News
CCC Earns Military Friendly Silver
May 27, 2026
Central Community College has placed second in the 2026-27 Military Friendly School rankings for small community colleges. It’s the third consecutive year that CCC has posted a second-place ranking.
Institutions earning the Military Friendly Schools designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Over 3,200 organizations participated in the Military Friendly survey.
Methodology, criteria and weightings were determined by Military Friendly, in consultation with the 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.
“I’m so proud of our military-connected students and happy to receive the award on their behalf,” said Barry Horner, CCC director of military services. “Central’s commitment to support this special group of students makes what I do so much easier and is reflected in great class grades and huge smiles on graduation day. As a U.S. Army retiree, I can’t think of a better group of students or a team of support professionals to work with.”
CCC’s veterans and military resource centers (VMRC) – located at the Columbus, Grand Island and Hastings campuses and the Kearney Center – provide support to active duty, reservist and National Guard members; veterans; and their family members. In addition to military education benefits, the VMRC assists with transferring military credit, scholarships, career planning and registration as well as access to military-related resources and programs.
“Central Community College is honored to be recognized among the nation’s leading community colleges for our commitment to supporting the men and women who have selflessly served our country and the state of Nebraska,” said Dr. Beth Klitz, CCC vice president of student success and enrollment management. “We remain dedicated to serving veterans, military-connected students and their families through the resources and personalized support offered in our veterans and military service centers, as well as through high-quality educational programs and student support services.”
“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, Military Friendly vice president of memberships. “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.”
Central Community College will be showcased in the 2026-2027 Guide to Military Friendly Schools in the April issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and here.