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Pensacola State College makes the Best for Vets Colleges list for the ninth year
Currently serving more than 1,700 active-duty military, veterans and military dependent students, Pensacola State College has made the Military Times Best for Vets Colleges list for the ninth year, ranking #6 in the Florida College System and #14 in Florida among 357 educational institutions.
Rankings are determined by voluntary surveys that assess support for service members and veterans using weighted metrics such as recruitment and retention, support programs, financial aid and institutional policies.
“PSC has been the go-to place for service members leaving the service of our country, not only because we are where we are in relation to our military installations, but also because of the types of programs we offer and the affordability and quality of those programs,” PSC President Ed Meadows said. “We are more than proud to be recognized as military friendly and serve not only active military and veterans but their families as well.”
For the annual recognition, Meadows also credits PSC staff in the Veteran and Military Family Service Center and the TRIO Veterans Upward Bound program, where veterans find encouragement and help getting the best possible start to realizing their educational pursuits.
PSC’s Veteran and Military Family Service Center is a dedicated space at the college to honor and support those who serve in the military, or have served, along with their families.
Coordinator Amani McRae first came to PSC as a student who benefited from the college’s Veterans Affairs services.
“I came to school as a military dependent — my mom served 21 years in the Army — and we didn’t know exactly what to do when we first came to campus, but we saw the Veterans Affairs office. So, we stepped in there, and they helped me with my DEA (Dependents Educational Assistance) benefits, how to apply, and with my classes. They got me into college and through my program, and I’ve graduated with my bachelor’s degree,” said McRae.
While enrolled in classes at PSC, McRae became a work study student in Veterans Affairs, where she enjoyed helping other students. She went on to become a SCO (School Certifying Official), responsible for certifying VA education benefits for eligible veterans, servicemembers and dependents, and was later promoted to Coordinator, Veteran and Military Family Service Center.
“A lot of veterans come in, and they don’t know exactly what to do. They just think, ‘hey, I want to go to school.’ So we hold their hand and walk them through it, and it’s just a great experience watching them graduate,” added McRae. “It makes me so happy.”
PSC’s Veteran and Military Family Service Center now employs five work study students, including Luis Perez, a cybersecurity major who served 12 years in the Marine Corps. He is on track to graduate next fall.
“When I first came to campus as a vet, I didn’t know what to do or what I needed,” said Perez. “Now I help others with the first steps of applying for benefits.
“Because the academic advisors here are specially trained to work with the military, it is very helpful for a lot of veterans. They feel comfortable and more at home here because we can relate to them.”
Jeremy Lee, who served six years in the Army, is enrolled in his first semester as an information technology major at PSC with help from the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VRE) program.
“I started out with help from counselors online, and I was totally lost,” said Lee. “I came in here, and it was a breeze. They are always here, and always ready to help.”
Funded primarily by a nearly $450,000 Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the Veteran and Military Family Service Center opened last May as a central hub of resources, guidance and community for active-duty and veteran students and their families. The center provides personalized academic advising, priority registration, student-led military orientation, early and priority course scheduling, degree and career planning, direction on maximizing educational benefits and applying for Yellow Ribbon program benefits, free printing and a VA Lounge on the Pensacola campus.
PSC’s TRIO Veterans Upward Bound Project Director Rob Gregg, who currently serves as vice president for both the National Association of Veterans Upward Bound and the local VetCV Foundation, explains how the two programs partner to support veterans.
“At Upward Bound, we’re focused on supporting low-income or first-generation veteran students before they enroll. We help them prepare for college so that they can be successful, as opposed to how the center helps to put them through college,” said Gregg.
TRIO Veterans Upward Bound provides veterans with academic assessments, college prep and refresher courses, tutoring and GED test preparation, career exploration, and assistance with applying for financial aid and enrollment.
Making the Military Times Best for Vets Colleges list is one of several honors the college has received this past year for the institution’s work with veterans and military families.
PSC was designated a Military Spouse Friendly School for the first time in 2025 by Viqtory Media, alongside the college’s 16th Military Friendly School designation and fourth consecutive Gold status in the large public college category for 2025-2026 from Viqtory Media, the publisher of G.I. Jobs magazine.
In August, PSC was designated a Purple Heart College by the Military Order of the Purple Heart for demonstrating a commitment to supporting combat-wounded veterans and their families.
According to PSC Associate Vice President, Institutional Research and Enterprise Solutions Michael Johnston, the Veteran and Military Family Services Center has seen its student population double due to an increase in military spouses enrolling at the college. Overall, nearly 20 percent of PSC students are active-duty military, veterans or military dependents.
“The college truly goes above and beyond to prioritize veterans and their families throughout the enrollment process as a gesture of appreciation for their service and sacrifice,” said Johnston. “While being recognized for our veteran services is rewarding, its most beneficial in giving these vital programs exposure so that our local veterans and service members know that we’re here to help them succeed.”
The Veteran and Military Family Service Center is located in Building 6 on PSC’s Pensacola campus at 1000 College Blvd. The college offers veteran resources and information online at pensacolastate.edu and by calling the Veteran Services Office at 850-484-1670 or the Department of Veterans Affairs at 888-442-4551.