GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Riverside Military Academy is setting its sights beyond Georgia, announcing a long-term plan to become what school leaders call the premier military leadership academy in the country.
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The Gainesville boarding school announced the multi-year transformation Monday, saying it will focus first on strengthening academics, faculty, enrollment and campus life while building the academy’s national and international profile.
Leading the effort is Nizar Zakka, a Riverside graduate from the Class of 1985 who was recently named president and chairman of the Board of Trustees.
The academy, which has operated for more than 120 years, says the goal is to build on its military tradition while preparing cadets for a changing world.
Over time, Riverside also plans to explore licensing its name and educational model to select international partners. The school says Gainesville will remain home to its flagship campus.
“This institution has never belonged to one generation alone,” Zakka said. “It belongs to every cadet whose life was transformed here, every alumnus who carried its values into the world, and every member of this community who has supported its mission.”
The long-term vision also includes expanding partnerships with alumni, donors, community leaders, educational institutions and other organizations.
School leaders say the transformation is intended to preserve Riverside’s more than century-old legacy while giving the academy a larger role in military leadership education nationally and eventually around the world.
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