Dr. Stanley C. “Stas” Preczewski, COL(R) USA, Army

Dr. Stanley C. “Staś” Preczewski served as Riverside’s President from 2019 until his retirement in June 2024. Within a year of his arrival and launch of a new five-year strategic plan, the global pandemic became a defining element of his presidency. During his tenure, he led the Academy in year-over-year successes. In recognition of his extraordinary leadership, the board appointed and honored Preczewski as President Emeritus and retains him as a permanent ambassador for Riverside.

Prior to his presidency at Riverside, Preczewski had retired from a 12-year tenure at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC), in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He began his tenure at GGC as the Inaugural Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs before serving as President. His accomplishments at GGC include growing the student population from 0 to more than 13,000 over a span of 12.5 years, opening the college’s six academic schools, moving GGC from a commuter to a residential institution, and hiring more than 700 faculty and staff members.

Preczewski earned his B.S. in Engineering from Cornell University and his commission in the United States Army in 1980. He holds an M.S. in Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, an M.A. in National Security Strategy and Planning from the United States Naval War College, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from The University of Missouri - Columbia. He served as CFO and a professor of the U.S. Military Academy - West Point.  While a professor, he was selected as an American Council on Education Fellow, serving at Wake Forest University.

His military career spans over 26 years of active service and includes commanding field artillery units in the 1^st and 2^nd Infantry Divisions. Preczewski was an honor graduate from both artillery and infantry schools.  His military awards and decorations include two Legion of Merit Awards, four Meritorious Service Medals, and the Air Assault and Airborne (paratrooper) Badges.