2027.

“Being named a Gold Military Friendly School is truly an honor,” said Brianna Lawrence, admission counselor and Military Student Success Coordinator at Viterbo. “Supporting our more than 250 military-aligned students is deeply meaningful to me, especially as someone who is currently serving in the military. It is very rewarding to work alongside such a dedicated and passionate group of higher education professionals. I am incredibly proud of the Viterbo staff for their genuine appreciation and strong commitment to serving those who have served our country. I look forward to continuing to support our military students and contributing to their success in any way I can.”

The Military Friendly ratings program was started in 2003 as an advocacy vehicle to encourage civilian organizations to invest in programs to recruit, retain, and advance veterans as employees, entrepreneurs, and students.

Institutions earning Military Friendly Schools Awards distinctions were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey on a variety of criteria, including retention, graduation, job placement, repayment, persistence, and loan default rates for all students and specifically, for student veterans. The 2026–2027 Military Friendly® Schools list is available at https://www.militaryfriendly.com and will be included in a future issue of GI Jobs magazine.

Viterbo’s commitment and gratitude to veterans is reflected in the many academic, career, and financial aid services offered to military and veteran students. The university also has an active Student Veterans Association chapter, the Driftless Vets, and a center exclusively for military-aligned students. A financial aid officer is available to help all veterans access all their military educational benefits.

Military student success coordinator and U.S. Air Force veteran Brianna Lawrence is dedicated to assisting military-aligned students throughout their time at the university and ensuring they have the best possible experience. She is available to answer any questions or assist veterans and other military-aligned students with any school-related issues they may have. Lawrence served four years active duty, including deployments to Afghanistan and Qatar, and is currently a member of the Air Force National Guard.

Viterbo President Rick Trietley is a combat veteran who retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after a 22-year career in the U.S. Army. University Chaplain Fr. Conrad Targonski spent 22 years as U.S. Navy Chaplain and was on the front lines in the Battle of Fallujah, Iraq. He counsels and leads veterans on a healing pilgrimage to Assisi, Italy.

For more information about Viterbo’s Gold Military Friendly School designation, visit Viterbo’s Military Friendly profile page. For more information about Viterbo University, visit https://www.viterbo.edu.

-30-