Georgia Military College to cease operations at Warner Robins campus, forcing native plant center relocation

WARNER ROBINS — One of Georgia Military College’s (GMC) long-standing campuses and an affiliated native plant center will close following the Spring 2026 term. 

The university stated in a press release that the decision to close the Warner Robins campus will allow the college to continue adapting and evolving with student learning and teaching trends. These include more flexible learning environments, such as students wanting fully online classes or a hybrid model.  

Even though there won’t be a physical location in Warner Robins, GMC teachers will still instruct dual-enrollment classes at schools partnered with the college in Warner Robins and the surrounding areas. Students attending the Warner Robins campus will continue to have access to GMC Online and the ability to take in-person classes at the university’s main campus in Milledgeville and at other locations.  The university has satellite campuses in Augusta, Dublin, Fairburn, Madison and Valdosta. 

All employees and teachers of that campus are still a part of GMC. The release said no students have been effectively “displaced” in this transition. 

The campus changes will also affect the Warner Robins Native Plant Center, which was created through a partnership between the city, Keep Warner Robins Beautiful and GMC. 

The city provided the location, fencing, greenhouse, infrastructure and electrical services. GMC provided water, gas equipment and personnel for day-to-day maintenance and operation.  The city said the plant nursery’s closure does not affect any other Keep Warner Robins Beautiful projects. 

According to a statement from the city, the property will be returned to the city, and city-owned assets will be distributed to the appropriate departments. 

The native plant center’s website states that they are passionate about promoting the use of native plants in activities like landscaping and gardening and also offer educational opportunities. 

In an email obtained by the HHJ, the center will continue operations at a different location and partner with a new organization. The center is temporarily closed effective July 15.  The email said their goal is to reopen this fall. 

GMC’s history dates back to 1879 when the university was established. It was originally called Middle Georgia Military and Agricultural College before being renamed Georgia Military College in 1900. 

The college expanded to a physical location in the city of Warner Robins in 2005 after opening on Robins Air Force Base in 1987. 

According to the college’s website, GMC is a liberal-arts-based school supporting students in attaining their associate’s degrees while also preparing them to transfer to four-year universities.