Georgia Southern University

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Georgia Southern University
Established	December 1, 1906
Type	Public
Endowment	62 million
President	Dr. Bruce Grube
Faculty	679+
Staff	1,758 as of 2005
Location	Statesboro, Georgia, USA
Campus	"College town"; 675 acres (2.73 km²)
Athletics	Division I 14 varsity sports
Colors	Blue, White and Gold
Nickname	Eagles
Mascot	GUS the Eagle Glory and Freedom-Live mascot
Website	http://www.georgiasouthern.edu

On Forest Drive looking between the College of Education and the Nursing building towards the College of Information Technology.

Standing on the pedestrium looking across towards the lake.

Standing on the lake side looking towards Russell Union student center and Betty Foy-Sanders art building.

Standing on the pedestrium looking towards College of Business Administration and the College of Education.

Late evening standing in the grass circle next to the College of Education building looking towards the pedestrium between the College of Information Technology on the left and the College of Business on the right.

Georgia Southern University, established 1906, is a regional university located in Statesboro, Georgia, USA, and part of the University System of Georgia. It is the largest center of higher education in the southern half of Georgia and is the sixth largest institution in the University System.^[1] The University has a residential campus of 16,425 students, with every state and 87 nations represented in the student body.

[edit] Academics

The President of Georgia Southern University is the head administrator and is appointed and overseen by the Georgia Board of Regents.

The University offers more than 120 bachelor's degree, masters degree, and Doctorate programs in eight colleges:

• College of Business Administration
• College of Education
• College of Information Technology
• College of Health and Human Sciences
• Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies [1]
• Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health [2]
• College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
• Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology

The College of Business Administration houses the only School of Economic Development in the southeastern United States.

The College of Information Technology is the only one in Southeastern United States, and one of the few in the nation.

The University Library is undergoing major renovation and expansion and will be completed in the Fall of 2008. The Library is the only one in Georgia which operates a 24 hour schedule.

Black Issues in Higher Education has recognized Georgia Southern University among the top institutions in the country for the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to African-American students.

Georgia Southern is home to the world renowned Institute of Arthropodology and Parasitology. The institute has the U.S. National Tick Collection as an integral part of it. It is the largest tick collection in the world with more than one million specimens including representatives of most of the world's 850 species.

[edit] Rankings

The University’s Master of Business Administration and the Master of Accounting are featured in Best 282 Business Schools published by The Princeton Review. [3]

US News & World Report consistently ranks the University’s Family Nurse Practitioner Program among the best in the nation. [4]

Georgia Southern University has one of the best Logistics programs in the nation. According to Supply Chain Management, the University is ranked 16th among private and public institutions. [5]

The prestigious American Chemical Society consistently ranks the University’s Department of Chemistry among the top 25 in the nation for certified baccalaureate graduates.[6]

[edit] Location

The town of Statesboro is located inland from the east coast off of Interstate 16 between the cities of Macon (which is in central Georgia) and Savannah (located on the coast of Georgia at the mouth of the Savannah River). Statesboro is less than one hour's drive from Savannah, about two hours from Macon, and about three and a half hours from Atlanta.

[edit] History

The school which was to become Georgia Southern University was founded as a district agricultural school named First District A&M in 1906 as one of several agricultural and mechanical trades schools chartered by the Georgia General Assembly, the state legislature. During the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s the school expanded, offering a richer curriculum with an emphasis on education and changed its name for the first time to Georgia Normal School. It progressed from a two-year to a four-year teacher's college called South Georgia Teacher's College during those years. In 1959, the school became known as Georgia Southern College when it became a senior college within the University System of Georgia followed by receiving university status in 1990. In April 2006, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching officially announced that Georgia Southern changed classifications from its previous Masters I designation to the National Doctoral/Research University level. Despite this classification change, the University System of Georgia will continue to consider Georgia Southern a regional university for its organizational purposes and budget/tuition calculations. [7]On October 30, 2006, Georgia Southern University was visited by President George W. Bush, marking the first time that a current President has visited the campus. It was also a first for Statesboro, GA as well.

[edit] Athletics

The Georgia Southern Eagles compete in baseball, basketball, football, golf, tennis, volleyball, soccer, softball and track & field. The football team has won a record six NCAA Division I-AA national championships (1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1999 and 2000). The university also offers intramural teams for all varsity level sports, as well as others such as equestrian events, fencing, and judo. Georgia Southern's football team plays at Allen E. Paulson Stadium

[edit] Erk Russell and football

In 1982, former University of Georgia Defensive Coordinator Erskine Erk Russell was hired to restart the football program at Georgia Southern College (as the university was called at the time), a program that had not competed in forty years. Three years after beginning the team, Coach Russell had won his first of three National Titles (1985, 1986, and 1989). Russell's bald head, coupled with the fact that he coached the Eagles, gave him the nickname "The Bald Eagle". After the Eagles moved to Division I-AA in 1984, he fashioned a 70-14 (.825) mark. Russell averaged 10.4 wins per season. He entered the 1989 season as America's winningest coach, orchestrator of two national championships, 68 wins and 14 All-America selections -- all during a seven-year period. In the ensuing 105 days, Georgia Southern ascended to the top spot in the NCAA I-AA football poll and Russell smoked 15 victory cigars. The Eagles extended Division I's longest home win streak from 26 to 37 games, en route to gaining distinction as the only 15-0 college team of the twentieth century. Russell's final record at Georgia Southern, after his retirement in 1989, was 83-22-1 (.788). During the Mike Sewak Era, Russell unfortunately cut ties with GSU after his son Rusty was fired from the coaching staff. In 2006, with the hire of new Head Coach Brian Van Gorder, he was reunited with the program. He addressed the team the night before his shocking and sudden death on September 8, 2006. Georgia Southern University and thousands of friends, family, and fans gathered at Paulson Stadium to mourn the passing of Erk Russell, one of America's most exciting and successful college football coaches. The cause of death was a stroke while pulling out of a gas station on the west side of Statesboro. He was 80. Since Russell's departure, football has continued to be prominent at Georgia Southern, which now claims the most successful Division I-AA program ever. Head coach Tim Stowers succeeded Russell and won the 1990 national title, while Paul Johnson added two more in 1999 and 2000 with teams led by all-time Division I rushing leader Adrian Peterson. On December 9, 2005, Brian VanGorder became the fifth head football coach at Georgia Southern. In January 2007, Coach VanGorder left the Eagles to be the Linebackers Coach of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. Not long after VanGorder's departure, Athletics Director Sam Baker announced Chris Hatcher to take over the Eagles. Hatcher, who was previously the head coach at Valdosta State University, where he had an all time record of 76-12, promised more championships will be added to the six that have already been won. Georgia Southern along with all of its students, alumni, and fans mourned the passing of the legendary Erk Russell on September 8, 2006.

[edit] Student activities

The university has a botanical garden at Bland Cottage, the Performing Arts Center where national acts as well as Georgia Southern student shows are performed, a college radio station (WVGS 91.9 The Buzz), and a daily college newspaper, The George-Anne Daily. The Recreation and Activities Center (the RAC) has an area for weight lifting, several basketball courts, an indoor track, two dance studios, equipment for yoga and pilates, several racquetball courts, and an indoor climbing wall. During Spring and Fall 2006 semesters, the RAC was expanded, adding additional basketball and multi-purpose courts, weight and fitness rooms, a Olympic size swimming pool, a rehabilitation pool, and more space for CRI personnel. With completed expansion, the RAC is now one of the finest collegiate recreational facilities in the nation. Various departments within the university offer students the opportunity to participate in as well as enjoy events such as concerts, plays, and musicals. Several national organizations such as the ACM are represented by student chapters.

[edit] Greek life

There are a number of Greek fraternities and sororities on campus. The first chartered national fraternity at Georgia Southern was Phi Mu Alpha, which colonized on the campus in 1953. The Southern Greek Housing Corporation, a 501(c)3 corporation, owns and operates the Greek housing community, which maintains property adjacent to the University. The corporation is managed by a board of directors, consisting of fraternity and sorority alumni.

Sororities

• Alpha Delta Pi 1968
• Alpha Kappa Alpha 1979
• Delta Sigma Theta 1979
• Phi Mu 1968
• Kappa Delta 1968
• Zeta Phi Beta 1989
• Zeta Tau Alpha 1968
• Sigma Gamma Rho 1993
• Tau Beta Sigma 1986
• Alpha Omicron Pi 1988
• Kappa Kappa Gamma 1990
• Alpha Delta Chi (The Christian Sorority) 2004
• Omega Phi Alpha 2004

Fraternities

• Alpha Phi Alpha 1980
• Alpha Tau Omega 1968
• Delta Chi 2002
• Delta Sigma Phi 2004
• Delta Tau Delta 1969
• [[Kappa Alpha Order 1968
• Kappa Alpha Psi 1978
• Kappa Sigma 1968
• Iota Phi Theta 2005
• Omega Psi Phi 1987
• Phi Beta Sigma 1987
• Phi Mu Alpha 1953
• Pi Kappa Alpha 1993
• Pi Kappa Phi 1968
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon 1989
• Sigma Chi 1970
• Sigma Pi 1968
• Sigma Phi Epsilon 1993
• Tau Kappa Epsilon 1967

There are also Greek academic honor societies on campus, such as Alpha Upsilon Alpha and Phi Alpha Theta.

[edit] People

Some notable Alumni of Georgia Southern include:

• Deryl Belser (business)
• Rob Bironas (athlete)
• David Cool (athlete)
• Michael Curry (athlete)
• Linnes Finney (lawyer)
• Todd Greene (athlete)
• Tracy Ham (athlete)
• Joey Hamilton (athlete)
• Michael Knight (fashion designer)
• Earthwind Moreland (athlete)
• Adrian Peterson (Chicago Bears) (athlete)
• Jeff Raynard Sanders (athlete)
• Fred Stokes (athlete)
• Kiwaukee Thomas (athlete)
• Charlton Young (athlete)
• Aron Price (athlete)
• Charlie Norwood (politician)
• Mark Collier (actor)
• Lea Anne McBride (government)

[edit] Facts & Points of interest

• The University's main campus comprises approximately 100 buildings on 675 acres.[8]

• Enrollment has increased every year, since Georgia Southern achieved University status.[9]

• The University's most popular majors are Biology, Early Childhood Education, and Psychology.[10]

• The Georgia Southern Botanical Garden preserves the natural beauty of the southeastern coastal plain and is a valuable research and educational resource for both faculty and students. The Garden covers 11 acres.[11]

• The Georgia Southern Center for Wildlife Education is located on five acres at the heart of campus. The center features a self-guided nature walk through six habitat displays that house 11 species of birds of prey, including three bald eagles- Patriot, Glory, and Freedom.[12]

• The University's President is Dr. Bruce Grube, who assumed its position in 1999.[13]

• Since Dr. Bruce Grube took position as president, he has made a more "pedestrian-frienly" campus by closing streets and adding more walkways. He has also beautified the campus.[14]

• In recent years, more than $190 million worth of construction have been completed or are underway. Some of these include:[15]

• • The College of Information Technology. This was a "fast-track" project completed in just eighteen months.

• • The Nursing and Chemistry Building, completed in 2004. This state-of the-art facility is home to the School of Nursing and the Department of Chemistry.

• • As of 2005, Henderson Library is undergoing a major expansion and renovation, that when complete will be double its previous size with approximately 245,000 sq. feet; making it the largest building on campus.

• • The Recreation Activity Center (RAC) was expanded and is now complete. This 215,000 sq. feet facility is now one of the finest recreational facilities in the nation.

[edit] External links

• Georgia Southern University web site
• Georgia Southern Student Media (print publications)
• WVGS Statesboro 91.9 FM, Georgia Southern Radio
• Georgia Southern University Eagles athletics
• Board of Regents of The University System of Georgia web site
• Georgia particpants in the National Biological Information Infrastructure
• The New Georgia Encyclopedia

[edit] Online communities

• Fat Panda - Photo-based website showcasing Statesboro nightlife around the GSU campus.
• TSCsports.com - Sports news and forums covering Georgia Southern athletic teams and events.
• Click GSU - Message boards for current students to discuss campus issues, and other topics.
• GSU Sports Blog - A website dedicated to an in-depth view of sports from an Eagle point of view

[edit] Sources

• "TSC Blues Review Interview with Erk Russell" Southern-Connection.com August 2002
• * Presley, Delma Eugene (2006). The Southern Century: Georgia Southern University 1906-2006. Georgia Southern University. ISBN 13:978-0-9788650-0-9. 

[edit] References