Georgia’s 1862 Land-Grant Institution: University of Georgia
http://www.uga.edu @universityofga
The University of Georgia was incorporated in 1785 by the Georgia General Assembly, making it the first state to create a publicly supported institution of higher learning. The first classes were held in 1801 and the first graduating class happened in 1804. The university closed from 1863 through the beginning of 1866 due to the impact of the American Civil War. Originally open only to white males, the university began to accept white women in 1903. Full racial integration finally occurred in 1961.
President: Jere W. Morehead became president of the University of Georgia in 2013, having previously served this university in a variety of administrative roles. He is a graduate of UGA, having received his law degree in 1980. As such, he is the first alumnus to serve as president of this university.
Georgia’s 1890 Land-Grant Institution: Fort Valley State University
http://www.fvsu.edu @FVSU
Opened in 1895 as the Fort Valley High and Industrial School, then merged in 1939 with the State Teachers and Agricultural College of Forsyth (founded in 1902). In 1947, the state’s Board of Regents adopted a resolution moving the land-grant designation from Savannah State College (now Savannah State University) to Fort Valley State College, a move that was officially sanctioned by the Georgia General Assembly in 1949. The school’s name changed to Fort Valley State University in 1996.
President: Paul A. Jones became the president of Fort Valley State University in 2015. President Jones earned all his degrees from land-grant institutions, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Utah State University, and his Ph.D. in education and human resource studies from Colorado State University. @FVSUpresident
