Coastal Carolina University has earned a Bronze disctinction rating for the second year in a row as a Military Friendly School from VIQTORY, a veteran-owned communication and marketing firm that ranks schools and businesses according to its commitment to veteran and military personnel.

The Bronze distinction is awarded to institutions that establish outstanding military and veteran programs, providing a platform to showcase their dedication, according to the criteria set by VIQTORY. Only one other higher education institution in South Carolina earned a Bronze distinction for 2020.

CCU has received a Military Friendly School designation every year since 2011. Organizations with this designation have met a standard that measures commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful opportunities for the military community, which includes active duty, reserve and guard service members, veterans, and military spouses.

"Coastal has invested in the Office of Veteran Services to provide resources to our military-affiliated students in one office," said Ashley Nance, director of the Office of Veteran Services at CCU. "This makes the transition from military life to campus life easier by cutting down on the confusion of having to navigate both the University's process of admissions and the Department of Veteran Affairs' process of obtaining education benefits."

In 2018, CCU was also named to the list of Most Affordable Military-Friendly Online Colleges. CCU was recognized among 60 institutions in the U.S. and was the only university in South Carolina to be included.

In 2017, Coastal Carolina was designated a Purple Heart University by the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and in 2016, CCU became the only university in South Carolina to install a permanent Missing Man Chair of Honor at one of its athletic fields. The chair is located in Springs Brooks Stadium where the baseball team plays. In November 2019, CCU partnered with a local DAV chapter to install a permanent POW/MIA table inside the CINO Grille. 

CCU offers many programs and services that assit military personnel and veterans, including the Office of Veteran Services, which helps veterans in transitioning to college; a U.S. Army ROTC program; and the CresCom Bank Center for Military and Veteran Studies, which collects and preserves oral histories of veterans. Additionally, Boeing of South Carolina awarded Coastal Carolina University a second $80,000 grant earlier this year to support the Boeing Military to Civilian Success Program in the University's E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration. The program assists service members, veterans, and their spouses with individualized training for career advancement.

"It is truly an honor to help these students achieve their education and then helping them market their skills they learned here at CCU to the professional world," said Nance. 

To learn more about CCU's efforts, visit coastal.edu/services/veteranservices.