| Albany State University | |
|---|---|
Albany State Uni versity Seal |
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| Motto | Potential. Realized. |
| Established | 1903 |
| Type | Public, HBCU [1] |
| President | Dr. Everette J. Freeman |
| Students | 4,176 [2] |
| Undergraduates | 3,714 [2] |
| Postgraduates | 424 [2] |
| Location | Albany, Georgia, United States |
| Campus | Urban, 231-acre (934,823.8 m2) |
| Colors | Royal Blue and Old Gold |
| Athletics | NCAA Division II |
| Nickname | Golden Rams |
| Affiliations | SIAC |
| Website | www.asurams.edu |
Albany State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university (HBCU) located in Albany, Georgia, United States. It is one of three HBCU's in the University System of Georgia.
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| 1903 | Established as the Albany Bible and Manual Training Institute |
| 1917 | Became a state-supported, two year, agricultural and teacher training college and renamed to The Georgia Normal and Agricultural College |
| 1932 | Became a part of the University System of Georgia |
| 1943 | Granted four-year status and renamed to Albany State College |
| 1981 | First graduate program established |
| 1996 | Name changed to Albany State University. |
Joseph Winthrop Holley, born in 1874 to former slaves in Winnsboro, South Carolina, founded the institution in 1903 as the Albany Bible and Manual Training Institute. Two educators, Reverend Samuel Loomis and his wife, sent Holley to Brainerd Institute and then Revere Lay College (Massachusetts). While attending Revere Lay, Holley got to know one of the school's trustees, New England businessman, Rowland Hazard. After taking a liking to Holley, Hazard arranged for him to continue his education at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. Holley aspired to become a minister and prepared by completing his education at Pennsylvania's Lincoln University.
W. E. B. Du Bois inspired Holley to return to the South after he read Du Bois's writings on the plight of black people in Albany, GA in The Souls of Black Folk. Holley relocated to Albany to start a school. With the help of a $2,600 gift from the Hazard family, Holley organized a board of trustees and purchased 50 acres (200,000 m2) of land for the campus, all within a year. The aim of the institution at the time, was to provide elementary education and teacher training for the local Black population. The institution became financially state supported in 1917 as a two-year agricultural and teacher training college. Its new name became the Georgia Normal and Agricultural College.[3]
In 1932, the school became part of the University System of Georgia and in 1943 it was granted four-year status and renamed Albany State College. The transition to four-year status heavily increased the school's enrollment. In 1981 the college offered its first graduate program and in 1996 the name was changed to Albany State University.
Holley served as President of the school from 1903-1943. He was succeeded by Aaron Brown (1943–1954), William Dennis (1954–1965), Thomas Miller Jenkins (1965–1969), Charles Hayes (1969–1980), Billy C. Black (1980–1996), Portia Holmes Shields (1996–2005), and Everette J. Freeman (2005–Present) [3]
The college played a significant role in the American Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960s. Many students from the school, Black improvement organizations, and representatives from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) came together to create the Albany Movement. The movement brought prominent civil rights leaders to the town including Martin Luther King Jr. During this time period, over 3,000 people were arrested. Albany, Georgia has several mass arrests during the movement including the largest mass arrest of over 700 people (the largest in United States history) Approximately 40 students were either suspended of expelled by then ASC president William H. Dennis for their participation in the Albany Movement Those expelled included American University Professor Emeritus Bernice Johnson Reagon. The university is presently trying to give honorary degrees to those who were expelled or suspended during the movement. However the request has been denied by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
In July 1996 the university system's Board of Regents approved a name change, and the school officially became Albany State University. Today Albany State University continues to provide a wide range of educational opportunities to the residents of southwest Georgia. The school participates in an engineering transfer program and a dual degree program with the Georgia Institute of Technology, one of the top engineering schools in the nation. Then President, Portia Shields created the Holley Institute summer program, which consists of an intense four weeks of study to help high school students improve low SAT scores and gain admission to college. The program has a near 100 percent success rate and has received praise from the state Board of Regents. Albany State also has the third highest student retention rate in the university system. A new stadium was opened in 2004, and new housing units opened in 2006. [5]
Albany State offers undergraduate and graduate liberal arts and professional degree programs.
According to U.S. News & World Report, ASU ranks number 26 out of 81 in the magazine’s first ranking of undergraduate education at HBCUs. It is ranked as a 1st tier school on the list. ASU shares its #26 ranking with Alcorn State University.[6]
Today the Albany State University student body consists of both traditional and non-traditional students who make up the more than 4,000 student population. These students come primarily from Atlanta, southwest and middle Georgia, other U.S. states and many foreign countries. The average student age is 24 and about 40 percent of the students live in on-campus housing.[7]
The Graduate school degree programs include: Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership(M.Ed&Ed.S), English Education, Health and Physical Education, Mathematics Education, Middle Grades Education, Music Education, Nursing, Public Administration, School Counseling, Science Education, and Special Education.[9]
Albany State offers more than 30 undergraduate degree programs and six advanced degrees. The university also offers the Board of Regents' engineering transfer program and the dual degree program in engineering with Georgia Tech. Today, Albany State University provides innovative instructional and professional programs through its five academic schools: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Nursing and Allied Health Sciences and the Graduate School. The University serves 24 counties in the Southwest Georgia area with graduate and undergraduate courses in more than 30 fields.
There are over 59 clubs and organizations including bands, choirs, religious groups, honor societies, several major Greek and honor sororities and fraternities, and ROTC.
All nine of the National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations currently have chapters at Albany State University. These organizations are:
| Organization | Symbol | Chapter | Chapter Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Kappa Alpha | ΑΚΑ | Gamma Sigma | ΓΣ |
| Alpha Phi Alpha | ΑΦΑ | Delta Delta | ΔΔ |
| Delta Sigma Theta | ΔΣΘ | Delta Rho | ΔΡ |
| Iota Phi Theta | ΙΦΘ | Zeta Pi | ΖΠ |
| Kappa Alpha Psi | ΚΑΨ | Delta Xi | ΔΞ |
| Omega Psi Phi | ΩΨΦ | Chi Epsilon | ΧΕ |
| Phi Beta Sigma | ΦΒΣ | Beta Psi | ΒΨ |
| Sigma Gamma Rho | ΣΓΡ | Zeta Psi | ΖΨ |
| Zeta Phi Beta | ΖΦΒ | Pi Beta | ΠΒ |
Three of the music organizations currently have chapters at Albany State University. These organizations are:
| Organization | Symbol | Chapter | Chapter Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia | ΦΜΑ | Rho Delta | ΡΔ |
| Kappa Kappa Psi | ΚΚΨ | Eta Kappa | ΗΚ |
| Tau Beta Sigma | ΤΒΣ | Zeta Kappa | ΖΚ |
Albany State's Marching Band participated in the 2007, 2008, 2010 2011 and will participate in the 2012 Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB).
| SIAC championships | |
|---|---|
| Baseball | 1991 • 1994 • 2000-2004 • 2006 • 2010 |
| Basketball (Men's) | 1973 • 1983-1985 • 1992 • 1997 • 2007 |
| Basketball (Women's) | 1980 • 1981 • 1987 • 1989 • 1990 1996 • 1998 |
| Cross Country (Men’s) | 1976 • 1977 • 1979 • 1980-1986 |
| Cross Country (Women's) | 1982 • 1998 • 2004-2008 • 2010 |
| Football | 1984-1986 • 1988 • 1993-1997 2003-2006 • 2010 |
| Softball | 2005 • 2007 • 2008 • 2010 |
| Tennis (Women's) | 2010 |
| Track and Field (Men's) | 1972-1978 • 1980-1987 • 2003-2005 |
| Track and Field (Women's) | 1997 • 1999-2000 • 2005-2009 • 2011 |
| Volleyball (Women's) | 1998 • 2001-2009 |
| SEAC championships | |
| Football | 1955 • 1957 • 1959 • 1960 • 1962 • 1966 |
| Black College National Championships | |
| Football | 2010 |
Albany State University holds membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II (as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) and participates in the following sports: football, basketball, baseball, cheerleading, volleyball, cross-country and track and field.
Home football games are played at the Albany Municipal Coliseum. In 2010, Albany State won the 2010 SBN Jake Gaither National Championship Trophy (SBN Sports Black College National Football Championship) after an 11-1 season.
Albany State sponsored men and women's swimming and diving teams in past years and were named National Black College Swimming and Diving Champions in 1979 and 1980.
This is a list of notable alumni which includes graduates, non-graduate former students, and current students of Albany State University. It also reflects those alumni who attended and/or graduated from the institution under its prior historical names.
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