Spelman College
History
Spelman College was founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary by Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles. The two women, both from New England, were sent to the South by the Women's American Baptist Home Mission Society. The school started in the basement of Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, with 11 African-American women students. Packard and Giles initially intended the institution to be a primary and secondary school, but they soon recognized the need for higher education for black women. In 1884, the school was renamed Spelman Seminary in honor of Laura Spelman Rockefeller and her parents, who were longtime activists in the anti-slavery movement. The seminary became Spelman College in 1924, reflecting its new status as a higher education institution.
Academics
Spelman College offers a liberal arts education, with 30+ majors, minors, and concentrations in the arts, sciences, and humanities. The college is known for its programs in biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, English, and psychology. Spelman also offers a dual degree program in engineering with the Georgia Institute of Technology and other universities. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Campus
The Spelman College campus is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. The campus includes academic buildings, residence halls, a wellness center, and an art museum. The campus architecture reflects a blend of traditional Georgian and contemporary styles.
Student life
Spelman College is a historically black college for women. The college has a number of student organizations, including academic clubs, service organizations, and Greek life. The college's sports teams, known as the Jaguars, compete in the NCAA Division III.
Notable alumni
Spelman College has produced numerous notable alumni, including politicians, business leaders, artists, and scholars. Some of the most well-known include children's defense fund founder Marian Wright Edelman, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker, and actress Esther Rolle.
See Also
Morehouse College Clark Atlanta University Women's colleges in the United States Historically black colleges and universities
