Georgia Military College: A Legacy of Leadership, Character, and Opportunity

For nearly a century and a half, Georgia Military College (GMC) has been dedicated to transforming lives through an education rooted in character, leadership, and opportunity. Established in 1879, GMC's mission remains as powerful and urgent as it was in its founding year. GMC is a diverse institution of higher education where students from all backgrounds, committed to bettering themselves and the world around them, gather together with a common purpose.

A Historic Foundation

Georgia Military College was created in 1879 by an act of the Georgia General Assembly "to educate young men and women from the Middle Georgia area in an environment which fosters the qualities of good citizenship." It was the apparent intention of the General Assembly to establish the school as a unit of the slowly forming University System of Georgia. The institution was initially named Middle Georgia Military and Agricultural College. State property in Milledgeville, including the former state capital building which had been damaged by General William T. Sherman's "March to the Sea", was loaned to the University of Georgia by the Act of 1879, and the Board of Trustees of the University of Georgia was given veto powers by this Act over the acts of the local Board of Trustees of the new institution.

The school was ceded state government lands surrounding the Old Capitol Building, the seat of government for the state of Georgia from 1807 to 1868. The Old Capitol Building, then as now, is the main college facility and sits on the highest point in Milledgeville. Former Confederate general Daniel Harvey Hill served as president from 1885 until August 1889, when he resigned due to failing health. The name of the school was changed to Georgia Military College in 1900.

Legislative acts of 1920 and 1922 severed the relationship with the University of Georgia and gave the local board total power over the operations of the school. In 1922, the method of electing members of the board of trustees and filling vacancies on the board was changed. This act provided for a seven-member board to be elected from and by the citizens of Milledgeville, with trustees' terms staggered to provide continuity. In 1930, the official addition of a junior college division to the college-preparatory secondary school finally justified its name. In 1950, the Defense Department designated the institution a "military junior college".

On Monday, October 14th, Georgia Military College (GMC) celebrates 140 years of providing hope and opportunity to students across the state of Georgia! The date marks a true milestone in the history of our institution and in Milledgeville where it all began. In 1879- the same year Thomas Edison first introduced the light bulb- GMC was established as Middle Georgia Military and Agricultural College. With nothing more than a handful of faculty members, 219 students, and the Old Capitol Building classes began in 1880. Our Mission was simple, to provide a character-based education to young men and women across the state of Georgia and especially Baldwin County.

Locations and Accessibility

In addition to the main campus in Milledgeville, GMC Junior College other campus locations Fairburn, Augusta, Columbus, Madison, Valdosta, Warner Robins, Dublin, and a Global Online College. Georgia Military College Columbus Campus is the only liberal arts junior college in Columbus. GMC also operates a Global Online Campus. This allows GMC to offer degrees to people who that work and don't have the time to come to campus, who are stationed overseas, or just enjoy going to school online. Whether you’re attending classes on our historic Main Campus, online through GMC Online, or at one of our eight satellite locations across Georgia, your experience at GMC is focused on flexibility, affordability, and quality.

Academic Programs and Opportunities

GMC offers Associate’s degrees and Bachelor’s degrees. At GMC, we offer Associate’s degrees and Bachelor’s degrees. Find out how you can make attaining your college degree an affordable option. Invest in yourself and your future. GMC offers Associates and Bachelor’s programs through the classroom, online, remote or any combination that will certainly will fit your life and your educational goals. Not all degree programs are created equal. Not all online degrees are created equal. We’ve been educating bright minds for well over a century. That’s why a degree from GMC means more than just a great education.

GMC ensures that all our students experience a college atmosphere and curriculum focused on character, ethics, and leadership skills regardless of location or course modality. GMC’s #1 Initiative is to “Contribute to Student Success.” We are here to guide you in your academic journey. ath to graduation. Our faculty members bring expertise in each subject area to the classroom, but they also focus on the Community College experience. So, while all classes have rules and responsibilities that you must follow as stated in the syllabi and College Catalog, we strive to answer your questions, assist you when you need that extra help, and direct you to the many services that our college offers. GMC offers free tutoring for every student and provides Academic Success Coaches who offer guidance in areas like time management, test-taking skills, and stress reduction.

GMC has traditionally offered Associate (two-year) degrees for its students who want to graduate and then transfer into a four-year college or university, and we have Transfer Agreements to allow you to transfer your credits from GMC to these other colleges. Thanks to our Transfer Agreements, GMC students can take their college credits with them to dozens of other colleges and universities. Why pay more for core curriculum when you take the same accredited courses at GMC for less, and then transfer to the four-year college of your choice? GMC strives to provide Education Your Way. We realize that you may need a format that fits the demands of your life. GMC provides traditional in-seat classes at our campuses, as well as professionally developed online courses through GMC Online. offer hybrid courses, which feature a mixture of in-seat and online learning; and even remote learning courses, which feature a professor teaching the course and interacting with students live in a classroom, which students may remote into from another campus.

History Degree

The History degree at Georgia Military College helps students focus on three specific areas: the ability to critically evaluate a historical event or theme, the development of cultural and geographical literacy, and the ability to conduct research in preparation for advanced learning. This course will build the basic skills and methods needed for the study of history. Topics will include, library and archival research, historical writing, historiography and interpretation, use of the computer and quantitative analysis in history, and the professional opportunities for the history major. Students will complete a supervised research project. American History I is a survey of the social, cultural, economic, and political aspects of the development of this nation from the voyages of discovery through the Civil War.

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Students will be able to use this degree as a foundation for further studies in the fields of history, government, teaching, and research. To be successful, students need to move on to the bachelor’s degree in history. History is a diverse major that can lead to a variety of careers depending on the educational pathway.

Career-Focused Paths

GMC also provides affordable paths to prepare students for various careers, including:

Law Enforcement, Emergency Services, or the Legal Field
Careers requiring written communication, quantitative skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
Software Development, Hardware Support, and Database Systems
Entry-Level Positions in both the Public and Private Sectors of the Legal Field
The fields of Political Science, International Relations, and Public Administration
Entry-Level Employment in Public and Private Social Service Agencies

GMC also offers programs to complete the classes needed to apply to an RN program without leaving home.

The Corps of Cadets

Steeped in history & tradition, the GMC Corps of Cadets provides students the ability to pursue their degree within a structured military program that is as challenging as it is rewarding. The GMC Corps of Cadets is designed to enhance leadership capabilities of students in both military and civilian lives. Cadets do daily physical training to improve fitness. Some cadets are selected to partake in the ranger challenge competition. During the day, cadets attend classes throughout the day to work on academics. Along with this, cadets also frequently stand in for parades and command retreat. There are also multiple clubs and extracurriculars cadets can take part in such as drill and color guard teams, a glee club, and more. Cadets also may be selected to hold leadership in the corps where they will be assigned at the team to regimental levels or staff duty. GMC opened its modern barracks (dorm) facility in January 2007 for the 254 students that comprise the Corps of Cadets.

GMC was first founded in 1879, and while it stems from a military background of “Duty, Honor, and Country,” only 2% of the student body participates in the Corps of Cadets at the Main Campus in Milledgeville.

Read also: Choosing Your UGA Major

Cadet Programs

The Corps of Cadets have several types of cadets in the program. These include Early Commissioning Program cadets, State Service cadets, Civic Leaders, and Service Academy Prep cadets.The Corps of Cadets also includes the middle and high schoolers in the Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AJROTC) of the GMC Preparatory School.

Early Commissioning Program (ECP)

GMC's Early Commissioning Program (ECP) is designed to enable students to become a second lieutenant in the US Army after the first two years in college. One of the ways in which a student can become an ECP cadet is to attend Basic Camp (not to be confused with Basic Combat Training, which is for enlisted soldiers). The course is thirty-one days long. Between the cadet's freshmen and sophomore years, the cadet will attend the Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Following AC, the cadet may be able to attend additional training with Army units all over the world and in the United States. Army officer at the end of his/her sophomore year. The ECP program allows cadets to become commissioned second lieutenants two years earlier than normal ROTC and West Point cadets. These commissioned army officers can then serve in the Army Reserve or Army National Guard, or compete for revocation and then for active duty.

State Service Cadets

State Service cadets are cadets who attend GMC while simultaneously serving in the Georgia National Guard. These cadets still retain their same rank in the National Guard and attend drill regularly with their unit.

Civic Leader Cadets

Civic Leader cadets hold no military obligation and upon graduation may choose to further their education at a 4-year university or seek employment.

Service Academy Prep Program

Students who apply to a service academy may be redirected to attend GMC for a year. During this year, they are expected to take a strong course load, take on extracurriculars, and excel physically in hopes of receiving appointment to the service academy of their choice. Because it is part of JROTC, GMC's high school has mandatory 50-minute LET (Leadership, Education, Training) classes throughout the day.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

GMC students have many options for paying for their degree through financial aid, scholarships, and student loans. In fact, many of our students pay very little out of pocket. GMC offers funding specifically to help pay costs for Corps of Cadet members on the Milledgeville campus.

State Service Scholarship Program

The State Service Scholarship Program provides 39 full scholarships to qualified Georgia residents with an interest in military service as well as a quality college education. The program is funded through the Georgia General Assembly. Scholarship recipients are required to become members of either the Army or Air National Guard, and must be nominated by a member of the Georgia General Assembly. These scholarships cover tuition, fees, rooms, board, books and supplies. Scholarship winners must join the Corps of Cadets and participate in Army ROTC.

Army ROTC Scholarships

Army ROTC scholarships are also available for qualified cadets interested in the Early Commissioning Program (ECP). These scholarships are funded through ROTC and cover tuition, fees, and books, plus a monthly stipend. After completing studies at GMC, a transfer scholarship is available for those GMC graduates desiring to complete their four-year degree at a university of their choosing with an ROTC program.

Athletics

Georgia Military College competes in soccer, tennis, golf, cross country, softball, and football. The college football program has firmly established itself as one of the finest junior college programs in the country. Since 1991, GMC has developed 36 All-Americans, won the Junior College National Championship in 2001, played for the national championship in 2002, played in eight junior college bowl games, and sent over 250 young men to continue their education and athletic careers at four-year institutions across the country.

Enrollment

The first step in the enrollment process is to complete an application for admission. Our process is quick and easy, so create an account and start your application today to take your first step. You can also schedule time with one of our enrollment coaches if you need virtual assistance to complete our application.

A Legacy of Success

GMC’s #1 Strategic Initiative is Contribute to Student Success. The Junior College’s primary measure of student success is the annual number of students who graduate. This past year (2018-2019) the Junior College had our largest number of college graduates in our history with 1899 students receiving their degree. This represented a 32% increase over the number of graduates from just four years ago (2014-2015). GMC has never wavered from our military focus and proudly serves as The Military Junior College of Georgia. It is here that we educate and develop young men and women of character to serve in uniform in the ranks of the Army and Air Force. Today, as one of only four military junior colleges in the nation, we pride ourselves on striving for excellence and developing leadership within our Corps of Cadets. We take great pride in being a key commissioning source for our Georgia National Guard.

GMC is fortunate to have partnerships with a wide range of businesses who hire our graduates.

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