GA Military College closing Warner Robins campus. What it means for students, staff

Georgia Military College at Warner Robins celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2019. Seven years later, school officials said the campus will be closing.

The 2026 spring term was the last semester students were physically at the Warner Robins satellite campus, and the facility’s lease expires in September, according to a GMC spokesperson Jobie Shields.

The closure is related to “evolving student learning preferences and instructional delivery trends,” according to the news release.

College officials said in a news release Tuesday that the decision is part of GMC’s strategy to expand access to education while adapting to the ways students choose to learn.

“While GMC will no longer have a physical location in the Warner Robins community, the college remains committed to serving students through multiple pathways of opportunity,” the news release said.

Faculty and staff have been transitioning out of the Warner Robins campus building over the summer, Shields said.

GMC instructors will continue teaching courses at partner schools in Warner Robins and surrounding communities, and the college plans to expand those partnerships.

“We have retained all our part-time and full-time faculty to teach at another location, in the local high schools, or at our main campus,” Shields said.

Students will continue to have access to degree programs through GMC Online and in-person classes at the college’s main campus in Milledgeville and satellite locations across Georgia. Students interested in participating in athletics or the Corps of Cadets may continue to pursue those opportunities at the main campus.

GMC said all Warner Robins employees and instructors will remain part of GMC’s statewide instructional model, and no students have been displaced as a result of the transition.

“For many years, it has been a privilege for Georgia Military College to be part of the Warner Robins community,” the college said. “We are deeply grateful for the relationships we’ve built with our students, alumni, community partners, and local leaders who have supported our mission over the years.”

GMC opened its Warner Robins campus in the late 1980s, according to an article the institution published in 2005. The campus initially operated on Robins Air Force Base before relocating to its current main location on Duke Avenue in 2003.

College officials said GMC previously transitioned away from its Rockdale location and will continue operating its main campus in Milledgeville and satellite locations in Augusta, Columbus, Dublin, Fairburn, Madison and Valdosta.

Campus closure impacts Warner Robins plant center

GMC’s decision to close its Warner Robins campus will have effects beyond the campus gates.

The Warner Robins Native Plant Center, located at 115 Prince St., will close at the end of July, according to a Facebook post the educational center wrote Sunday.

“It is with a heavy heart that we make this update,” the organization wrote. “While we are uncertain of what the future holds for us, this isn’t the end.”

The Warner Robins Native Plant Center is a collaborative project between the City of Warner Robins, Keep Warner Robins Beautiful and GMC. It promotes educational opportunities for native plants’ roles in the environment.

“Through this project, the City provided the property, fencing, greenhouse infrastructure, and electrical service, while GMC provided water service, gas, various equipment, and, most importantly, the personnel and expertise necessary for the day-to-day maintenance and operation of the facility,” Warner Robins City Spokesperson Mandy Stella told The Telegraph Monday in an email.

Stella confirmed that GMC will close its Warner Robins campus, impacting the plant nursery and education center’s operations. Plans for relocating the center are in progress but not finalized, she said.

With the campus closing, the garden property will return to the local tax base, Stella said.

City-owned assets associated with the center will be evaluated for reassignment to other city departments to continue serving the community through other public programs, she said.

“The city remains committed to responsible stewardship of public resources and to continuing environmental education, beautification and sustainability efforts ...,” Stella said.

GMC’s departure does not affect any other Keeping Warner Robins Beautiful programs and projects, Stella said.

The education center, founded by Ben White and Eleanor Freeman, has served as a resource for residents interested in the beneficial use of native plants in landscaping and gardening.

“It has been our privilege to be a part of your journey at any stage—whether it was discovering natives or putting on the polishing touches,” the center said in its Facebook post. “From the bottom of our hearts we want to sincerely thank each and every single one of you and the community as a whole for the support, encouragement, enthusiasm and friendships that grew with the nursery.”

Before closing, the organization plans to host a farewell gathering on July 25, inviting supporters to share memories, tour gardens the center helped establish and connect with fellow native plant enthusiasts.

The center thanked the community for its support over the years, saying it had been a privilege to help residents discover and cultivate native plants while building lasting friendships.

Although the organization said it is uncertain about its future, it emphasized that the closure does not mark the end of its mission.

“This chapter might be coming to a close, but we look forward to sharing news of the next iteration with you all when we can,” the announcement said.

This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 10:30 AM.