Cadet embraces growth as leader in Corps

Campbell Chase originally thought she would end up at the Air Force Academy or Georgetown University when an opportunity at the University of North Georgia (UNG) changed her trajectory. She attended the National Intelligence Summer Academy (NISA) and decided to join UNG's Corps of Cadets while pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies.

A little more than a year into her time at UNG, the McKinney, Texas, resident is thriving on the experiences she is gaining. She was named Honor Graduate out of her class of roughly 200 in UNG's Cadet Basic Leadership Course held in May 2025. The mix of military and civilian life appeals to Chase.

"I get the best of both worlds," she said. "I have the structure of a military academy and the support, but at the end of the day, I can also be a normal student."

Such is the beauty of the leadership laboratory of the Corps of Cadets, which has produced well-rounded military and civic leaders for more than 152 years in a true testament to its role as America's Corps. As the nation's lone Army-only senior military college, UNG creates a sense of community that only enhances the learning.

Chase, who lived in six different states as her father was in the Army, is hoping to continue the legacy of military service in her family while also becoming the first woman in her family to serve.

"I wanted to go somewhere I could be challenged. I'm challenged with my leadership and physical capabilities, mentally, spiritually," Chase said.

It would be easy to feel isolated halfway across the country from her family, but the connections within the Corps and across campus have produced the opposite effect for Chase.

"Now I have this family and this community that I'll have forever," Chase said.

She embraces the mindset of taking care of those under her command with compassion and empathy. Chase understands that a group is only as strong as the weakest member, so she prefers to build everyone up as they train.

With how she is growing at UNG, Chase hopes others will follow in her footsteps by leaving the comfort of home to grow in an unparalleled leadership environment.

"My goal is to burn a trail for out-of-state cadets to UNG," Chase said.