ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – College of The Albemarle (COA) has once again been recognized for its commitment to serving the military community by earning the 2026-27 Military Friendly® School Gold designation.
This honor highlights COA’s commitment to serving veterans, active-duty service members and military families across northeastern North Carolina.
This marks the sixth consecutive year COA has received the Military Friendly® School designation. The college has previously earned Silver, Gold and Top Ten rankings among small community colleges nationwide.
“We are honored to once again be recognized as a Military Friendly® School,” said Kris Burris, COA Vice President of Student Success and Enrollment Management. “At COA, we remain deeply committed to supporting veterans, active-duty service members and military families through accessible education, personalized support services and workforce-focused opportunities. Military-affiliated students bring valuable leadership, resilience and experience to our classrooms and communities, and we are proud to support them as they pursue their educational and professional goals.
Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 3,200 schools participated in the 2026-2027 survey.
The 2026-27 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issues of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.
“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. 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.”
— Kayla Lopez, Vice President of Memberships, Military Friendly®
For more information about COA’s military and veteran programs, visit www.albemarle.edu/military or contact Robyn Gram, COA Military Liaison, at [email protected] or 252-335-0821, ext. 2258.
For all other inquiries or media requests, contact Tammy W. Sawyer, COA Director of Communications and Marketing, at [email protected] or 252-335-0821, ext. 2420.
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About College of The Albemarle
College of The Albemarle (COA) serves as the regional community college for Northeastern North Carolina, fostering educational excellence at the heart of the communities we proudly serve. With a rich and expansive history, COA offers accessible, high-quality education to students across Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans counties. Our four campuses, strategically located throughout the region, reflect our commitment to student success. At COA, we empower individuals, transforming lives and shaping the future of our region. Discover your potential with College of The Albemarle, where education meets opportunity.
About Military Friendly® Schools
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 2,900 organizations compete annually for the Military Friendly® 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.