Final class of cadets graduates from Valley Forge Military Academy

WAYNE, Pa. (WPVI) -- The final class of cadets from the Valley Forge Military College and Valley Forge Military Academy graduated today. The joint ceremony took place in the Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion on the Valley Forge campus, followed by a ROTC commissioning ceremony.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Valley Forge Military Academy alumnus who rose from cadet to regimental commander before becoming the state's first Black governor, delivered the commencement address.

Moore, who graduated from the Academy in 1996 and earned his associate's degree from the College in 1998, has long credited Valley Forge with shaping his early life. He later became the first Black Rhodes Scholar in Johns Hopkins University history, served in the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan, worked as a White House Fellow, led the Robin Hood Foundation, and authored several bestselling books.

The academy is closing after the 2025-26 academic year, a decision trustees said was driven by declining enrollment, rising costs, and increased liability exposure under changes to Pennsylvania law. The College, which shares the Wayne campus, will remain open.

Interim head of school Aaron Barkley said enrollment has fallen from about 300 cadets in 2011 to roughly 90 today, straining the Academy's tuitiondependent finances. "When our enrollment goes down, that does affect our ability to sustain and to operate," Barkley said.

The closure has prompted emotional responses from alumni and current students. Moore said in a statement that Valley Forge played a "pivotal role" in his life, adding, "I walked onto the Valley Forge campus as a twelveyearold boy with a complicated past and a questionable future. I walked away as a graduate and an Army officer with a love of our country and a commitment to preserve its future."

Other notable alumni include former NFL star Larry Fitzgerald and Philadelphia nonprofit leader Kareem Rosser, who said the Academy "shaped me into the person and leader that I am today."

Founded in 1935, Valley Forge Military College describes itself as The Military College of Pennsylvania, offering associate degrees and leadership training for students pursuing civilian careers or military service.