Weekend offers overview of Corps of Cadets
After experiencing the fall 2021 National Leadership Challenge (NLC) at the University of North Georgia (sa国际传媒官网网页入口), Abby Judge decided to apply for admission as a cadet at sa国际传媒官网网页入口.
The weekend experience provided Judge and other high school sophomores, juniors and seniors the opportunity to learn a little bit about sa国际传媒官网网页入口 and see a demonstration of Corps of Cadets specialty units. They also learned about themselves and how to work with a team, according to Mike Ivy, director of cadet admissions at sa国际传媒官网网页入口.
"I loved all the physical challenges and team-building events,” Judge said. "But the main positive from NLC was meeting and working with current sa国际传媒官网网页入口 cadets. From the really cool Legacy of Gold ceremony to watching the Colombo, Ranger, and Aggressor platoons in action, my future plans were sealed."
This spring's NLC runs from April 1-3, and registration is available on the National Leadership Challenge webpage.
Simply deciding to attend sa国际传媒官网网页入口 wasn't enough for Judge, a Madison, Alabama, high school senior.
We are cultivating ambassadors for sa国际传媒官网网页入口 who can give us a national reach. We help these students understand what sa国际传媒官网网页入口 has to offer as one of the nation's six senior military colleges
Mike Ivy
cadet admissions director
She also shared details of her experience with her outdoor-loving sister, Lilli.
"I suggested she sign up for NLC," Judge said. "It will be her first college visit experience. I am hopeful that she will love it and perhaps choose sa国际传媒官网网页入口 as her future path. If not, the experience and skills learned during the days at Camp Frank D. Merrill and Pine Valley will still be impactful and motivate her to move forward with her college search."
Most of the students who come to NLC and complete the surveys say that they had an outstanding time and sa国际传媒官网网页入口 is now near the top of their list of schools to attend, according to Ivy. It's because of word-of-mouth promotion.
"We are cultivating ambassadors for sa国际传媒官网网页入口 who can give us a national reach," Ivy said. "We help these students understand what sa国际传媒官网网页入口 has to offer as one of the nation's six senior military colleges."
The weekend offers nonstop action, Ivy said. NLC includes a confidence rappel from the Colombo Tower, campus tours, an academic panel, and the Legacy of Gold presentation that highlights cadet specialty units and sa国际传媒官网网页入口 history. Saturday is spent at Camp Frank D. Merrill, home of the Army's 5th Ranger Training Battalion, and Pine Valley Recreation Complex near campus.
Current cadet leaders organize the NLC weekend.
"The cadets do a phenomenal job of providing the high school students with peer encouragement," Ivy said. "Things like that really amplify the takeaway for these young people. They never thought they could do something like that. Now they can't believe they did it."
Mental health grad assistant program starts
Two sa国际传媒官网网页入口 students in the Master of Science in counseling program are serving as mental health graduate assistants for the Athletic Department, and one is serving in the same capacity for the Corps of Cadets.
Experiences prepared cadets to commission
Almost 40 members of sa国际传媒官网网页入口's Corps of Cadets are commissioning as second lieutenants in the active-duty Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve in a Dec. 9 ceremony.
2 alumni inducted into veterans Hall of Fame
sa国际传媒官网网页入口 alumni retired Lt. Gen. Jamie Jarrard '88 and the late Col. Robert Barclay '68 have been inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame this fall.
sa国际传媒官网网页入口 formalizes its role with career expo
sa国际传媒官网网页入口 has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Center for Civic Engagement to support its Youth in Government Expo in March 2026.