I need the name and tenure of all GCSU Presidents.

  • Dr. J. Harris Chappell, 1891-1905
  • Dr. Marvin McTyeire Parks, 1905-1927
  • Dr. J. Luther Beeson, 1927-1934
  • Dr. Guy Herbert Wells, 1934-1953
  • Dr. Henry King Stanford, 1953-1956
  • Dr. Robert E. ("Buzz") Lee, 1956-1967
  • Dr. J. Whitney Bunting, 1968-1981
  • Dr. Edwin G. Speir, Jr., 1981-1996
  • Dr. Ralph W. Hemphill (Acting President), January 1997-July 1997
  • Dr. Rosemary DePaolo, August 1997-June 2003
  • Dr. David G. Brown, (Interim President) July 2003-December 2003
  • Dr. Dorothy Leland, January 2004-present

    • Q: When did GCSU become co-educational?
    A: In the spring of 1967.

    Q: Has this institution always been called GCSU?
    A: No, we have had six different names:

  • Georgia Normal & Industrial College (GN&IC), 1889-1922
  • Georgia State College for Women (GSCW), 1922-1961
  • The Woman's College of Georgia (WCG), 1961-1967
  • Georgia College at Milledgeville (GCM), 1967-1971
  • Georgia College (GC), 1971-1996
  • Georgia College & State University (GCSU), 1996-

    • Q: When did classes offically begin at GN&IC?
    A: Classes began 30 September 1891. There were 88 students representing 52 Georgia counties.

    Q: When was the first commencement held?
    A: 19 June 1892

    Q: When were the first Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees conferred?
    A: 1921.

    Q: When was the first graduate program offered?
    A: The Master of Education degree program was instituted in the summer of 1958.

    Q: When did GCSU become a part of the University System of Georgia?
    A: 1 January 1932 - as did the other 26 state-supported colleges and universities.

    Q: When did GCSU integrate?
    A: The first African-American student entered WCG in the summer of 1964.

    Q: Why are there no college records prior to 1924?
    A: Because all official records were housed in the Main Building which burned in early December 1924.

    Q: Where can I find information about former faculty?
    A: We recommend that you begin your search in the University Archives.

    Q: Where can I find old yearbooks and college catalogs?
    A: GCSU Archives, Special Collections, 2nd floor, LITC

    Q: What is the name of the yearbook?
    A: The yearbook has enjoyed several names over the years. Below is a listing of all print yearbooks that can be found in University Archives:

    • 1904 Snap Shots
    • 1910 The Brown Book
    • 1914 GNIC
    • 1916 The Senior
    • 1917 The Spectrum
    • 1919 The Senior
    • 1923-1925 The Senior
    • 1926-1979 The Spectrum
    • 1983-1984 The Spectrum
    • 1988-1989 The Spectrum


    Sources of Information: GCSU Archives and A Centennial History of Georgia College by William Ivy Hair with James C. Bonner, Edward B. Dawson, and Robert J. Wilson III. Milledgeville: Georgia College, 1989.



    For more information, please contact us:
    Special Collections
    GCSU Library and Instructional Technology Center
    CBX 043
    Milledgeville, GA 31061
    (478) 445-0988
    scinfo@gcsu.edu