Waynesboro, VA: Fishburne Military School (FMS) founded in 1879 announced its Director of Admissions, Mr. Mike Payne, on July 2, 2023. As a boarding school graduate, Payne brings first-hand insight into the benefits of private schools and what they do for young men to prepare them for successful futures.
President of FMS, Colonel Randal E. Brown (VA) looks to the future with optimism to increase attendance for an all-boys military-style education at FMS. Brown said, “We welcome Mike Payne to the Fishburne Team. His admissions background and experience make him the perfect selection to grow our Corps of Cadets as we march toward our 150th Anniversary in 2029.”
Payne’s initial admissions career experience began while he was attending the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. He led guided tours of the campus and its offered programs to potential students and their families. From there he continued his career as an Admissions Counselor at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, VA, and Associate Director of Admissions at Christ School in Asheville, NC.
Payne said, “As a graduate of a Virginia boarding school, I have a deep appreciation for the opportunities provided for young men at schools like Fishburne. Some young men need more, and schools like Fishburne provide a place where they are supported and challenged.”
FMS boasts small class sizes (10-1 Cadet to teacher ratio), individualized education that is dependent upon each Cadet’s ambitions, leadership training through its JROTC program, and an athletics program that requires every Cadet to participate in a sport of their choice. With full board and day-student opportunities, every Cadet can benefit from being a part of a brotherhood and community that offers full support for their individual mental health, physical and educational well-being.
Payne plans to travel cross-country, to international events, and provide tours to families that are designed to communicate and interact with new families that need FMS for their sons. With incomparable energy and enthusiasm for admissions and private schools, FMS is honored to have him represent the historic and iconic small school on the hill in Waynesboro, VA. Payne said, “I am honored to join Fishburne Military School and I look forward to working with communities across the U.S. to tell the Fishburne story.”
