Wayne Community College has earned the 2025–2026 Military Friendly® School designation with silver award status.
The Military Friendly® Schools list honors the colleges, universities, and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace military students and to dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom and after graduation.
WCC earned “silver” award status in the small community college category for its efforts in creating sustainable and meaningful education paths for the military community. The College was also named a Military Spouse Friendly School.
“Wayne Community College is honored to receive the designation of Military Friendly® School at the silver level and Military Spouse Friendly School,” said Dr. Patty Pfeiffer, WCC president and United States Army veteran. “These designations reflect our commitment to supporting our military students and their families, particularly in a military-rich community like Goldsboro.”
In addition to the services provided by its Financial Aid and Veteran Services Office, WCC staffs an office and teaches classes on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, has a Military Resource Center on the campus in Goldsboro, houses an NC Military Business Center representative, and administers scholarships specifically for spouses and dependents.
Every semester, the Small Business Center at WCC holds Boots to Business entrepreneurial education and training programs to assist active-duty military, dependents, and veterans with starting small businesses.
“Our military-affiliated students bring unique experiences and dedication, and these designations acknowledge our ongoing efforts to help them meet their academic and professional goals. In a community where service and sacrifice are deeply valued, these designations reaffirm our commitment to being a trusted partner in the success of our military-affiliated students,” said Pfeiffer.
Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2025–2026 survey with 830 earning special awards for going above the standard.
The 2025–2026 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issues of G.I. Jobs magazine and found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community.
Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process. Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, exceeding the standard,” said Kayla Lopez, vice president of Military Friendly®.
For more information about WCC’s student veteran programs, visit WCC’s website at waynecc.edu/financial-aid/veterans-affairs.
About Military Friendly® Schools
The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria, and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
About Viqtory
Founded in 2001, Viqtory is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly® brands. Viqtory and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about Viqtory at www.viqtory.com.
About Wayne Community College
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves around 10,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 150 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.