Worcester State University has received the 2025-26 Silver Military Friendly® School and Military Friendly® Spouse designations for the second year in a row for its commitment to military-affiliated students.
The Military Friendly® designations are awarded through a rigorous evaluation process that analyzes internal and publicly available data of participating institutions. Administered by Military Friendly®, this survey was among the first to begin a healthy competition between schools to benefit student Veterans and their dependents.
The results from this year’s survey affirm how “Worcester State is taking the steps to become a more inclusive school for anyone who is a part of a military family,” said Stephanie Teixeira, director of Military Affairs & Veterans Services and Title IX coordinator at the university. “We actively evaluate our programs, services, and policies against the national best practices when it comes to student Veteran services.”
Military-affiliated students can find a sense of community at Worcester State, as seen with Harrison Merrill ’27. A business administration major and vice president of the Military Connected and Veterans Club (MAV), Merrill balances his studies while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves as a mechanic. Inspired by his grandfather’s 1965 Chevrolet Impala, Merrill hopes to one day open his own mechanic shop. Merrill enjoys being the vice president of the MAV club. “There is no hierarchy” in the group, he says. “It’s rather a big group of friends.”
Vivian Nguyen ’27, an art major and treasurer of the MAV club, served as a Machinist Mate on the USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19). Nguyen’s job was to inspect and maintain boilers and other machinery of the steamship, where temperatures got as hot as 100 degrees. “We may have all disliked the work, but we still had each other,” Nguyen said.
Nguyen’s deployment overlapped with two 2017 ship accidents, in which the USS Fitzgerald and the USS John S. McCain lost sailors. For her, it was challenging to come back to civilian life after her time in the military. “Worcester State offers services which help with the transition,” she said. “There are points of connection that help Veterans integrate back into society.” Merrill and Nguyen both credited Teixeira for supporting them through the transition.
Both also credited the MAV club, which helps students stay connected. “Some of us have seen things, and some of us feel broken, but we have each other. Whether we know it or not, the MAV club has probably saved some people’s lives,” said Nguyen.
Counseling services are available to Veterans, their dependents, and all students on campus who are seeking support.
“Students sometimes don’t know where to go or how to ask for help, because military culture and civilian culture are wildly different. To have those conversations, and provide a space for people to talk about what they need and implement something, makes this work very fulfilling.” said Teixeira.
Achievers
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