About a year of a half of preparation and anticipation comes to a head Tuesday as Shorter College officially makes the much anticipated transition to Shorter University.

“This Tuesday will mark an exciting new chapter in Shorter’s history,” said President Harold E. Newman. “We are thrilled to reveal the new look of the Shorter University brand and honored to give the Rome community and Shorter family a chance to share in our excitement. Shorter College has made a name for itself by providing a quality education within a Christian environment; Shorter University will continue to build and grow on that reputation.”

Shorter has several events planned throughout the day to celebrate the name change, beginning with an unveiling of the new sign and logo at 10 a.m. at the entrance to the campus. Open houses at the college’s new Robert H. Ledbetter College of Business and its school of nursing will follow from 1:30 until 3 p.m. The Ledbetter College of Business is located in the space formerly occupied by Goody’s in the MidTown Crossing Shopping Center and the school of nursing is located at 20 Riverbend Drive.

Later in the evening, Shorter will host a 6 p.m. concert featuring Christian recording artists Rebecca St. James and Jonny Diaz. At 7 p.m., Newman will mark the beginning of Shorter University Night at the Rome Braves game by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.

Shorter officials say the change from college to university status will have several benefits. It will enable Shorter to better respond to market forces within the state of Georgia and within the higher education community at large, Newman said.

“Becoming Shorter University positions us for future growth. It does not, however, change the nature of Shorter. We remain committed to providing a high quality educational experience that features personal interactions with faculty, a strong focus on students, and excellence in all areas.”

He said the change will require little internal restructuring since the college has followed a university-style structure for several years.

“For much of the past decade, we have operated under a university model in that we have had separate schools headed by deans and have offered graduate programs,” he said. “This change in designation solidifies that reputation.”

Nelson Price, chairman of the Shorter College Board of Trustees, echoed Newman’s enthusiasm for the name change.

“From the inception of my working with Shorter, we have had the bold ambition to see it excel, and we feel the title of university will enhance the understanding of the level of academic excellence offered at Shorter,” said Nelson. “We also desire to see the academic success enhanced by the infusion of the Christian faith.”

Concert tickets can bepurchased in advance. Student are $5 and adults will be charged $8. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Shorter College Box Office at 706-233-7288. Tickets will be $10 at the door. Braves tickets can be purchased by calling 706-378-5144.

Shorter history: At a glance

 

1873: The Cherokee Baptist Female College (a forerunner of Shorter College) is founded by Luther Rice Gwaltney 

1877: Name changes to Shorter Female College in honor of the generous contributions of Alfred and Martha Shorter College

 

1900s: “The Chimes” literary magazine is established 

1910: College moves from downtown Rome to its current site 

1910s: Shorter’s Alma Mater is written, and the Periscope student newspaper is created 

1920s: Shorter becomes home to the nation’s first indoor swimming pool, which still exists in the Fitton Student Union; the Argo student yearbook is established; and the college is first accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools 

1930s: Shorter’s music programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, the first school in Georgia to be so honored 

1950s: First male students are admitted

 

1954: Shorter College is approved by the Georgia State Department of Education to train teachers 

1958: Shorter College begins its first affiliation with the Georgia Baptist Convention 

1973: Shorter celebrates its Centennial 

1990s: Shorter begins offering international programs as well as professional studies programs in the Atlanta area; the Hugh Davis Center for Ministry Education is established

 

2006: Dr. Harold E. Newman, longtime provost at the college, is named Shorter’s 18th president 

June 1, 2010: Shorter College transitions to Shorter University

Fun and little-known facts about Shorter

Founded as a women’s college, Shorter officially became co-educational in 1957. Actually, Shorter had already graduated its first male student — a Methodist pastor from nearby Kingston: James Sanders, class of 1953. In the fall of 2006, for the first time in history, males made up more than one-half of traditional student enrollment.

Shorter has a long tradition of excellence in the sciences. The first woman to be admitted to the Medical College of Georgia was Shorter graduate Loree Florence, who entered that school in 1915. In addition, one of the first three women admitted to the Emory University Medical School was Shorter graduate Alice Woodall Dunbar; she was admitted in 1943. That tradition continues. From 1985 to 2008, 83 percent of its medical school applicants have been accepted. The national average has been less than 50 percent during these times.

In the 1930s, Shorter became the first college in Georgia to have its music program accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. Since 1968, Shorter has been the alma mater of five Metropolitan Opera National Council audition winners. That’s more than any other small college in the country. 

President Azor Van Hoose had a dream of building one of the nation’s first indoor swimming pools. That dream became reality on Jan. 30, 1923, and Shorter’s pool was even featured in the September 1926 issue of National Geographic magazine. Students still swim in that pool, which is now located in the Fitton Student Union. The pool has never moved, Shorter just built a new building around it.

 

In the 1950s, the Shorter Alumnae Association sold Spray-Matic dishwashers to raise funds to refurbish the dorms. They made $5 profit on each one. Shorter constructed its newest residence hall in 2007. The college’s trustees voted to name the new dorm Newman Hall in honor of Shorter College President Harold E. Newman.

  

The Shorter Chorale, considered one of the finest collegiate chorale ensembles in the southeast, made college history in 2008 during its Tour of Italy when it was invited to sing Mass at the Vatican. “We fully expected the performance to take place in one of the side chapels in St. Peter’s Basilica. We were astonished when, instead, we were directed to the main chapel where the officiant stood before the chair of St. Peter,” said Dr. Alan Wingard, dean of the School of Fine and Performing Arts at Shorter. The Chorale also sang Mass at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.