Florida Tech has been recognized by the Brevard County Commission for the steady and innovative educational support of military veterans that has earned the school seven consecutive years of the respected Military Friendly School designation.
In a resolution presented by Chair Thad Altman and approved unanimously, the Commission recognized Florida Tech for that designation, the variety of veteran-related services the school offers and its commitment “to empowering those who have served with an education that will supercharge their next chapters,” according to the May 19 resolution.
As of Fall 2025, nearly 12% of all Florida Tech students enrolled were veterans, active duty, National Guard/Reserve, veteran dependents or veteran spouses.
“This is a great honor, being a former Florida Tech student myself,” Altman said ahead of reading the resolution referring to his private pilot training at the school. “My favorite university, our homegrown school.”
Florida Tech’s Rob Salonen and LTC Robert Stillings accepted the resolution.
“On behalf of President John Nicklow, thank you very much for this recognition of Florida Tech’s continuing pursuit of excellence,” said Salonen, the university’s assistant vice president for government affairs & strategic partnerships.
Salonen said the university’s is proudly engaged in various efforts with and for the military, from ongoing research with the U.S. Navy at Port Canaveral to the graduate degree program the school now offers on site at Patrick Space Force Base to its unique partnership with the U.S. Army’s ROTC program.
Stillings, who has guided the Florida Tech Panther ROTC program for the last three years as professor of military science, told the commissioners the university is proud to help produce the next generation of Army leaders. The program commissioned seven new second lieutenants in the spring from a cohort of cadets ranked No. 5 among nearly 280 schools with ROTC programs.
“The work for veterans and the work for future leaders that Florida Tech is doing is really raising the bar,” he said.
In announcing Florida Tech’s seventh consecutive Military Friendly School designation in April, the Military Friendly organization’s vice president of memberships said the distinction is more than a badge of honor for the school.
“It is a reflection of an institution’s deep-rooted values and strategic commitment to those who served,” Kayla Lopez said. “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.”
