Valley Forge Military College

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Valley Forge Military College
MottoCourage • Honor • Conquer
TypePrivate military junior college
Established1935 (1935)
PresidentCol. Stuart B. Helgeson, USMC (Ret.)
Location
Wayne, Radnor Township
,
Pennsylvania
,
United States
Campus
  • Suburban
Websitewww.vfmcollege.edu

Valley Forge Military College (VFMC) is a private military junior college in Wayne, Pennsylvania. VFMC, known as the Military College of Pennsylvania, offers thirteen undergraduate majors.[1]

The college was formerly part of Valley Forge Military Academy and College until 2023, when it became a separate institution.

History

Valley Forge Military College (VFMC) began as a two-year junior college pilot program within Valley Forge Military Academy during the 1935–36 academic year, when the first college-level cadets joined the Corps of Cadets. The institution adopted the designation of Valley Forge Military Academy and Junior College shortly thereafter. Over the next decades, VFMC evolved into a fully independent institution, attaining recognition as a military junior college by the U.S. Department of Defense between the 1940s and 1960s.

The college became coeducational in 2005.[2] In 2007, the Pennsylvania House unanimously adopted a resolution designating VFMC as the official military college of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.[3]

In 2023, the college became a separate institution with its own governing board, president, staff, and operations, while still sharing the campus with the academy. The academy closed in 2026 due to high costs and declining enrollment.[4]

Academics

VFMC offers thirteen Associate degrees across arts and sciences disciplines, structured around twelve core competencies such as leadership, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.[5]

ROTC and Early Commissioning Program (ECP)

The college participates in the U.S. Army ROTC and is one of only four institutions nationwide—and the only one in the Northeast—to offer the Early Commissioning Program (ECP), allowing students to commission as Second Lieutenants after two years of study.[6]

Notable alumni

Athletics

  • George Deiderich – consensus All-American, professional football player, CFL (Montreal Alouettes, Ottawa Rough Riders)
  • Chris Doleman – retired professional football player and Pro Football Hall of Famer
  • Jeff Otah – professional football player, NFL (Carolina Panthers)
  • Julian Peterson – professional football player, NFL (Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions)

Military

Politics

References

  1. "Valley Forge Military College". U.S. Department of Education – College Scorecard. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
  2. "Valley Forge Military College to admit women". Main Line Media News. October 26, 2005. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
  3. "House Resolution 335, Printer's No. 1930 "A Resolution designating the Valley Forge Military College as the official military college of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania"". Pennsylvania General Assembly. October 23, 2007. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
  4. "Valley Forge Military Academy to close after 2025-2026 academic year". 6abc Philadelphia. September 15, 2025.
  5. "Valley Forge Military College – Statement of Accreditation Status". Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
  6. "Syracuse University Early Commissioning Program". Veteran and Military Admissions. Syracuse University. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
  7. Shaloup, Dean (November 14, 2012). "Nashua Guardsman to lead NY-based 42nd Infantry Division". Nashua Telegraph. Nashua, New Hampshire.
  8. Rhodes, Lisa R. (April 1, 2011). "Division commander settles into new job". www.army.mil/. Washington, DC.

40°03′14″N 75°23′02″W / 40.054°N 75.384°W / 40.054; -75.384