As the accolades were read at Wednesday night’s Veterans Day Dinner honoring Campbell students, professors, staff and alumni who have served their country, Hector Gray smiled.
The big one — Campbell University climbed from 173rd in the nation to 49th (out fo 370 colleges and universities) as a Best for Vets school, according to Military Times. The announcement drew applause and different forms of “hoo-ah!” from the crowd in attendance in the Oscar N. Harris Student Union’s Keith Family Ballroom.
For Gray — a Navy veteran who joined Campbell’s Veterans Affairs office in August 2025 as a veteran services specialist — the announcement was affirmation of the work his department has performed in the past few years to improve the University’s communication and relationships with its military students and alumni.
“To me, I feel like we’re definitely doing our jobs,” he said. “I absolutely care about my work, and I love what I do. When I got out [of the Navy], I always wanted a career where I could give back. I didn’t always know what that would look like, but I think this is it. A lot of veterans don’t know about the benefits that are out there for them to continue their education. So when I see them and their families come in, I’m happy to be the one to show them. I’m happy to tell them their children can be eligible for other benefits.
“When I see them get approved, it brings joy to my heart.”
Gray began Wednesday night’s Veterans Day Dinner by paying homage to the Missing Man Table — a symbolic empty table honoring the nation’s POW/MIA and those who lost their lives in service to their country. He was followed by Nicole Winget, also a Navy veteran and dean of Campbell University Adult & Online Education, who along with Veteran Affairs Director Amanda McRae delivered the Best for Vets news.
“This success didn’t happen by accident,” she said. “It is made possible by those who have answered the call to support military-affiliated students and leaders who believe in the mission and champion it everyday. Thank you to Campbell leadership for your support.
Winget said the dinner — which bookended the Veterans Day ceremony in the Academic Circle earlier in the day — was about connection. Tables featured veterans from several branches of the military, and throughout the night, stories of service were shared among the guests.
“[This dinner] is about strengthening the bonds between those of us who have served and providing an anchor to the students and alumni whose lives are shaped by military service,” Winget said. “Every relationship we build helps us extend our reach, share our experiences and bring the world more Campbell.”
Campbell President William M. Downs announced earlier in the day a “significant enhancement” to the University’s military leave policy — military-affiliated employees are now eligible for up to 10 workdays of paid military leave each year. At Wednesday’s dinner, he spoke about his family’s history of military service, in particular his 98-year-old father, who served proudly in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956.
“I am proud of my family’s rich heritage of loyalty and service to our country,” he said. “Their examples of service and support have over the years instilled in me a respect and admiration of veterans and of our military. And I am equally proud of the rich military heritage of our Campbell family.
“I don’t promote blind patriotism. We educate our students to be critical thinkers. But at Campbell, we also educate our students to respect and to aspire to be servant leaders. And I think our veterans are some of the best examples possible of meaningful servant leadership.”