They could start with the three state-supported historically black institutions of higher learning, which have made a name for themselves over the years. Albany State University, which played a central role in the Albany Movement (1961-1962) during the Civil Rights era, has supplied area hospitals with hundreds of nurses throughout its history with one of the oldest nursing programs in Southwest Georgia. During Jim Crow, the school also educated many of the black teachers in the region and is reportedly responsible for the lion's share of master's and education specialist Degrees awarded to teachers in nearby school systems.
Meanwhile, Fort Valley State University and Savannah State University, Georgia's other two state-run HBCUs, have carved their own niches. Fort Valley State's College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, for instance, is recognized as one of the best in the country as part of a 1,365-acre campus in the heart of Georgia that includes a working dairy farm. Moreover, Savanah State is known for its Journalism and Mass Communication Department and award-winning student newspaper. It is also one of the few schools in the State to offer a degree in social work.
Aside from the public HBCUs, Georgia's private historically black colleges and universities, most of whom comprise the Atlanta University Center, have stood out since their founding. Morehouse College, a nationally known institution dedicated to the education of black men, has produced high-profile figures in business, Civil Rights, and government, including a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a United States Senator. Today, the Morehouse School of Medicine provides much-needed doctors to hospitals and clinics in Atlanta and the country.
Across the way is Spelman College, a highly ranked institution for African American women, which has graduated nationally renowned scholars and leaders like Marian Wright Edelman and Bernice Johnson Reagon and continues to educate sought-after graduates today.
Morris Brown College, another AU Center member school, has been a beacon of higher education since Reconstruction. It recently fell on hard times and had to close much of its historic campus. Efforts are underway to restore it to its original glory and mission of educating young black minds as it has regained its accreditation.
Noted writer and historian W.E.B. Dubois taught at nearby Atlanta University at the turn of the twentieth century before its consolidation with neighboring Clark College in 1988 to become Clark Atlanta University. He laid the foundation for quality education with groundbreaking research and steadfast devotion to students.
Paine College is a private HBCU in Augusta, Georgia. Like its counterparts in Atlanta, it has produced respected figures in literature, government, journalism, and science. Sadly, it has endured tough financial challenges that have impacted its ability to function as it has for nearly 130 years.
HBCUs in Georgia also offer the latest in student amenities. Fort Valley State boasts a new, state-of-the-art basketball arena, while Albany State recently constructed an on-campus football stadium to welcome home alumni. Other HBCU institutions have broken ground on modern dormitories, student centers, dining halls, fraternity housing, laboratories, and classroom buildings. And the marching bands still mesmerize crowds during sporting events and homecoming parades.
Historically black colleges and universities in Georgia provide students with quality education and a jump start in life. Most first-generation college freshmen from challenging backgrounds are enrolled and equipped with the tools to make it in the outside world. They also benefit from small class sizes and a caring faculty. The majority graduate, with many furthering their education at larger institutions.
Please visit my blog at www.donaldwatson1962.blogspot.com
HBCUs in Georgia also offer the latest in student amenities. Fort Valley State boasts a new, state-of-the-art basketball arena, while Albany State recently constructed an on-campus football stadium to welcome home alumni. Other HBCU institutions have broken ground on modern dormitories, student centers, dining halls, fraternity housing, laboratories, and classroom buildings. And the marching bands still mesmerize crowds during sporting events and homecoming parades.
Historically black colleges and universities in Georgia provide students with quality education and a jump start in life. Most first-generation college freshmen from challenging backgrounds are enrolled and equipped with the tools to make it in the outside world. They also benefit from small class sizes and a caring faculty. The majority graduate, with many furthering their education at larger institutions.
Please visit my blog at www.donaldwatson1962.blogspot.com
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