Piedmont College
Encyclopedia
Piedmont College is a private liberal arts institution founded in 1897 to serve residents of the Appalachian area of northeast Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. When the college was first founded, it was established as the J.S. Green Collegiate Institute named after a local banker. In 1899, the name was shortened to the J.S. Green College. By 1902, the college was formally renamed Piedmont College.

Today, with campuses located in Demorest
Demorest, Georgia
Demorest is a city in Habersham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,465 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Demorest is located at ....

 and Athens
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...

, the college provides undergraduate and graduate degree programs for about 2,000 students from across Georgia and around the world. While many students come from across the world, 10% of Piedmont's students come from the Habersham County area through Piedmont's Neighborhood Grant Program.

Piedmont maintains religious affiliation with two bodies: the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches
National Association of Congregational Christian Churches
The National Association of Congregational Christian Churches is an association of about 400 churches providing fellowship for and services to churches from the Congregational tradition. The Association maintains its national office in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee...

 and the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...

. Congregationalists took over the school from the Methodists in the early 20th century.

Academics

The student/faculty ratio is 14 to 1 and most professors hold a doctorate or the terminal degree in their field. Piedmont is known for the individual attention and one-on-one instruction provided by professors whose first commitment is to your education. Piedmont is accredited by the following boards: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...

 (SACS); National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC); and the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs , formerly the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, is a U.S. organization offering accreditation services to business programs focused on teaching and learning....

 (ACBSP). Piedmont currently offers 38 undergraduate degree programs and graduate programs in education and business. Beginning in fall 2009, Piedmont started a education doctorate
Doctor of Education
The Doctor of Education or Doctor in Education degree , in Latin, Doctor Educationis, is a research-oriented professional doctorate that prepares the student for academic, administrative, clinical, or research positions in educational, civil, and private organizations.-Differences between an Ed.D...

 (Ed.D) within the School of Education.

Schools

Piedmont College offers four schools for education, including the School of Arts and Sciences, the Walker School of Business, School of Education and the Daniel School of Nursing.

School of Arts and Sciences

Students can take courses in 10 departments that comprise the School of Arts and Sciences. These departments include: Fine Arts, Humanities, Interdisciplinary Studies, Mass Communications, Math/Physics, Music, Philosophy/Religion, Science, Social Science and Theatre. Through these departments, students can earn the following degrees, B.F.A, B.A., B.S.
Bachelors Of Science
Bachelors of Science is the stage name of Phil "Rene", Chris and Lukeino. They met in California and formed a successful act, quickly becoming one of the top drum and bass producers in the electronic music scene...

, Master of Arts in Teaching
Master of Arts in Teaching
The Master of Arts in Teaching degree is generally a pre-service degree that usually requires a minimum of 30 semester hours beyond the Bachelor's degree. While the program often requires education classes in order to meet state licensure requirements, it emphasizes advanced course work in a...

, M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...

, and a M.F.A
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...


Walker School of Business

The Walker School of Business received national accreditation in November 2007 from the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs , formerly the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, is a U.S. organization offering accreditation services to business programs focused on teaching and learning....

 (ACBSP) for the undergraduate and graduate business programs at both Piedmont’s Demorest and Athens Campuses. Through the School of Business, students can earn a Bachelors of Arts in Business Administration or a M.B.A.

School of Education

The school of education offers Bachelors degree programs in many fields of education. Some of the fields that Piedmont offers degrees to are: Early Childhood Education and Middle Grades Education. Students can also get a Masters of Arts in Teaching degree with concentrations like Secondary Education, Special Education General Curriculum, Art Education and Music Education. The school of education also offers an Education Doctorate in Teaching and Learning.

Daniel School of Nursing

The School of Nursing offers the B.S.N.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is an American four year academic degree in the science and principles of nursing, granted by a tertiary education university or similarly accredited school...

 degree for students preparing for initial licensure and for Registered Nurses with either an Associate’s degree in nursing or a diploma in nursing who wish to complete the B.S.N. The program will prepare students in both the art and the science of nursing. Students can begin the nursing program at Piedmont during the summer after completion of their sophomore year. Students begin with research-based lecture and lab classes and then move to practicals where they spend time in local hospitals and medical centers. Every spring semester, the nursing department conducts a disaster drill where the senior nursing majors have to diagnose a large group of patients. Past themes for the drill have including a boiler explosion, a car accident at an outdoor concert and a small plane crash.

Campuses

Piedmont has two campuses, the original one in Demorest and the newer expansion in Athens. Piedmont's Demorest campus is located on roughly 300 acres (121.4 ha) in Habersham County. The Athens campus is located on Prince Avenue near downtown Athens, on the site of the original Prince Avenue Baptist Church.

Demorest

The Demorest campus is the main campus of Piedmont, and is primarily a residence campus. There are 8 dormitories, including Geman-Babcock Hall, Purcell Hall, Wallace Hall, Swanson Hall, Johnson Hall, Mayflower Hall, the recently completed New Bedord Hall and Plymouth Hall which is scheduled to be completed by August 2010. There are many academic buildings strewn across campus including Daniel Hall which houses the R.H. Daniel School of Nursing, the humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....

 department, and the administration. There is also Stewart Hall, which houses the science and math departments. The School of Education resides on the bottom floor of the Arrendale Library and makes use of classes in the Martens Botanical Center. The Walker School of Business is located in Camp Hall, which is next to the president's residence. The music department is located in the Center for Worship and Music, which is commonly known as the Chapel. Currently the art department is located in two buildings, the Art Annex and the Art Gallery. The Art Gallery features both work created by Piedmont Students as well as artists from the community and nation. The mass communications and theater departments are located in the Swanson Center for Performing Arts and Communication, a $14-million building located next to the Arrendale Amphitheater, a 500-seat outdoor venue
Theater (structure)
A theater or theatre is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts may be produced. While a theater is not required for performance , a theater serves to define the performance and audience spaces...

. WPPR
WPPR
WPPR is a public radio station in Demorest, Georgia. Originally, WPPR had the call letters WDEM , but changed to WPPR on August 19, 1996. It is part of the Georgia Public Broadcasting radio network, which in turn is a member of National Public Radio, Public Radio International, and American...

, the local Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting is the public broadcasting radio and television state network in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is operated by the Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission....

 radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...

 is housed in the Swanson Center next to the student run radio station.

In addition to the academic buildings and dormitories, there are currently three fields on the campus: the Loudermilk Field for baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

, the softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...

 field and the soccer/lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...

 field. Piedmont has a multipurpose gymnasium
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...

 located in the Johnny Mize Athletic Center, which was named for famous baseball player Johnny Mize
Johnny Mize
John Robert "Johnny" Mize was a baseball player who was a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and New York Yankees...

. In addition to the gym, which hosts basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...

, the Mize Center has a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...

 dedicated to the baseball legend and a fitness center.

There are also a few general purpose buildings. The Lane Student Center, which faces the quad, is the remodeled old gym. There is also the Neilson Dining Hall where the cafeteria is located. Piedmont also operates a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...

 called the Grill on Georgia Street. There is also the President's House, the Admissions building and the pedestrian bridge which crosses Historic U.S. 441
U.S. Route 441
U.S. Route 441 is a spur route of U.S. Route 41. It currently runs for 939 miles from U.S. Route 41 in Miami, Florida to U.S. Route 25W in Lake City, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 passes through the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee...

. The new bridge was assembled off-site and lowered into place by crane. The bridge was modeled after the Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...

 21st Avenue Pedestrian Bridge. The installation of the bridge was a joint project of the Georgia Department of Transportation, Piedmont College and the city of Demorest.

Much of Piedmont's Demorest property is now wetlands. The wetlands area was once the site of Lake Demorest from 1890-2008. The Lake was drained do to an irreparable dam, and the property was turned into a wetlands for students and faculty to use in their studies.

Athens

The Athens campus is the newer of the two campuses and is split between two locations less than a block
City block
A city block, urban block or simply block is a central element of urban planning and urban design. A city block is the smallest area that is surrounded by streets. City blocks are the space for buildings within the street pattern of a city, they form the basic unit of a city's urban fabric...

 away from each other. The original piece of the Athens campus is Lane Hall which is located on North Milledge Ave. Lane Hall houses the Piedmont Athens library, graphic design labs and a few classrooms.

The other portion of campus is the former property of Prince Avenue Baptist church and is located on Prince Avenue. There are 5 main buildings, on this section of campus. Ellard Hall houses the administration and admissions department for the campus. The main building on campus is divided into two wings, east and west, and contains classrooms and faculty offices and also has an area referred to as the meeting house. The bookstore has a separate building, as does the recreation complex which houses the campus safety department. The last building is Rogers Hall and houses more offices.

Mission statement

Publications

At Piedmont, there are three main student publications: the magazine, the yearbook and the newspaper.

Magazine

The first publication for the college was The Mountain Lantern, which was named for a common firefly in the surrounding area. The Lantern started out as a monthly magazine in 1912. In 1913, The Lantern became the college's yearbook. There would not be a magazine again until spring semester of 2006, when a mass communications major published PC Magazine as her senior capstone project. In fall of 2007, the magazine was renamed Pause, and now comes out twice each semester; two print and two online. "Pause" is no longer in production, however.

Yearbook

The Mountain Lantern lasted for only a short period until 1915. A yearbook was again issued in 1920, and the name was changed to the Yonahian. The odd-sounding name was derived from nearby Mount Yonah. Since 1920, the Yonahian has been published every year and provides a general record of students and faculty over the years.

Newspaper

The first newspaper of Piedmont was The Hustler, which lasted from 1908 to 1909. There was no newspaper until 1917, when a bi-weekly newspaper named The Padded Hammer appeared in September. Later in 1917, after a vote on the name of the paper, it was changed to The Piedmont Owl. The name "Piedmont Owl" was chosen as a reference to the concept of wisdom. This name became the name of Piedmont's athletic teams as well, until 1921, when the Student Association adopted the name Mountain Lions, later shortened to Lions.

The Piedmont Owl lasted for 67 years until the name was changed to match Piedmont's newer mascot. The paper became The Lion's Roar for 21 years until 2005, when it was changed to The Navigator. The name is a reference to the Mayflower
Mayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...

 ship of the Pilgrims, honoring Piedmont's relationship to American Congregationalism
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....

.

History of Piedmont College

Piedmont has a history of more than 111 years of providing education to people from across the world. There have been eleven different presidents of the college who have each helped Piedmont get to where it is now.

Alumni

  • Johnny "Big Cat" Mize
    Johnny Mize
    John Robert "Johnny" Mize was a baseball player who was a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and New York Yankees...

    , baseball Hall of Famer
    National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
    The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...

    . Played for Piedmont in 1930s and now the athletic center and museum on Piedmont's campus are named for him.
  • Jonathan Clark Rogers
    Jonathan Clark Rogers
    Jonathan Clark Rogers was President of the University of Georgia in Athens from 1949 until 1950.Born in 1885 in Richmond, Indiana, Rogers earned his B.S. at Piedmont College in 1906 and his civil engineering degree from Earlham College the following year. He also earned an M.A...

     (Class of 1906) President of the University of Georgia
    University of Georgia
    The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...

     from 1949-1950.
  • Diana Palmer
    Diana Palmer (author)
    Susan Kyle, née Susan Eloise Spaeth is an award winning American writer well-known as Diana Palmer, who has published romantic novels since 1979. She has also written romances as Diana Blayne, Katy Currie, and under her married name Susan Kyle and a science fiction novel as Susan S...

     (Class of 1995) Author of many novels including Diamond Girl, which was made into a movie in 1998.
  • Lillian Smith
    Lillian Smith (author)
    Lillian Eugenia Smith was a writer and social critic of the Southern United States, known best for her best-selling novel Strange Fruit...

     studied at Piedmont from 1915-1916. She authored Strange Fruit.
  • Soong May-ling
    Soong May-ling
    Soong May-ling or Soong Mei-ling, also known as Madame Chiang Kai-shek or Madame Chiang was a First Lady of the Republic of China , the wife of Generalissimo and President Chiang Kai-shek. She was a politician and painter...

     went to Piedmont for 8th grade in 1908. She was the wife of President
    President of the Republic of China
    The President of the Republic of China is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Republic of China . The Republic of China was founded on January 1, 1912, to govern all of China...

     Chiang Kai-shek
    Chiang Kai-shek
    Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....

    ; she played a prominent role in the politics of the Republic of China
    Republic of China
    The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...

    .
  • Phillip M. Landrum
    Phillip M. Landrum
    Phillip Mitchell Landrum was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Georgia.Born in Martin, Georgia, Landrum attended the public schools and Mercer University, in Macon, Georgia....

     (Class of 1938) U.S. Congressman.
  • Marvin Hudson
    Marvin Hudson
    Marvin Lee Hudson is a Major League Baseball umpire who began his career in the National League in . He has officiated in the 2004 All-Star Game and two Division Series . He wears uniform number 51.Hudson graduated from Marietta High School in 1982 and Piedmont College in 1986...

     (Class of 1986) Baseball umpire of the 2004 All-Star Game
    2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
    The 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 75th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 13, 2004 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas,...

     and the 2005 National League Division Series
    2005 National League Division Series
    -Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros:-Game 1, October 4:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriIt was a matchup between Jake Peavy and eventual 2005 Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter. In the bottom of the first, Jim Edmonds's one-out solo homer put the Cardinals up 1–0...

    .
  • Jason Smith
    Jason Smith (soccer)
    Jason Smith is an American soccer coach and former player. He currently coached the Atlanta Silverbacks of the USL First Division.-Player:...

     Soccer coach of the Atlanta Silverbacks
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Atlanta Silverbacks is an American professional soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, having previously sat out the 2009 and 2010 seasons while the ownership...

    .

Professors & staff

  • Dr. Barbara Brown Taylor
    Barbara Brown Taylor
    Barbara Brown Taylor is an American Episcopal priest, professor, and theologian and is one of the United States' best known preachers....

    , chair of religion and philosophy, noted author of 12 books on religion and spirituality.
  • Dr. Rick Austin
    Rick Austin (Politician)
    Rick Austin is a Republican member of the Georgia State House of Representatives, representing the 10th District since January 12, 2009. Previously, he was a member of the Habersham County, Georgia, Board of Commissioners for three years...

    , professor of biology, Georgia State Representative for District 10 and Piedmont alumnus.
  • John C. Campbell
    John C. Campbell
    John C. Campbell was born in La Porte, Indiana, on 14 September 1867 to Gavin and Anna Barbara Campbell, and grew up in Steven's Point, Wisconsin...

     was the second president of Piedmont College from 1904–1907, and was a educator and reformer noted for his survey of social conditions in the southern Appalachian region of the United States. The John C. Campbell Folk School
    John C. Campbell Folk School
    John C. Campbell Folk School, also referred to as "The Folk School" is located in Brasstown, North Carolina. The School was founded to nurture and preserve the folk arts of the Appalachian Mountains, it is an non-profit adult educational organization based on non-competitive learning...

     was established by his wife and named in his honor.
  • Richard Jewell
    Richard Jewell
    Richard A. Jewell was an American security guard who became known in connection with the Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...

    , former campus police officer who became known in connection with the Centennial Olympic Park bombing
    Centennial Olympic Park bombing
    The Centennial Olympic Park bombing was a terrorist bombing on July 27, 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States during the 1996 Summer Olympics, the first of four committed by Eric Robert Rudolph...

     at the 1996 Summer Olympics
    1996 Summer Olympics
    The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....

     in Atlanta, Georgia
    Atlanta, Georgia
    Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...

    . Jewell later sued Piedmont College for defamation.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK