Wallace State Community College earns 2026-2027 Military Friendly Schools® Designation

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State Community College announced today that it has earned the 2026-2027 Military Friendly® Schools Designation recognized as both Military Friendly® and Military Spouse Friendly®.

“We are honored to once again be named both Military Friendly® and Military Spouse Friendly®,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “Service members and their families sacrifice so much for us, and they should be rewarded with respect, support and understanding as they pursue their education or train for careers in the workforce that will provide stability and opportunity for their families.”

Institutions earning the Military Friendly Schools® designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Over 3,200 companies participated in the Military Friendly® survey.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by consultation with the Military Friendly®, in Military Friendly® 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.

Wallace State provides dedicated services to veterans and their families, including VA benefits assistance and the Veterans Corner, a designated location on campus that provides veterans with a quiet place to go to study, congregate, share stories or unwind. These are in addition to the other student support services the college offers, including mental health counseling, tutoring, a food pantry, career services and more.

“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,” said Kayla Lopez, Vice President of Memberships, Military Friendly® “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.”

Wallace State will be showcased in the 2026-2027 Guide to Schools® in the April issue of Military Friendly G.I. Jobs ® magazine and on MilitaryFriendly.com. Military Friendly® is the standard that measures an organization’s commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefits for the military community. Over 3,200 organizations compete annually for the Military Friendly Schools® designation. Military Friendly® is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business. Military Friendly® is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or the federal government. Results are produced via a rules-based algorithm. The data-driven Military Friendly® lists and methodology can be found at https://www.militaryfriendly.com.

Priority registration for the Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 semesters will begin on Monday, April 6, with summer classes starting May 16 and fall classes starting Aug. 17. Visit www.wallacestate.edu for more information or call 256.352.8236 or email lioncentral@wallacestate.edu.

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a Rising Star for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.