page_title: Georgia Southern University
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Georgia Southern University / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo taken by Richard Chambers of the garden area at Georgia Southern University which recognizes people who have made large contributions to the university. Photo taken in March, 2007 with an Olympus C-740 digital camera, photoshoped to half size.
context_page_description: Georgia Southern University is a public research university in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its flagship campus is in Statesboro, and other locations include the Armstrong Campus in Savannah and the Liberty Campus in Hinesville. Founded in 1906 as a land grant college, Georgia Southern is the fifth largest institution in the University System of Georgia and is the largest center of higher education within the southern half of Georgia. The institution offers over 140 different academic majors in a comprehensive array of baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral programs. The university has a combined enrollment of approximately 26,000 students from all 50 states and approximately 85 nations. Georgia Southern is classified as a Doctoral and Research Institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, plus a comprehensive university by the University System of Georgia.
  On the Statesboro Campus is the Center for Wildlife Education and the Lamar Q Ball, Jr. Raptor Center, an educational and research facility that is home to Georgia Southern's bald eagle mascot as well as 85 other birds, 67 reptiles, 70 amphibians, and eight mammals.
context_section_description: Georgia Southern University began as First District Agricultural & Mechanical School, a land grant college under federal legislation and support. It opened in 1908 with four faculty members and 15 students.
  Founded as a school for teaching modern agricultural production techniques and homemaking skills to white rural school children, First District A&M within two decades shifted its emphasis to meet the growing need for teachers within the state. Its name and mission were changed in 1924 to Georgia Normal School, as a training ground for teachers. Five years later in 1929, after development of a four-year curriculum, it was granted full-fledged senior college status by the state, and the school was renamed as South Georgia Teachers College.
  Ensuing decades found more name and mission changes: to Georgia Teachers College in 1939 and Georgia Southern College in 1959.
  The university finally integrated its student body in 1965, eleven years after the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954). College President Marvin Pittman had been fired in 1941 by Georgia governor Eugene Talmadge for supporting racial integration; he was eventually rehired.
  Georgia Southern has continued its program and physical expansion. With the development of graduate programs in numerous fields and associated research, the institution was granted university status in 1990 as Georgia Southern University.
  Since then, the university has embarked on a massive upgrade of facilities, adding more than $300 million in new construction. Georgia Southern was named a Doctoral/Research University by Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 2006. The university is recognized in publications including U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" and "Best Graduate Schools", Forbes' "America's Best Colleges" and, most recently, by Kiplinger for being one of the "Top 100 Best Values among Public Colleges and Universities." Additionally, Georgia Southern's MBA program was named one of the "Best 301" in the country by The Princeton Review.
  Since 1999, two new colleges have been established: the College of Information Technology in 2001, and the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health in 2004. Additional undergraduate and graduate programs were formed, including doctorate degrees in psychology, public health and nursing. In 2011, the university established the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing, formerly known as College of Engineering and Information Technology, which combines the previous College of IT with its engineering programs. In addition, at the same time it created the College of Science and Mathematics, previously known as the Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology.
  Online bachelor's degrees are available in nursing, general studies, and information technology. Master's programs are offered in kinesiology, instructional technology, accomplished teaching, instructional improvement, higher education administration, reading education, middle grades education, secondary education, special education, and educational leadership. Additionally, the university offers master's degrees in business administration, applied economics, accounting, computer science and sport management. Georgia Southern also offers online endorsements in online teaching and learning, K-5 math, and reading.
  Since 1999, the university has had its most significant growth in its more than 100-year history. It has grown in enrollment and physical facilities. Under a Campus Master Plan, the university added the new 1,001-bed residence hall Centennial Place. It has completely renovated and significantly expanded the Zach S. Henderson Library. Recently completed was the new Eugene M. Bishop Alumni Center, a gathering place for alumni and friends of the university. The Center for Wildlife Education and the Botanical Garden have also been expanded.
  On January 11, 2017, the Regents of the University System of Georgia announced that the university would merge with Armstrong State University in Savannah as part of the 
caption: The Builders of the University Terrace
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