Tennessee Recognizes Two Colleges as VETS Campuses
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission has designated Middle Tennessee State University and Motlow State Community College as VETS Campuses for supporting veterans' transition to higher education.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Military Jobs
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission recognized Middle Tennessee State University and Motlow State Community College as VETS Campuses, a designation for institutions that help military veterans transition into higher education. Three other institutions earned the more advanced VETS Bravo Campus designation.
Why it matters
The recognition reflects state efforts to help veterans convert military training into academic credit and degrees. It also aligns with Tennessee's 2025-2035 Strategic Higher Education Master Plan, which focuses on increasing the number of residents earning degrees and credentials.
Earning the VETS Bravo Campus designation requires maintaining VETS Campus status for at least three consecutive years, a threshold the Tennessee Higher Education Commission applies to Austin Peay State University, East Tennessee State University, and Tennessee College of Applied Technology Upper Cumberland. The source does not report enrollment or credit-award totals for veterans at these institutions.
The players
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
The state agency that coordinates higher education policy and administers the VETS Campus recognition program for Tennessee institutions.
Middle Tennessee State University
A public university in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, that was recognized as a VETS Campus under the state program.
Motlow State Community College
A public two-year college in Tennessee that was recognized as a VETS Campus under the state program.
The details
Participating institutions must establish procedures that allow qualifying military training to count toward academic credit, and they provide mentoring, specialized career services, and transition assistance. The recognition is administered through Tennessee's Veterans Education Transition Support (VETS) Campus and VETS Bravo Campus designation programs.
Timeline
November 10, 2026: The Tennessee Higher Education Commission announced the VETS campus recognitions.
November 11, 2026: Murfreesboro holds a free Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. outside the Rutherford County Courthouse on the Murfreesboro Public Square.
Roadmap
The recognitions extend Tennessee's 2025-2035 Strategic Higher Education Master Plan, which centers on increasing the number of residents who earn college degrees and credentials. Veteran-focused designations like VETS and VETS Bravo are one way the state applies that goal to a specific population.
Veterans enrolling at a VETS or VETS Bravo Campus may have qualifying military training counted toward academic credit, which can shorten the path to a degree. Participating schools also offer mentoring and career services aimed at easing the transition from military service.
The takeaway
Veterans considering college in Tennessee should ask prospective schools whether they hold VETS or VETS Bravo Campus status and how military training is credited. Checking this before enrolling can help maximize transferable academic credit.
What happens next
The Murfreesboro Veterans Day ceremony takes place on November 11, 2026, beginning at 11 a.m. outside the Rutherford County Courthouse on the Murfreesboro Public Square.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Military Jobs in Tennessee.
More information
Learn more about the Tennessee VETS campus program resources through the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WGNSRadio.
