Darton College

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**Darton College**

Motto	Exceed your expectations
Established	1963
Type	Community college
President	Peter J. Sireno
Staff	235 (est.)
Students	4,986 (FY 2005)
Location	Albany, Georgia, USA
Campus	Urban, 220 acres (0.89 km²)
Colors	Red and Gray
Mascot	Cavaliers
Website	http://www.darton.edu

Darton College is a two-year unit of the University System of Georgia, located in Albany, Dougherty County, Georgia, U.S.. The population of the MSA was 162,800 in 2004. ^GR2

1 History
2 Campus
3 Student population
4 Academics
5 Extracurricular activities
6 Sports
7 References
8 External links

[edit] History

The institution was founded as Albany Junior College in 1963 and offered its first classes in 1966. In 1987, a committee of faculty, staff, students and community members chose the name Darton College. "Darton" is an Old English word meaning "town by the water" - which connotes Albany's location on the Flint River.

[edit] Campus

The 180 acre (728,000 m²) campus on Albany's western edge includes a 470 seat theater, library, fitness center, computer labs, and sports facilities such as tennis and racquetball courts, an indoor swimming pool, a nature trail and ball fields.

[edit] Student population

Darton College enrolls more than half of the area's high school graduates and approximately 45% of the students are from Dougherty County. This is why Darton is sometimes referred to as "Darton High" or "The 13th grade" by many of its students. Approximately one percent of students are from out-of-state and about 100 are from other countries.

About 57 % of Darton's students are under age 24. Approximately 45% are non-hispanic black, and 50% are non-hispanic white—no other group constitutes more than 3% (self-reported).

Full-time enrollment is approximately 47%.

[edit] Academics

The college offers 73 two-year transfer and career associate degrees and 45 certificate programs.

[edit] Distance learning

To increase access to a college education, Darton offers 16 online degrees and over 96 online distance learning courses over the internet, through local Channel 19 telecasts, GSAMS video-conferencing, and at selected regional sites off the main campus, in Cordele, Thomasville, Colquitt, Rome, Barnesville, Columbus, Valdosta, Waycross, and Atlanta, Georgia. Darton College has a strong presence in state distance learning initiatives, and its core curriculum courses in many programs of study are available online.

[edit] Nursing Division

Darton's Nursing Division provides education for many of southwest Georgia's nurses—including 70% of all the Registered Nurses (RNs) in Albany hospitals and 31% of all RNs in the hospitals of 38 southwest Georgia counties. As of spring 2005, the college had awarded 2,259 nursing degrees.[1]

Students completing the two-year nursing program earn an Associate of Science in Nursing degree and they are eligible to take licensure exams. Darton consistently has among the highest pass rates on the NCLEX-RN in the state and graduates have a 100% success rate in seeking post-graduation employment.[2]

There is a "fast-track" program for paramedics and the division has satellite programs in nearby towns. Darton received a $2.48 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor in 2005 to develop an online nursing program.

The program is accredited by the NLNAC.[3]

[edit] Allied Health Division

The Allied Health Division offers degrees in cardiovascular technology, dental hygiene, diagnostic medical sonography, emergency medical services, heallth information technology, histology technology, medical laboratory technology, occupational therapy assistant, physical therapy assistant, and respiratory care.

In addition, certificates are offered in accelerated polysomnography, emergency medical services, histotechnology, medical billing & coding, and medical transcription.

[edit] Extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities include groups such as the Cultural Exchange Club, Book Talk and the Darton Association of Nursing Students, as well as intramural athletics, league tournament athletics, community service associations and honor societies.

[edit] Sports

Darton received the 2005-06 Trophy Cup from the GJCAA for having the top two-year athletic program in the state. Four of the college's teams went to nationals in 2006. The Men's Golf Team won the for the second year in a row. Students are encouraged to participate in an ample array of Georgia Junior College Athletic Association/National Junior College Athletic Association intercollegiate athletics, including men's and women's soccer, golf and swimming, women's softball and basketball, and men's baseball.