Middle Georgia College

Middle Georgia College is a publicly supported, residential, charter unit of the University System of Georgia, in the city Cochran in the U.S. state of Georgia. Founded in 1884, the school is the oldest two-year college in the United States. It is currently being transformed into a 4 year college. The college offers a very limited number of 4-year degrees in the sciences, and also offers 2 year associates. The Dublin Campus is branch of the college located in Cochran, Georgia. A recent merger with Georgia Aviation Technical College in Eastman gave Middle Georgia a third campus location in Eastman. The college's mission statement declares its intent to provide high quality postsecondary education and support services to prepare its graduates for life-long learning, responsible citizenship, and leadership in their chosen careers.

History

Middle Georgia College had its beginning in a denominational institution, the College of the New Ebenezer Association. The association was composed largely of Baptist churches in Pulaski, Dodge, Laurens, and Telfair counties.

The establishment of the institution was authorized by the association on October 20, 1884. The first building was constructed during 1885 and 1886. Instruction began on January 10, 1887, with approximately a hundred students, most of whom were from the middle Georgia area.

During the early period, the institution was divided into preparatory and collegiate departments. A stated purpose of the curriculum, as described in the catalog of 1887, was "to prepare pupils for business or for the Junior Class in Universities. This includes Latin, Greek, Mathematics, Natural Science and several modern languages, with English studies and Music." Thus, the two-year college idea was among the primary intentions of the founders.

On August 21, 1917, an agricultural and mechanical school for Georgia's 12th congressional district was established to continue the educational services for the area on the same campus. This school was chartered as one of the branches of the Georgia State College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, a department of the University of Georgia.

Middle Georgia College is a publicly supported, residential, charter unit of the University System of Georgia, in the city Cochran in the U.S. state of Georgia. Founded in 1884, the school is the oldest two-year college in the United States. It is currently being transformed into a 4 year college. The college offers a very limited number of 4-year degrees in the sciences, and also offers 2 year associates. The Dublin Campus is branch of the college located in Cochran, Georgia. A recent merger with Georgia Aviation Technical College in Eastman gave Middle Georgia a third campus location in Eastman. The college's mission statement declares its intent to provide high quality postsecondary education and support services to prepare its graduates for life-long learning, responsible citizenship, and leadership in their chosen careers.