While some students have, in alarmist fashion, seen the U.S. News and World Report’s downgrade of Georgetown University from the No. 20 national university to No. 21 as calamitous, another ranking from U.S. News is much more deserving of our attention. For 2015, Georgetown earned the top ranking among Best National Universities for Veterans.

The veterans that attend Georgetown add a unique and invaluable perspective to a student body that is decidedly diverse in both interest and demographics. While many students may not interact with veterans — or know they are interacting with veterans — on a daily basis, it would be foolish to ignore the contributions they make both inside and outside the classroom.

Georgetown can be proud of its concerted effort to make a wide array of resources available to veterans on the Hilltop. For example, maintaining a designated Veterans Office helps the university address the specific needs of those who have served in the armed forces. From providing bureaucratic assistance with obtaining U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits, to coordinating designated health and wellness resources, the GU Veterans Office helps make collegiate life accessible and successful for our campus veterans.

University President John J. DeGioia was right to say that everyone on the Hilltop should be proud of this ranking — but more importantly, everyone on the Hilltop should be proud that so many veterans have made the decision to come to Georgetown after serving our country. While many veterans shy away from recognition of their service, we should all take a moment to show our appreciation for all that they have done and continue to do for this school, city and nation, and work to ensure Georgetown remains on top of this U.S. News ranking for years to come.