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Georgia College & State University

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"GCSU" redirects here. For other uses, see GCSU (disambiguation).
Georgia College & State University
Georgia College and State University logo
© Georgia College & State University
MottoGeorgia's Public Liberal Arts University
TypePublic
Established1889
PresidentDorothy Leland
Students6,249[1]
Undergraduates5,289[1]
Postgraduates930[1]
Location
Milledgeville
,
Georgia
,
United States
CampusSmall City
ColorsBlue and Green    
MascotBobcats[1]
Websitewww.gcsu.edu

Georgia College & State University (Georgia College) is a public liberal arts university in Milledgeville, Georgia with approximately 6,000 students. It was designated as Georgia's "Public Liberal Arts University" in 1996 by the Board of Regents, and is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges.

The university places emphasis on providing the quality, values, and virtues of a private liberal arts college, but at a lower and more reasonable cost. Its "private university" approach includes a student to faculty ratio that averages 17 to 1.

History

GC was originally founded in 1889 as a women's college and was initially known as Georgia Normal & Industrial College as a sister institution to the Georgia School of Technology, now known as Georgia Tech.[2] The school eventually became The Women's College of Georgia and then Georgia College when it became co-educational in 1967. It added "State University" to its name in 1996 as part of the mission change given to it by the Board of Regents. While the legal name is Georgia College & State University, Georgia College is preferred by the university. This "shorthand" or "brand name" is widely used by faculty, staff, students, administrators, and alumni.

Campus

The central campus comprises about 43.2 acres (174,000 m²) in the center of Milledgeville, near the grounds of the former state capitol. The campus enhances the town's beauty with its architectural blending of majestic buildings of red brick and white Corinthian columns, representative of those constructed during the pre-Civil War Antebellum period, when Milledgeville was the capital of Georgia.

Most of the university's residence halls are located a block from central campus along with the sports complex, called the Centennial Center. The Old Governor's Mansion is also within walking distance of the residence halls and front campus. West Campus, a 500 acre (2 km²) extension two miles (3 km) from the central campus, contains The Village, and athletic fields. In addition, GC operates a large recreational area on Lake Laurel (approximately 15 minutes from the central campus) which is used by students in the university's Environmental Science and Outdoor Education programs.

GC also offers advanced degree programs at its Center for Graduate and Professional Learning in the Thomas Jefferson Building in downtown Macon. The MBA, MPA, and MSA in logistics are offered in Warner Robins ('Robins Center'), on the Air Force base located there.

Academic mission

As the state's designated public liberal arts university, Georgia College & State University is committed to combining the educational experiences typical of esteemed private liberal arts colleges with the affordability of public higher education. GCSU is a residential learning community that emphasizes undergraduate education and select graduate programs.

As part of this mission, GC places a strong emphasis on active and transformative learning which includes experiences both in and out of the classroom. Academic programs are focused on student development and outcomes, including:

  • Strong communication skills, both oral and written;
  • Development of critical and analytical thinking skills;
  • Broad understanding of global issues;
  • Appreciation for and understanding of diversity;
  • Ability to integrate information across many disciplines
  • Application of learning and knowledge
  • Creation of a foundation that allows for moral and ethical decisions
  • Civic responsibility

Georgia College seeks to produce graduates that are well prepared for careers or advanced study and who are instilled with exceptional qualities of mind and character. These include an inquisitive, analytical mind; respect for human diversity and individuality; a sense of civic and global responsibility; sound ethical principles; effective writing, speaking, and quantitative skills; and a healthy lifestyle.

GC faculty primarily focus their attention on maintaining excellence in instruction and guiding students, are committed to community service, and are creatively engaged in their fields of specialization. Students are endowed with both information and values through small classes, interdisciplinary studies, close association with the faculty and staff in and beyond the classroom, lively involvement in cultural life, and service to the community. In turn, Georgia College seeks to provide communities and employers with graduates who exhibit professionalism, responsibility, service, leadership, and integrity.

Mission support

Over $150 million has been invested in the Milledgeville campus over the past few years, including new state-of-the-art classrooms, enhanced academic facilities, and the addition of a new Library and Instructional Technology Center which can accommodate over 1,000 students [2]. The university has also invested heavily in technology and was recognized by Intel as one of "the 50 most wired campuses in the country."

In 2006, the university partnered with the Georgia College Foundation to open its new multi-million dollar graduate center in Macon.

With its shift from being a commuter school to a residential university, there was also a complete renovation of student housing, including the construction of a new student apartment complex called The Village.

Student Life

Student Housing Georgia College provides housing for its students. Students have the option to reside either in a suite-style residence hall on Central Campus or in an apartment at The Village on West Campus. The residential halls on Central Campus are Bell, Sanford, Parkhurst, Wells, Napier, Foundation and Adams. Living on campus has the following advantages: students are able to interact with each other and form lasting relationships; students are well protected with emergency-notification buttons in every bedroom, blue emergency lights available outside, security cameras, swipe controlled access on each residence hall entrance and/or deadbolt lock on all student rooms or apartments; every room is wired for high-speed internet access and finally students have the option of dining at the MSU Dining Hall, Chick-fil-A, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Blimpie, Books & Brew Starbucks Cafe, and the recently added, World of Wings and Sandella's.

Greek Life Georgia College has quite a number of sororities and fraternities under various councils, these are, College Panhellenic Council: Zeta Tau Alpha, Delta Zeta, Kappa Delta, Alpha Delta Pi, Phi Mu, National Pan-Hellenic Council: Alpha Kappa Alpha, Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Zeta Phi Beta, Interfraternity Council (Fraternities): Delta Sigma Phi, Kappa Alpha, Theta Chi, Pi Kappa Phi, Pi Kappa Alpha and Kappa Sigma.

Student Media Georgia College provides students with a wide range of practical opportunities for working in the media. The GC Student media includes the Colonnade (newspaper), Bobcat Media Productions/ GCTV News (tv station/news show), 88.9 WGUR (radio), Peacock’s Feet (creative journal) and The Corinthian (journal of student research).

The Student Government Association-Georgia College's Student Government Association (SGA) serves the campus community by addressing student concerns, promoting understanding within the college community, and administering all matters which are delegated to the student government by the university President. The responsibility for the governing of the student body is vested in the students themselves. All students are members of the SGA upon their enrollment and officers and Senators are elected on a yearly basis.

Students & rankings

According to SAT results listed on CollegeBoard.com, GC students have the third highest average of all public schools in Georgia. As of 2009, GC has been Georgia's top ranked public Master's University in U.S. News and World Report for the past four years. Kiplinger.com ranks GCSU in the top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges. The university boasts a student retention rate of 84%, making it a leader in that category. In 2007, 18 states and 43 nations were represented by its student body.

Notable facts

The university library also houses the manuscript collection of author Flannery O'Connor, an alumna of the university, and of U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell, whose career included serving as director of the Peace Corps when the Berlin Wall fell.

The University is home to the prominent literary journal Arts & Letters.

Notable alumni

• Chris Clark- earned his master’s in public administration from Georgia College in 1997 is the next president of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. •Flannery O’Conner- Author of many short stories including the famous, “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” • Dr. Lynne Wilcox 1975 graduate of Georgia College works with the CDC and their cancer prevention program. • Andy Offutt Irwin- 1983 graduate of Georgia College with a degree in sociology is a performing artist and songwriter with a CD. Julius Joseph- Professional Basketball player in England and Georgia College Athletics Hall of Famer • Michael D. Garrett- President of Georgia Power • Tony Nicely- Chairman, President and CEO of GEICO Insurance • Kim Martin- President of WE TV and Wedding Central is a graduate of Georgia College • Kyle Burger- Anchor for Huntsville Alabama’s TV station WAAYTV • Alex Gregory- President and CEO of Marietta based YKK Corporation of America • Aaron Clark- Professional Basketball Player for TED Turkey • Justin Miles- Actor in the movie “The Crazies” and the TV series “The Gates.”

References

  1. ^ a b c "Semester Enrollment Report" (PDF). Office of Research and Policy Analysis. University System of Georgia. 2007-11-12. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  2. ^ Georgia Dept. of Agriculture (1901). Georgia, historical and industrial. G.W. Harrison. p. 374.

Content provided by Georgia College & State University Office of University Communications

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