CFCC earns 2026-2027 military friendly schools designation

1 hour ago

WWAY News,

Cfcc Student Veterans — Pictured left to right: Heide Samaniego-Mariscal (US Air Force), Joe Grasso (US Army), and Eman Mohammed (Army National Guard). (Photo: Cape Fear Community College)

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Cape Fear Community College has received the 2026-2027 Military Friendly® School designations as a Top Ten Large Community College and a Military Spouse Friendly School.

This recognition comes as CFCC continues to expand its support for military-connected students. In 2025 alone, Veterans Services assisted 1,093 veterans and military-affiliated students, marking a 22% increase over the previous year. The college also recently opened a dedicated Veterans Support Center at its Surf City location, providing expanded resources and services closer to home for students in Pender County. Additionally, beginning in 2025, veterans became eligible to use VA education benefits for CDL Truck Driving and EMT certificate programs, further increasing access to high-demand career pathways.

“We are honored to be recognized as both a Military Friendly School and a Military Spouse Friendly School,” said Jim Morton, CFCC President. “Supporting those who have served, and their families, is central to our mission and we are proud to provide the education and resources they need to succeed.”

“This designation reflects our commitment to meeting the unique needs of veterans and military spouses,” said Jason Bocchino, CFCC Veterans Services Director. “From personalized advising to career placement and dedicated support resources, we strive to remove barriers and create pathways to success for every military-connected student who walks through our doors.”

Institutions that earn the Military Friendly® Schools designation are evaluated using a combination of public data and responses to a specialized survey. Final ratings are based on survey results, public data, and how well each institution meets or exceeds standards in key areas such as student recruitment, retention, academic progress, graduation rates, career placement, and support services for veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses.

For more information on Military Friendly® lists, visit this website. Learn more about CFCC’s Veterans Services here.