Grayson County College has been selected by G.I. Jobs magazine as a Military Friendly School for 2010. This honor places GCC in the top 15 percent of all schools nationwide that are doing the most to embrace America’s veterans as students. Nearly 1,000 schools were cited, but GCC is one of only 56 Texas institutions of higher learning to receive the honor.

“Schools on the list range from state universities and private colleges to community colleges and trade schools,” said Matthew Pavelek, senior editor of G.I. Jobs. “The common bond is their shared priority of recruiting students with military experience.”        

GCC is listed in the publication’s annual Guide to Military Friendly Schools and on a new website at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com that helps military veterans choose schools that best meet their educational needs. Along with the honor, GCC received a plaque that reads: “The institution’s steadfast commitment to educating our great nation’s military veterans will enable the United States to prosper for generations to come.” The plaque will hang outside the counseling offices in the Administrative Services Building on GCC’s Main Campus.

According to Pavelek, the list was compiled through exhaustive research last May during which G.I. Jobs polled more than 7,000 schools nationwide. Criteria for making the Military Friendly Schools list include efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results of those efforts, and academic accreditations.        

“GCC has long been committed to helping our military veterans reach their academic goals,” said Jean Metcalf, counselor and coordinator of veterans’ educational benefits at the college. “It’s nice to be recognized by a national publication for our efforts.”

One such effort is GCC’s newest organization: the Veteran Students Association (VSA). Sponsored by Metcalf and Barbara Ward, executive assistant to the vice president of student services, the organization provides a foundation for all veterans at GCC and in the community by offering members opportunities to develop camaraderie and to provide community service. VSA officers are: Darian Curry, president; Koury Ramey, vice president; Jon Burr, secretary; Jason Randall Morrow, treasurer; and Stuart Presley, reporter.