Georgia Southwestern State University

Infobox_University
name = Georgia Southwestern State University
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established = 1906
type = Public
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students = 2,405 cite web|url=http://www.usg.edu/research/students/enroll/fy2008/fall07.pdf |title=Semester Enrollment Report |accessdate=2007-12-23 |date=2007-11-12 |format=PDF |work=Office of Research and Policy Analysis |publisher=University System of Georgia ]
undergrad = 2,221
postgrad = 184
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city = Americus
state = Georgia
country = USA
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colors = Navy, Gold color box|navycolor box|gold
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mascot = ENAC (CANE spelled backwards)
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nickname = Hurricanes
affiliations = Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (Academic), Peach Belt Athletic Conference (Athletics)
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website = [http://www.gsw.edu/ www.gsw.edu]
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Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Georgia, is a school in the University System of Georgia.

History

Pre 1960s

Georgia Southwestern State University, a four-year unit of the University System of Georgia, was founded in 1906 as the Third Agricultural and Mechanical School. In 1926, the General Assembly granted a charter authorizing the school to offer two years of college work and to change its name to the Third District Agricultural and Normal College. The new charter resulted in the expansion of the curriculum to include courses in teacher training, and the State Department of Education gave teacher certification to students who completed the program.

Two Year Status

In 1932, by legislative enactment, this college and other state-supported institutions of higher learning in Georgia were organized into the University System of Georgia and placed under the jurisdiction of the Board of Regents. As a unit of the University System, the College continued its two-year curriculum and changed its name to Georgia Southwestern College.

1960-1996: Four Year Collegiate Status

In 1964, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia authorized Georgia Southwestern College to begin its transition to a four-year degree-granting institution. This action resulted in the development of baccalaureate programs, and the first bachelor's degrees were conferred in June 1968.

A program of graduate studies leading to the Master of Education degree was approved by the Board of Regents and initiated in June 1973. This program has undergone continuous growth and development, and the Specialist in Education degree was begun in the summer of 1982. The Master of Science in Administration was added in the winter of 1983. The Master of Science in Computer Science was added in the Spring of 1986.

1996-Present Day: University Years

In July 1996, Georgia Southwestern, along with several other schools in the USG, were granted the option of how to rename themselves as universities. Several options were considered, including State University of Southwestern Georgia (West Georgia College would adopt a name similar to this, much to their later regret when the acronym, SUWG, was mockingly pronounced by rival colleges as "sewage"), Georgia Southwestern College & State University (several schools opted for this name, including North Georgia, Clayton State, and Georgia College), but Georgia Southwestern opted, naturally, for a conservative approach by just adding "State University" to their name. The official name took effect in July 1996, but even campus stationery reflected the old name through the 1997 academic year.

Since 1996, Georgia Southwestern, or GSW as it known by alums and students, made several additions to campus life, including a new basketball arena and student center, a campus TV station, and a new baseball field.

Academics

The College of Education

Long considered one of the top programs in the state for professional educators, GSW has a particularly rigorous curriculum, with many entry requirements. The College of Education is recognized around the country as being one of the best, and one of the toughest. It offers degrees in Elementary, Secondary, and Early Childhood Education, as well as concentrations in Administration and Special Needs.

The College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences at GSW offers undergraduate degrees in art (both the B.A. and the B.F.A), biology, chemistry, computer science, computer information and technology, dramatic arts, English, geology, history, music, political science, psychology, and sociology. It has the only undergraduate art program in the University System of Georgia with a concentration in glass blowing.

A journalism major was once considered, but that has since become offered as minor with the English Department.

School of Nursing

The School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree through three tracks:
* Generic
* RN to BSN
* Accelerated BSNThere is a Georgia Southwestern Association of Nursing Students and a chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, Mu Pi.

The Rosalynn Carter Institute on Caregiving

Mrs. Carter is the Board Chair of the Rosalynn Carter Institute (RCI) at Georgia Southwestern State University. (www.RosalynnCarter.org) The RCI was established in 1987 and works to address issues related to caregiving in America. The Institute focuses its work on both family and professional caregivers for individuals living with chronic illness and disabilities, limitations related to aging, and other health concerns. The work of the Institute is extensive both locally (in Americus), throughout Georgia and the United States. For example, the Institute provides scholarships and fellowships to students throughout Georgia, offers a Certificate Program in Caregiving at the University, conducts needs assessments and research on caregivers, provides training and education for caregivers through its own curriculum, operates a Caregiver Resource Center for residents of southwest Georgia, offers a number of national caregiver awards including the Rosalynn Carter Caregiver Award, and partners with Johnson & Johnson to support innovative community caregiving programs throughout the United States.

Student Life

Student Activities

GSW offers a variety of activities for students, including intramural sports, multiple clubs and activities, and chapters of major Greek organizations, including Chi Phi, Zeta Tau Alpha, Kappa Delta, Kappa Sigma, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Pi Kappa Phi, and Sigma Chi. Other student activities include movie nights and weekend cookouts.

Homecoming

Homecoming at GSW is very special time for the campus. As GSW does not field a football team, the Homecoming Week is centered around a weekend basketball women/men doubleheader. During this game, the campus Homecoming Queen is crowned after an on-campus vote is tallied.

In 1995, a scandal involving alleged vote-rigging with the Homecoming Queen elections resulted in those votes being tossed and new election being held. The allegations were made by a group of African-American students who claimed that the mostly white student government had violated voting rules. The racially charged atmosphere that followed resulted in an all-white Homecoming Court, as well as a sit-in by the group that protested the initial result. Later that year, the unofficial results of the cancelled election was revealed and had it been allowed to proceed, it was suggested that the GSW would have had its first-ever African American Homecoming Queen. As it turned it, that happened in 1997.

Student Publications

GSW has two student publications - the Sirocco and the Sou'Wester. Both are student run and college-funded publications. The Sirocco replaced the Clay & Pine.

The Sou'Wester

The Sou'Wester traces its origins back to the 1930s. The Sou'Wester did have two brief runs of collegiate glory during the early 1980s, when it won several awards in statewide competition, and the mid 1990s, when it won an unpredecented 16 awards in a three year span. During this span, the newspaper also achieved respect among its peers, with members being voted to the Board of Directors of the Georgia College Press Association.

The Sou'Wester made its reputation on doing what many thought was nearly impossible: being an independent-minded student newspaper on a campus with no journalism major. During the mid 1990s, the publication debuted a special section for Homecoming Week, published full color for the first time, and won state awards for news coverage, advertising design and editorial commentary.

Some notable Sou'Wester student staffers during that time included:
* Kimberly Raybon - Editor (currently an attorney in Albany, Georgia.)
* Chris Shoemaker - Arts & Entertainment Editor/Senior Editor (currently an Associate Pastor in Tifton, Georgia)
* Christie Nestor - News Editor
* Tonya Mathis - Managing Editor
* John Guzzardo - Editor (currently residing near Tampa, Florida)

Notable alumni

* Former United States President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn (both President and Mrs. Carter attended Georgia Southwestern when it was a two year institution).

Trivia

* GSW's Bell Tower is not actually a bell tower, but a sophisticated sound system. Christmas music is often played from it during the holidays.
* At one time, the school mascot ENAC was a lion, to promote the school's P.R.I.D.E. campaign (nobody really understood what this was about). The mascot created some confusion, and it was redesigned to resemble a tornado. However, the tornado costume ended up resembling a soft-serve ice cream cone.
* In 1996, a GSW Fine Arts Student created a wall made from hand-blown glass bricks that were etched with various designs.

References

External links

* [http://www.gsw.edu/ GSW official website]
* [http://cis.gsw.edu GSW School of Computer Science and Information Technology]
* [http://www.gsw.edu/~son/ GSW School of Nursing]
* [http://www.rosalynncarter.org Rosalynn Carter Institute on Caregiving]