Middle Georgia State University is a public, four-year, residential unit of the University System of Georgia located in Macon. Middle Georgia State offers master's, bachelor's and associate degrees, as well as some certificates, to students on five campuses in Middle Georgia, and online everywhere.
The institution has its origins dating to 1884, although it has changed significantly since 2012. Two established institutions were merged and became a new "state college" in 2013, and on July 1, 2015 that state college was renamed as Middle Georgia State University. The academic programs of the two legacy institutions were consolidated, and online classes were added to open those programs to more citizens on and off the campuses.
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History
Middle Georgia State is a relatively new institution in name, though it has been in existence in several forms for most of 130 years.
1884-1919
The institution's beginnings date to the establishment of New Ebenezer College, which occupied the site of the current Cochran Campus. New Ebenezer was established in 1884 by the New Ebenezer Baptist Association, which was composed largely of Baptist churches in Pulaski, Dodge, Laurens, and Telfair counties of Middle Georgia. The first building on the campus was completed in 1886, and classes were first held in 1887 with approximately 100 students. However, the association discontinued its financial support for their namesake college in 1898, forcing the school to close its doors.
The college's building served as a high school for the city of Cochran until 1913, when the high school moved. No documentation exists regarding the facilities from 1913-1919, leading to the presumption that it was unoccupied during that time.
1919-1931
In 1919, the Georgia State College of Agricultural and Mechanic Arts (a division of the University of Georgia) opened a branch dedicated to serving the needs of the 12th Congressional District in the building formerly used by New Ebenezer College. In 1927, the school's name was changed to Middle Georgia Agricultural and Mechanical Junior College, though it remained a branch of the state agricultural school. In 1929, the school's name was changed to Middle Georgia College and responsibility for its operation was given to a nine-person board of trustees.
1931-1965
Middle Georgia College was made an independent institution in 1931 when it was created as one of the original units of the newly created University System of Georgia. During World War II, Middle Georgia hosted the 50th College Training Detachment of the U.S. Army Air Force and graduated 17 classes of aviation students from March 1943 - July 1944.
In 1964, Dr. Louis C. Alderman Jr. became president and served 23 years, the longest term of any president of the college. Many new buildings as well as renovations of existing facilities marked his tenure in growing the college's reputation, academic excellence, campus beauty and athletic programs. Middle Georgia College continued to operate as a separate unit of the University System until the end of 2012.
1965-1995
In 1965, with Middle Georgia College continuing to operate in Cochran, the University System's Board of Regents passed a resolution to create another public two-year college in central Georgia. Subsequently, the voters of Bibb County approved a bond issue to fund the college.
Macon Junior College, as it was then known, opened its doors in 1968 to the largest enrollment ever for a new state college in Georgia. In 1970, the Board of Regents directed Macon Junior College to serve civilian and military employees at Robins Air Force Base. The Robins Resident Center, located on the base, was subsequently established.
In the 1980s, the two institutions continued to grow and experience change. Middle Georgia College opened a Dublin Campus in 1984. In 1987, the Regents removed "Junior" from the Macon college's name, but Macon College remained a two-year school, and in 1991 it began offering classes in a building at an office park in Warner Robins.
1996-2011
In 1996, the Regents approved a change in mission of Macon College and introduced the Bachelor of Science degree. Later that year, the school became known as "Macon State College" to indicate the new status. Both changes formally took effect in 1997. The first bachelor's degrees were awarded in May 1999. With support from the City of Warner Robins and funding from the General Assembly, the college constructed a new building and renovated another to establish a new campus in Warner Robins in 2003.
Middle Georgia College also was expanding. A new program was added in 2007, when the college assumed the programs and facilities that had been the Georgia Aviation Technical College in Eastman. With that consolidation, Middle Georgia had campuses in Cochran, Dublin and Eastman.
Although Middle Georgia College had built residence halls, for its first 40 years Macon State was strictly a commuter college. However, in 2010 the college assumed operations of a 300+ apartment complex adjacent to the Macon Campus. The units opened as student housing for the fall 2010 semester.
2011-2015
From 2011 to 2015, the two institutions went through dramatic change, beginning in June 2011 when Dr. David Bell ended his 14-year presidency of Macon State. He was replaced in July 2011 by Dr. Jeff Allbritten.
Six months later, in January 2012, the Board of Regents set in motion the consolidation of Macon State College with Middle Georgia College. In May, the Regents decided on a name for the new institution--Middle Georgia State College--and also laid out a path for elevating the consolidated institution to university status after a review process. Allbritten left the presidency after only one year. In July 2012, he was replaced by Dr. John Black, who had retired as president emeritus of East Georgia State College. Black became interim president of Macon State, while Dr. Michael Stoy continued to serve as president of Middle Georgia College.
In the fall of 2012, students at the two colleges selected a new mascot to replace the Blue Storm (of Macon State) and the Warriors (of Middle Georgia). More than 1,000 students on the campuses of the two legacy institutions voted to select Knights as the new mascot. Students also selected new school colors of purple, black and silver, and they voted among several choices on the design of the new mascot. The new mascot and color selections were at least partially influenced by the two institutions' previous identities. The Blue Storm was depicted as a horse in clouds, while the Warriors were fighting humans. Some students saw the "knight," an armor-wearing fighting soldier often depicted as riding a horse, as a combination of the two former mascots. Selection of the new colors was similarly influenced by the past. The Blue Storm colors were blue and gold; the Warrior colors were red and black. The combination of blue and red form purple, a regal color often worn by knights. Students also proposed many names for the new mascot; the name "Duke" was selected in another student vote.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the regional accrediting agency, gave its approval to the consolidation of the two colleges in December 2012.
The Board of Regents voted to make the consolidation official, effective immediately, on Jan. 8, 2013. Black was re-appointed as interim president of the new institution, Middle Georgia State College. His term ended in December 2013, and Dr. Christopher Blake assumed the presidency on January 2, 2014.
On March 18, 2015, the Board of Regents approved the elevation of Middle Georgia State to a state university, which took place on July 1, 2015. The university held its first homecoming activities in September 2015. In October, the University announced the expansion of its flight programs previously only offered at the Eastman Campus. The institution is leasing facilities from the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority to offer flight courses at the Macon Downtown Airport in east Bibb County.
On Dec. 6, 2015, SACSCOC accredited the University to offer master's degrees, effective in January 2016 and to admit and register students for its new online graduate programs, the Master of Science in Information Technology and the Master of Science in Nursing.
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Academic programs and organization
The university's academic programs are offered by one college and five schools:
- Department of English
- Department of History and Political Science
- Department of Mathematics
- Department of Media, Culture and the Arts
- Department of Natural Sciences
- Department of Psychology, Sociology and Criminal Justice
- Department of Flight
- Department of Aviation Maintenance and Structural Technology
- Department of Aviation Science and Management
- Department of Air Traffic Management
- Department of Health Services Administration
- Department of Nursing
- Department of Occupational Therapy
- Department of Respiratory Therapy
The university offers bachelor's and associate degrees, and some certificates. The programs on the Eastman Campus are devoted almost exclusively to aviation disciplines.
Several of the university's academic programs have earned accreditation from national agencies:
- The School of Education has been accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)
- The bachelor's in information technology has been accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET
- The bachelor's and associate's in nursing has been accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
- The associate's in occupational therapy assistant has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
- The associate's in respiratory therapy has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
Middle Georgia State has been approved by the Board of Regents to offer two master's degrees, including Information Technology with a focus on cybersecurity or health informatics, and Nursing, with a focus on gerontology and critical care nursing. As of Fall 2015, the admission of students into those programs as well as the offering of both degrees is awaiting approval by accreditation agencies.
The university also operates the Georgia Academy of Arts, Mathematics, Engineering and Science, a residential joint enrollment program that allows students to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an Associate's degree. Students participating in the Academy's program reside in dedicated facilities at the Cochran campus, which accommodates their unique needs.
Study abroad
Students at Middle Georgia State have the opportunity to study abroad through the University System's European Council, which seeks to foster greater understanding and appreciation of the cultures and societies of Europe. The EC sponsors summer study abroad programs for USG students and transients at seven locations in Europe that last 2-5 weeks. Courses are taught largely by faculty from USG colleges and universities and students blend classroom experiences with group and individual travel as they earn academic credit at their home institution.
Honors Program
The Honors Program at Middle Georgia State is designed to help academically advanced students develop their potential through challenging educational activities. Its main goal is to encourage these students in individual, rational, and creative thinking. Honors students have small classes with the university's finest professors, and students have opportunities to travel with their professors to research libraries, museums and theaters, and formal academic conferences.
Athletics
Middle Georgia State sponsors intercollegiate athletics teams in eight sports: men's and women's basketball, men's and women's tennis, baseball, softball, and men's and women's soccer, which compete in facilities on the Cochran campus.
In the fall of 2016, the university added women's volleyball and women's cross country. Those teams will compete on the Macon campus, as well as the men's and women's tennis teams.
For many years the school's teams participated in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA) conference. In the fall of 2014 the university joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC). The university also fields a club football team, which competes as a member of the National Club Football Association.
The MGC baseball team won 4 NJCAA national championships: 1979, 1980, 1982, and 1995. The team reached the JUCO World Series 13 times: 1975, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2009.
Composition and the Campuses
As of fall semester 2015, the combined enrollment of Middle Georgia State was 7,676.
The new university has five campuses and one instructional site in the following locations:
The Cochran Campus is home to many of the university's intercollegiate athletic facilities:
- Stuckey Field (baseball)
- Morris Gymnasium (basketball)
- NeSmith Field (soccer)
- Knight Field (softball)
- Abbott Tennis Courts (tennis)
- The club football team holds its home games at NeSmith Field, which is located just south of the Cochran Campus.
Club cheerleading is also available on the Cochran Campus:
- Basketball
- Football
- Competition
The Cochran Campus is also home to the university's bands program:
- The MGA Symphonic Winds (Concert Band)
- The Middle Georgia Percussion Ensemble
- The Jazz Knights Jazz Ensemble
- The Middle Georgia Brass Ensemble
- The Knight Winds Woodwind Ensemble
- The Band of Knights Marching Band
Greek life
The university started hosting Greek organizations in the fall 2015 semester, including fraternities and sororities. The first colony to be established at MGA was Kappa Sigma. Since welcoming Greek Life at Middle Georgia, several more organizations have shown interest. Kappa Delta Chi and Sigma Gamma Rho sororities and Phi Beta Sigma and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternities are at varying stages of determining student interest.
Fraternities
- Kappa Sigma
Sororities
Alma mater
With the creation of a new university, Director of Bands, Alan Clark, commissioned the creation of a new Alma Mater. He turned to renowned composer Robert W. Smith of Troy, Alabama to write the music and lyrics, with input on the words from the university's top administrators. The song is titled "Knights of Truth and Justice." The music was played for the first time by the Band of Knights, and sung for the first time by the MGA Chamber Singers at the inauguration of President Christopher Blake on Oct. 17, 2014.
Through the rolling hills of Georgia In the heart of the great Peach State, We build the future shaping lives. The quest is ours to take.
With boundless possibilities And the lessons of the past, We sons and daughters of M - G - A, Our friendships ever last.
We Knights of truth and honor With knowledge as our sword, We raise our voices loud and clear, Our heart's at M G A!
Points of interest
- Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens
- Ebenezer House, Cochran Campus
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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