Leadership Mexico 2024 Visits Missouri Military Academy

Feature photo above, members of Leadership Mexico 2024 gathered with President Geraci for a photo on the steps of Stribling Hall. 

On Tuesday, March 19, the 2024 Leadership Mexico class visited Missouri Military Academy as part of their mission to learn about top Mexico, Missouri employers and organizations. A Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce program, Leadership Mexico provides personal development and an avenue for community participation for its members.

Academy President Brigadier General Richard V. Geraci, USA (Ret), welcomed the group, emphasized the importance of community leadership for a strong, vibrant civic environment and economy, and thanked them for participating in Leadership Mexico.

“MMA is happy to support the Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Mexico. We appreciate the great value that the Chamber adds to our community,” said Geraci, a 2018 graduate of the Leadership Mexico program. “MMA annually contributes more than $14 million into the Mexico and regional area economy, and we will continue to pay it forward for our community’s positive economic health. A strong Mexico community helps us provide a positive living and learning environment for our cadets through the support of many local Mexico businesses and churches that welcome our cadets."

President Geraci talks with Leadership Mexico about MMA's military education model.

Geraci shared insight into the Academy, one of the United States’ premier, college-preparatory military boarding schools, and its corps of approximately 200 middle school and high school cadets from 30 states and 9 countries. Explaining MMA’s military education model, he highlighted the five pillars of the Academy’s 360° Education —academic excellence, physical development, character development, leadership training and life skills — which are taught in an environment that emphasizes structure, self-discipline, personal responsibility and accountability.

He also discussed the Academy’s institutional philosophy:

Missouri Military Academy (MMA) is an all-male, non-profit, Christian-based, college preparatory military academy. MMA recognizes and supports all denominations and encourages cadets to learn about and support other cultures, religions, and traditions. Among all employees and cadets, MMA emphasizes diversity, inclusivity and fairness and is apolitical in and outside the classroom.

What we teach, how we teach, and our learning outcomes are reflected in and achieved through our military educational model emphasizing structure, discipline, personal responsibility, and accountability, supporting our 360° Education. MMA's 360° Education Program of Study develops the mind, body and spirit. Our holistic program supports our efforts to motivate our cadets and each young man's need for independence, self-confidence, individual achievement, team-oriented success, and building strong personal relationships. We teach cadets to take command of their lives and futures.

We are conservatively moderate, open and accepting to diverse ideas and encouraging debate and expression of one’s point of view. We encourage and expect civil discourse and respect for each individual. Our core values and motto, “Love, Honor, Truth,” drive our broad liberal arts curriculum supported by our program of studies.

Our high expectations for each cadet and emphasis on resilience, perseverance and never quitting are supported by specified learning outcomes within and outside the classroom. Our emphasis on critical thinking skills, rigor, and freedom of inquiry, with focus on guiding cadets how to think, not what to think, are the primary criteria for curriculum development and learning outcomes.

Our teaching and learning in the classroom is derived from our curriculum and corps' learning outcomes established for our cadets and outlined in the Cadet Handbook.

 The 2024 Leadership Mexico group walks toward Barnard Hall, MMA's academic building.

The Leadership Mexico group ate lunch with MMA cadets in the dining hall, located in Barnard Hall (the main academic building on campus) and toured the campus, which encompasses 288 acres and 316,000 square feet of building space. MMA’s campus covers approximately 250 cameras on campus for safety and security; back campus, including the Cortada Confidence Course, a Marine Corps-style obstacle course; and more. The Academy also has extensive athletic facilities — Centennial Gymtorium with swimming pool, Alain M. Garcia Almada ‘06 Field House (which houses MMA’s JROTC headquarters, rifle range and locker rooms and allows space for indoor athletic practices and competitions), Colonels Field (soccer), the football field, stables and Calvert Baseball Field.

Leadership Mexico's campus tour included MMA's historic Memorial Chapel, where cadets gather weekly for Vespers, a time of spiritual reflection. The chapel, available for rental, is often used for local weddings.