USCA earns Military Friendly Schools® designations

USCA has earned the 2026-27 Military Friendly® Schools Designation, recognized as a Gold School. In addition, the university ranked in the top 10 Military Spouse Friendly Schools.

“These awards are important because we desire to build trust with our military veteran and military connected community,” said Robert Murphy, executive director of military affairs and external programs.

“The medallions earned indicate we are doing the work to ensure this cohort of students is properly served and respected at USCA.”

Institutions earning the designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Over 3,200 companies participated in the survey. Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Military Friendly®, in consultation with its advisory council, a group of independent leaders in the military community.

Final ratings were determined by combining an organization’s survey score, public data, and an assessment of the institution’s ability to meet and exceed thresholds for student recruitment, retention, academic progress, graduation rates, career placement, and support services for veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses.

“To the university, the award is a reminder of not only our connection to the military, but also to the depth-of-life experiences our student body brings to campus,” said Murphy, a retired Marine.

At USCA, military-connected students include combat veterans, those who served in several parts of the world, military spouses, service members, or children of veterans. 

“These awards are important and honors to receive; however, I do not think we would receive this award if the students we service did not also claim that USCA is a military friendly university. It is important to us that our students make the same proclamation as this award does,” Murphy said.

The USCA Office of Veteran and Military Student Success team helps students maximize their military-related educational benefits, scholarships and career opportunities. They also offer networking events, counseling and best practices for a successful military-to-community transition. This staff is made up of veterans, military service members and family members, most of whom are current USCA students.

Veteran and military-affiliated students comprise about 13 percent of the USCA student body.

“Earning the Military Friendly® designation is more than a badge of honor; it is a reflection of an institution’s deep-rooted values and strategic commitment to those who served. These schools don’t just open doors for veterans and military spouses; they build sustainable pathways for academic success and long-term impact. Their support is transformative, proving that investing in military-connected students is both a moral imperative and a standard for educational excellence,” said Kayla Lopez, vice president of memberships, Military Friendly.®

USCA will be showcased in the 2026-27 Guide to Military Friendly Schools® in the April issue of G.I. Jobs ® magazine and on MilitaryFriendly.com.

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