Ownings Mills, MD (Map, News) - Villa Julie College in Owings Mills on Wednesday became the fourth private college in Maryland to start offering tuition discounts to Maryland National Guard members.

“This is a big deal for these kids,” said Maj. Gen. Bruce Tuxill, adjutant general of Maryland.

“We have many young men and women coming back from overseas and integrating into society, and this will help them do that.”

Tuxill and Joyce Becker, Villa Julie’s dean of graduate and professional studies, signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a 15 percent discount for members of the Army National Guard and Air National Guard.

Villa Julie joins Washington, Loyola and Capitol colleges as the private schools, said David Glenn Jr., head of professional development and educational training for the state military department.

Thirty-five public schools offer the same incentive, including the 11 schools of the University System of Maryland.

Sgt. Mark Prorock, a recruiter for the Air National Guard, said he never could have afforded his master’s degree in business administration from Loyola without the Guard tuition discount. With money from the school and the military, 100 percent of his tuition was covered at Loyola, where classes cost an average of $1,800 each.

“That’s why I joined: for the educational benefits,” he said.

In turn, Prorock espouses the military’s offer of money for college when luring potential service men and women at the recruiting office at Martin State Airport in Middle River.

Once the curious wander into the office, the first question they usually is “Am I going to Iraq?” said Sgt. James Weiss, another recruiter for Air National Guard.

In addition to telling people about potential 90-day tours, Weiss also entices recruits with a $15,000 signing bonus.

kvolkmann@baltimoreexaminer.com