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(Clockwise, from top left) PSC President Ed Meadows; Guest speaker Chris Lambert Jr, USMC (ret.); The Official Ribbon Cutting; Supporters in attendance; PSC and UWF Honor Guard presenting the colors; VMFSC Director Abe Clark; Welcome to the VMFSC resource center; (Center) Mike Johnston, Associate Vice President of Institutional Research and Enterprise Solutions.
Pensacola State College officially cut the ribbon on its new Veteran and Military Family Service Center (VMFSC) during a grand opening celebration held May 5 in Building 6 on the Pensacola Campus.
Designed to serve as a central hub of resources, support and community, the VMFSC will offer vital services for PSC’s student veterans, active-duty personnel and their families.
Michael Johnston, Associate Vice President of Institutional Research and Enterprise Solutions, gave the call to order, emphasizing the significance of the new center.
“This center was not simply built – it was born of purpose,” he said. “It stands as a response to the urgent and ever-growing need to support our student veterans, active-duty personnel, and their families. At Pensacola State College, we are more than an academic institution—we are a home, a haven, a launchpad, and in many cases, a lifeline.”
Johnston noted that the VMFSC is part of a large support network that includes the Veterans Upward Bound Program, led by Mr. Rob Gregg, and the Veteran Success Center, directed by Dr. John Woods. “Together, these programs ensure that no student walks alone,” Johnston said. “The VMFSC serves as a connector—a bridge—uniting students with the resources they need to thrive.”
The University of West Florida and PSC Honor Guard presented the colors before Mr. Abe Clark, Director of the VMFSC, addressed the audience.
“This center is the culmination of years of wanting to do more for our students,” Clark said. “We can now assist all military-related students, including active-duty service members and their families, regardless of the type of benefit used, if any.”
Clark noted that, for the first time in PSC’s history, the military-dependent student population has outnumbered veterans on campus.
“Thanks to the faith and support of Dr. Meadows, Dr. Spicer [Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs], Mike Johnston, Kristi Eidson [Director, Financial Aid], and the entire administration, we now have the tools and resources to better serve our military population.”
A veteran and advocate himself for more than a decade, Clark played a pivotal role in strengthening veteran support services and fostering a welcoming environment or those transitioning from military to civilian life. This year, roughly 12% of PSC’s student body is military-affiliated – the most people using VA education benefits since Clark joined the College.
The new center features private offices for academic advising with staff who are knowledgeable about the VA educational requirements, a family-friendly waiting area with toys and activities for children, and a computer lab with printing access for all military-affiliated students to use for classwork or personal purposes or to fill out necessary paperwork for enrollment and so on.
PSC President Ed Meadows, whose father and son both served in the military, also addressed the audience. “I hope this center will attract people like my family – those who want education and training after their military service, along with their spouses and dependents,” Meadows said.
Meadows then introduced State Representative Michelle Salzman, Florida House of Representatives, District 1, and a veteran herself.
“This space will be a hub for connection, mentorship, healing and growth – whether it’s a young student veteran finding their footing or a military spouse navigating new challenges,” Salzman said. “This Center says, ‘You belong – and you don’t have to do it alone.’”
She concluded with a call to action: “Let this ribbon-cutting be more than just a ribbon cutting, but the beginning of a movement on this campus to honor service, not just with our words but with action, support and unwavering community.”
Meadows then introduced Chris Lambert Jr., U.S. Marine Corps (ret.), a decorated veteran and special guest speaker. Lambert followed in his father’s military footsteps by enlisting in 1967 and went on to earn three Purple Hearts, two from a single extended combat event.
Lambert, a longtime chaplain and 12-year VA volunteer, has spoken before a Congressional subcommittee regarding the value of Veterans Centers and in classrooms across the country about veterans’ issues and patriotism.
“For 250 years, families have paid the price for our veterans, and they have never been recognized,” Lambert said. “They feel the pain, the loss…they go through every conceivable thing that combat gives, without pulling the trigger themselves.”
Lambert continued, “It has been 250 years that we have needed this center for families, and now we’ve finally closed that gap, and I want to thank PSC for what you’ve done. It is more important than you’ll ever know, and I can share that with you as a son and a father of returning vets.”
Board of Trustees Chairman Gordon “Flash” Sprague, U.S. Air Force (ret.), and board member Dr. Troy Tippett, Army Reserve & Tennessee Air National Guard (ret.), also offered remarks before the official ribbon cutting.
As director, Clark plans to expand outreach initiatives and build partnerships with local and national organizations to enhance services for military-affiliated students. He is also working toward securing PSC’s first-ever Florida Collegiate Purple Star Campus designation by Fall 2025. This recognition, created under Florida statute, honors colleges that go above and beyond to support military families.
This year marks PSC’s 16th Military Friendly® School designation, the fourth straight year earning Gold status in the “Large Public” school category. Additionally, PSC was recognized for the first time as a Military Spouse Friendly® School – a milestone in the College’s mission to support those who serve and those who stand beside them.