The University of North Georgia (UNG) has earned gold status on the 2025-26 Military Friendly Schools list for the way it serves its student veterans and other military-connected students.

More than 1,800 schools participated in the survey, with 537 earning special awards for going above the standard. The list will be published in the May and October issues of G.I. Jobs magazine.

Sadeondris Bridgeman, a sophomore from Tunica, Mississippi, pursuing a degree in marketing, served four years in the Marine Corps right out of high school.

Bridgeman said he was drawn to UNG by the genuine nature of the people who work at the university. That environment has allowed him to thrive as he adjusted to a new normal. He went from taking orders and his whole day being determined by someone else to having to do his own planning and time management.

"The faculty and staff genuinely care about you and want you to succeed. They don't just care about you as a student. They care about you as a person. They will be there for you as much as you allow them to be," Bridgeman said. "That sense of community is the biggest thing you lose when you get out of the military. You can definitely gain that back by being at UNG."

Letty Matias is a May 2025 graduate from Seaside, California, who earned a degree in psychology. She served for four years on active duty with the Marine Corps before serving three years in the Marine Corps Reserve.

Matias said UNG's support when she transferred from a community college was instrumental in helping her get off to a good start. As a parent, the Veteran Resource Lounge was especially helpful.

"I have taken advantage of the lounge," Matias said. "I'm always here doing homework and studying. It allows me to keep my studies separate from home."

Matias said Laura Russell, Student Orientation and Success coordinator for military-connected and adult learner programs, goes above and beyond to serve student veterans.

"If you really want that personal advice and someone who is willing to help you, this is definitely the university," Matias said.

Dr. Laura Ramiro Moreno, assistant director of Student Orientation and Success, said the Military Friendly School gold designation shows that others recognize the work UNG is doing.

"Our staff is dedicated to helping student veterans achieve their goals of higher education. Our goal is to ensure that all of our students are aware of the benefits that are available to them through the university to prepare them to enter the post-graduate world," Ramiro Moreno said. "We aim to facilitate those resources to our students for them to have the successful academic careers they dream of."

Viqtory, which released the Military Friendly School list, is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs and Military Friendly brands. Viqtory and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any federal government entity.