Middle Georgia College History

Rich History Dates to Late 1800s

Middle Georgia College had its beginning in a denominational institution, the College of the New Ebenezer Association. The association was composed largely of Baptist churches in Pulaski, Dodge, Laurens, and Telfair counties.

Middle Georgia College Logo

The establishment of the institution was authorized by the association on October 20, 1884. The first building was constructed the following two years. Instruction began on January 10, 1887, with approximately 100 students, most of whom were from the Middle Georgia area.

During the early period, the institution was divided into preparatory and collegiate departments. A stated purpose of the curriculum, as described in the catalog of 1887, was "to prepare pupils for business or for the Junior Class in Universities. This includes Latin, Greek, Mathematics, Natural Science and several modern languages, with English studies and Music." Thus, the two-year college idea was among the primary intentions of the founders.

On August 21, 1917, an agricultural and mechanical school for the Twelfth Congressional District was established to continue the educational services for the area on the same campus. This school was chartered as one of the branches of the Georgia State College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, a department of the University of Georgia.

The Middle Georgia Agricultural and Mechanical Junior College was established in 1919. This, too, was a branch of the University of Georgia. The name was changed to Middle Georgia College, and its operation was placed under a nine-man board of trustees in 1929.

Middle Georgia College was placed under the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, a constitutional body, on August 27, 1931. The Dublin Center was located in Dublin in 1984.

A new program and campus was added to the school in 2007, when the Georgia Aviation Technical College in Eastman was merged with Middle Georgia College.

In 2006, the Board of Regents authorized Middle Georgia to begin offering select baccalaureate degrees. By 2012, Middle Georgia had four-year degrees in business management, flight management, biology, middle grades education, business administration and early childhood/special education. In addition, the school offered more than 40 majors for transfer and career programs, including education, business administration and liberal arts, as well as pre-medicine, nursing, criminal justice and pre-engineering.

The school also operated the Georgia Academy of Mathematics, Engineering and Science (GAMES), a residential joint enrollment program that allows students to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an associate's degree.

Middle Georgia College sponsored intercollegiate athletics teams in six sports, which participate in Division I of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA) conference. The athletic program will continue under Middle Georgia State College, with the teams remaining with the NJCAA for the time being.

Middle Georgia's fall 2012 enrollment was 3,104 students.

On January 8, 2013, Middle Georgia College was consolidated with Macon State College to become Middle Georgia State College.

January 8, 2013

Middle Georgia College's Timeline

1880-1889

  • 1884: New Ebenezer Association passes resolution to build a school or college.
  • 1885: Cornerstone of New Ebenezer College laid on Aug. 28 in Cochran.
  • 1887: New Ebenezer College opens for instruction on Jan. 10.
  • 1887-1888: Palemon J. King served as president.
  • 1888-1890: J. M. Kelly serves as president.

1890-1899

  • 1890: Ebenezer Hall completed. (Only original facilities from this time)
  • 1890-1893: W.B. Seals serves as president.
  • 1893-1896: Everett M. Turner serves as president.
  • 1896-1897: A. M. Duggan serves as president.
  • 1897-1917: W.E. Jenkins serves as president.
  • 1917: T.D. Walker becomes president.
  • 1897: New Ebenezer College closes. Ebenezer Assoc. stops support of NEC and begins supporting a struggling Mercer in Macon.

1900-1909

  • 1904-1913: NEC (Cochran College) serves as Cochran High School.

1910-1919

  • 1917: Georgia General Assembly authorizes establishment of Twelfth Congressional District Agricultural and Mechanical School in Cochran. HOME OF THE AGGIES
  • 1919: Agricultural and Mechanical School opens on the first Monday in Oct.

1920-1929

  • 1920: Original Jackson Hall built. Served as the Dining Hall and was torn down in early 1960's.
  • 1923: First class graduates from 12th District AandM School.
  • 1926: Peacock Dormitory completed.
  • 1926: New Ebenezer College building burns.
  • 1927: Name changed to Middle Georgia Agricultural and Mechanical Junior College on Aug. 20.
  • 1927 Gym completed (located next to main road, now site of Talmadge Hall.
  • 1928: Leo H. Browning becomes president.
  • 1928: Walker Hall completed and named for Dr. Thomas D. Walker, one of the founders of the College.
  • 1928: Print Shop completed.
  • 1929: Name changed to Middle Georgia College on Aug. 28. HOME OF THE WOLVERINES

1930-1939

  • 1930: The Kernal begins publication.
  • 1931: MGC becomes a separate unit of the University System of Georgia.
  • 1931: MGC accredited by the Southern Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges.
  • 1934: Peacock Hall completed.
  • 1936: Browning Hall completed and named after President Browning.
  • 1938: Memorial Hall completed.
  • 1938: Sanford Hall completed and named for Chancellor S.V. Sanford. (Served as the Library until 1965) Administration offices were on the first floor.

1940-1949

  • 1941 Middle Georgia College wins the basketball state title
  • 1943-1944: MGC serves as home to the 50th College Training Detachment (Air Crew).
  • 1943: Peacock Dormitory burns.
  • 1947: President Browning retires as president and assumes the duties of Alumni Director and History instructor.
  • 1947: Lloyd Alvin Moll becomes President of Middle Georgia College.

1950-1959

  • 1950: President Moll steps down.
  • 1950: Lucien E. Roberts becomes President.
  • 1952: Talmadge Hall completed and named after Herman Talmadge.
  • 1958: Dillard Hall completed and named after Ernest Dillard Dean of MGC for twenty years.
  • 1958: First public junior college in Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to undergo institutional self-study and evaluation as a pilot study.

1960-1969

  • 1962: Football dropped at all BOR two-year schools.
  • 1962: Standard Junior College format introduced (A.A. and A.S. degrees)
  • 1962: Morris Gym completed and named after Coach Jake Morris.
  • 1962: Grace Hall completedin1963 and named after Grace Browning.
  • 1963: HOME OF THE WARRIORS (The Kernal ran a naming campaign and the student body chose the name)
  • 1964: President Roberts dies of heart attack.
  • 1964: Louis C. Alderman becomes president. John T. Morris was acting from May thru July.
  • 1965: Roberts Memorial Library completed and named after the third president of MGC Lucien E. Roberts.
  • 1965: Harris Hall completed and named after a prominent local supporter of MGC Wallace L. Harris.
  • 1965: Haynes Hall completed.
  • 1966: Annex to Dillard Hall completed.
  • 1967: Golden Jubilee Year (semi-centennial of chartering as state institution)
  • 1968: MGC integrated.
  • 1969: Eastwood Hall completed. It was later renamed Willham Hall after the Dean of Women.

1970-1979

  • 1970: Georgia Hall completed.
  • 1970: New Baseball fields open.
  • 1971: Russell Hall completed and named after Richard B. Russell.
  • 1971: East Lake Hall completed.
  • 1971: Whipple Hall completed. (Known as “the Infirmary”), Named after Dr. Alderman's father in law (Lucien Whipple).

1980-1989

  • 1984: One-hundredth anniversary of founding of New Ebenezer College. Centennial Convocation on October 17.
  • 1987: President Alderman dies in office.
  • 1987: Fretwell G. Crider serves as Interim until Joe Ben Welch takes office in 1989.

1990-1999

  • 1991: Roberts Memorial Library Addition completed.
  • 1994: Football returns to MGC.
  • 1995: Athletic Training Facility completed.
  • 1997: GAMES program begins.
  • 1998: Joe Ben Welch steps down.
  • 1998: Mike Volmer serves as Interim until Steve Maradian is named president in 1999.
  • 1999: Warrior Village (football complex)

2000-2009

  • 2000: Dillard Hall renovation completed.
  • 2000: Walker Hall renovation completed.
  • 2001: President Maradian steps down.
  • 2001: Rob Watts takes over as Interim President.
  • 2001: Football discontinued.
  • 2002: Dr. Richard Federinko named President.
  • 2004: Wellness Center opens.
  • 2004: Talmadge Hall renovated.
  • 2006: Gateway Dorms open.
  • 2006: Soccer comes to MGC, men's and women's.
  • 2007: Georgia Aviation Technical College merges with MGC.
  • 2007: Anderson Hall opened and named for John Henry Anderson MGC's district representive on the BOR. He was driving force in the establishment of the GAMES program.
  • 2007: Harris Hall re-dedicated after a complete rebuild.
  • 2007: Welch Hall dedicated and Named for President Joe Ben Welch 1989-98.
  • 2007: Four-year programs in Aviation established.
  • 2007: Browning Hall reopened after a fire-related renovation delay.
  • 2007: Dr. Richard Federinko steps down as president.
  • 2007: Dr. Mary E. Wilson “Class of MGC 73” and VPAA served as Interim president.
  • 2008: Dr. Michael Stoy becomes president.
  • 2008: Wilham Hall torn-down and replaced.
  • 2009: Four-year programs in Education established.

2010-2013

  • 2010: Alderman Hall dedicated and named after Louis C. Alderman.
  • 2012: Middle Georgia College and Macon State College consolidation announced
  • 2013 Middle Georgia State College created.