Agnes Scott College Mission Statement Sign

Agnes Scott College is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

women's A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardle ...

liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual ca ...

Decatur, Georgia Decatur is a city in, and the county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, which is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. With a population of 24,928 in the 2020 census, the municipality is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple ZIP Codes ...

. The college enrolls approximately 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The college is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and is considered one of the Seven Sisters of the South. It also offers co-educational graduate programs.

History

The college was founded in 1889 as Decatur Female Seminary by Presbyterian minister Frank Henry Gaines. In 1890, the name was changed to Agnes Scott Institute to honor the mother of the college's primary benefactor, Col.

George Washington Scott George Washington Scott (February 22, 1829 – October 3, 1903) was a noted Florida and Georgia businessperson, education philanthropist, former planter, and former military officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War ...

. The name was changed again to Agnes Scott College in 1906, and remains today a women's college. Agnes Scott is considered the first higher education institution in the state of Georgia to receive regional accreditation. The ninth and current president since July 2018 is Leocadia I. Zak, who previously worked as director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). On July 27, 1994, the campus was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

as part of the ''South Candler Street-Agnes Scott College Historic District''. The historic district boundaries are East College Ave., South McDonough St., S. Candler St., East Hill St. and East Davis St. It includes the entire campus, as well as historic homes adjacent to the campus. The campus is also designated by the City of Decatur as a historic district.

Campus

Downtown Decatur

Agnes Scott College is located within walking distance of downtown Decatur. A MARTA subway station, located in downtown Decatur, allows students to travel to

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...

. Agnes Scott (Main) Hall, the oldest building on campus, was built in 1891 and once housed the entire school. This is documented in the history of Agnes Scott by Dr. McNair entitled ''Lest We Forget'' published in 1983. Agnes Scott College - Buttrick Hall

Agnes Scott occupies more than in Decatur. The college also owns the Avery Glen apartments as well as more than a dozen houses in the surrounding neighborhoods housing faculty, staff, and students. There are also six dedicated undergraduate dormitories located on campus. The

Bradley Observatory The Bradley Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Agnes Scott College. It is located in Decatur, Georgia, east of Atlanta, Georgia, (USA). The observatory's largest telescope, the Beck Telescope, is a vintage 30 ...

at Agnes Scott houses the Beck Telescope, a Cassegrain reflector, as well as a planetarium with 70-seat capacity and a radio telescope. Recently Agnes Scott College and the Georgia Tech Research Institute have collaborated on a project that added a LIDAR facility to the observatory. The college's science building contains a three-story rendering of part of the nucleotide sequence from Agnes Scott's mitochondrial DNA. The DNA came from a blood sample of an ASC alumna who is a direct descendant of the college's namesake. American poet

Robert Frost Robert Lee Frost (March26, 1874January29, 1963) was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American collo ...

was an annual visitor at Agnes Scott from 1945 to his death in 1962. During his visits, he would read poetry in Presser Hall. A statue of the poet sculpted by George W. Lundeen sits in the alumnae gardens. A collection of Robert Frost's poetry and letters can be viewed at McCain Library. The campus has been a filming location for many productions. Complaints by students and alumni about disrespectful production crews and about sexist content in nonetheless rental-income-generating projects such as Road Trip: Beer Pong led to a new policy that requires school review of potential projects, responsibility training for crew members and extras, and at least one educational opportunity for students.

Sustainability

Agnes Scott has committed to becoming a carbon-neutral institute by the college's 150th anniversary in 2039 and has taken steps such as partnering with the Clean Air Campaign to reduce its impact on the local environment. , the college has five solar arrays, four of which are part of Georgia Power's Advanced Solar Initiative. The fifth array is on the rooftop of the Bradley Observatory and is also used for student research. The renovation of Campbell Hall into a mixed use residence hall, learning center, and office space was concluded in 2014 and included installation of a hydro-geothermic HVAC system. The college hosts a

Zipcar Zipcar is an American car-sharing company and a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group. Zipcar provides vehicle reservations to its members, billable by the minute, hour or day; members may have to pay a monthly or annual membership fee in addition ...

Academics

Agnes Scott offers 34 undergraduate majors and 9 graduate and post-baccalaureate programs. The undergraduate core curriculum SUMMIT focuses on leadership development, global learning, and digital literacy. In 2019, Agnes Scott received the Heiskell Award for Scholars as Drivers of Innovation for its SUMMIT curriculum. Undergraduate students are able to cross-register in other ARCHE member institutions.

Library

The library at Agnes Scott College was an original Carnegie library built in 1910. The building was demolished in 1986. A new library was authorized by the board of trustees in 1935 and opened in the fall of 1936. This new library was called the "Carnegie Library" and the original library was turned into a student center. It was renamed in 1951 for James McCain, on the occasion of his retirement as the 2nd President of the college. In 1974-1977 and again in 1999–2000, the library underwent renovations.

Student life

Diversity

The 2020-2021 ethnicities of the undergraduate student body were: 34.8% African American/Black, 31% White, 14.7% Hispanic, 6.2% Asian, 3.4% non-resident International, 6.9% two or more races, and 2.4% other or unknown. 63.4% of undergraduates that year were from Georgia.

Housing

Non-commuter students are expected to live in on-campus housing for all four years as an undergraduate at Agnes Scott College. There are six resident halls situated around the Northern edge of the campus: Winship, Walters, Inman, Rebekah, Campbell and Agnes Scott Hall (nicknamed "Main"). The college also owns off-campus apartments one block from campus called Avery Glen. Winship and Walters are traditionally reserved for first-year students. Upperclasswomen participate in a numeric room selection process, where students choose to live in loft-style dorms, tower rooms, or apartments with their friends. Single rooms are available in Inman, Main, and Rebekah, while triple rooms are available exclusively in Main. In August 2014, Campbell began offering students suite-style rooms for four, with two students per room and a shared restroom. Hopkins Hall was retired as a residence hall after the 2014–2015 academic year due to increased need for office space on campus.

Campus organizations

There are over 50 student organizations on campus. Sororities are prohibited.

Publications

''The Silhouette'' is the yearbook published by the students of Agnes Scott College. All students are invited to join the staff. ''Aurora'' is the Agnes Scott literary magazine. The magazine is published once a year and includes student poetry, prose, and artwork. The magazine has also considered publishing musical compositions. ''Psychobabble'' is the student-run newsletter of Agnes Scott's Department of Psychology. The newsletter's goal is to create an informed and united community within the discipline by promoting coordinated activities and facilitating communication and relationships among faculty, students and staff. ''Psychobabble'' gives psychology majors and minors an opportunity to involve themselves in their interest and form an identity as undergraduate students, while benefiting the department as a whole and supporting the educational experience of their peers. ''The Profile'', the college's independent student newspaper, is published at the end of every semester during the academic year. All students interested in writing, photography, editing, layout and design, cartoons, advertising or circulation are encouraged to join the staff.

Athletics

Agnes Scott is a member of the

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...

Division III which fields six sports teams including basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball. All teams compete in the Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS). The tennis team is arguably Agnes Scott's most successful team, having won the conference championship and advanced to the NCAA national tournament six times: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015. The newest team is cross country, which was restarted in 2014 after being cut during the 2008 school year. Agnes Scott uses the tune of the Notre Dame Victory March as their fight song and to rally the students together during the annual Black Cat Spirit Week. The Agnes Scott mascot is a "Scottie", a Scottish Terrier named Victory.

Traditions

Source: Mascot and School Colors
The school colors of Agnes Scott are purple and white and the school mascot is the Scottie, a Scottish Terrier. Class Colors
Each incoming class is assigned a class color—red, yellow, blue, or green—and votes on a class mascot that correlates with that color. The colors and mascots are intended to establish class pride, particularly during one week of activities called Black Cat. Black Cat
Black Cat occurs every fall and is Agnes Scott's version of homecoming week. The week includes a number of class-focused games and activities and culminates in a series of skits written, directed, and performed by the junior class. Each class has the opportunity to showcase its mascot that features the class color. If there is dissatisfaction with a class mascot, the class is given the option to revote and choose a different mascot their second year. Pestle Board
A senior-only social and philanthropic society created to lampoon the campus chapter of the academic honor society Mortar Board. Whereas Mortar Board has strict GPA and extracurricular prerequisites for membership, Pestle Board's only entry requirement is the completion of a humorous initiation process known as "capping" that pairs junior "cappees" with graduating senior "cappers". Capping also involves Pestle Board's largest philanthropic fundraiser of the year. Class Ring
The class ring is given to students during the spring of their sophomore year in a special ceremony. The ring is very distinctive with a rectangular engraved black onyx stone inscribed ASC and has remained essentially the same since its introduction in the 1920s with choices only in metal (white or yellow gold) and antiquing. Alumnae who wear the ring are recognizable to one another or those familiar with the college's tradition. Students and Alumnae alike dub themselves the "Black Ring Mafia". Honor Code
The honor code is held in high regard among Agnes Scott students and faculty. At the beginning of every academic year, new students must sign the honor code and recite a pledge promising to uphold the high academic and social standards of the institution. Students self govern and ask violators of the code to turn themselves in to Honor Court. The trust the Honor Code builds between faculty and students allows for students to take self scheduled, unproctored, exams. Senior Investiture
Senior Investiture is one of the college's most cherished traditions. During the investiture ceremony in the fall of students' senior year, each student is capped with an academic mortar board as a symbol of her senior status at the college by the Dean. Bell Ringers
Seniors at Agnes Scott traditionally ring the bell in Agnes Scott Hall's bell tower upon acceptance to graduate school or a job offer. This tradition dates from the early 1990s after the tower acquired its bell during the administration of President Ruth Schmidt. Students who ring the bell sign their names on the walls of the tower. Alumnae Pond
Tradition dictates that students who get engaged are thrown into the alumnae pond by their classmates.

Rankings

Agnes Scott was named as one of the

Colleges That Change Lives ''Colleges That Change Lives'' began as a college educational guide first published in 1996 by Loren Pope. Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) was founded in 1998 is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) based on Pope's book. The book ''Colleges That Change Lives ...

(CTCL). '' U.S. News & World Report''s 2022 rankings include: * No. 1 in Most Innovative Schools (National Liberal Arts Colleges) * No. 2 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (National Liberal Arts Colleges) * No. 40 in Best Value Schools (National Liberal Arts Colleges) * No. 66 among National Liberal Arts Colleges

Princeton Review The Princeton Review is an education services company providing tutoring, test preparation and admission resources for students. It was founded in 1981. and since that time has worked with over 400 million students. Services are delivered by 4,0 ...

's 2022 rankings include: *The Best 387 Colleges *No. 20 for Best Schools for Internships (Private Schools) *No. 7 for Best Alumni Network (Private Schools) *No. 8 for Best Schools Making an Impact (Private Schools) *No. 25 for Top Green Colleges

Notable alumnae

* Martha Bailey '97, professor of Economics and Scholar of how access to contraception has shaped women's lives * Tommie Dora Barker, 1909, public librarian and founding dean of Emory Library School * Margaret Booth (Agnes Scott Institute, d.), educational and cultural mentor for the Montgomery, Alabama area; Inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame posthumously in 1999 *

Mary Brown Bullock Mary Brown Bullock is an American academic who served as the seventh president of Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA from 1995 to August 1, 2006. She was the inaugural executive vice chancellor of Duke Kunshan University. Early life As a child, ...

'66, president emerita and only alumna to serve as president of the college * Jordan Casteel, '11, award-winning figure painter * Goudyloch E. Dyer '38, Illinois state representative *

Margot Gayle Margot McCoy Gayle (Born Sarah Margaret McCoy May 14, 1908 – September 28, 2008) was an American historic preservationist, activist, and writer. She led the effort to designate the SoHo Cast Iron Historic District, which preserved Victori ...

'31x, American historic preservationist and author who helped save the Victorian cast-iron architecture in New York City's SoHo district * Ivylyn Girardeau 1922, medical missionary in India and Pakistan * Mary Norton Kratt, '58, writer of Charlotte history and Southern novels. * Kay Krill '77, president and chief executive officer of ANN INC., parent company of

Ann Taylor Ann or Anne Taylor may refer to: * Ann Taylor (writer, born 1757) (1757–1830), English writer *Ann Taylor (poet) (1782–1866), English poet and children's writer, daughter of the above * Ann Taylor (actress) (born 1936), British actress, hostess ...

and LOFT *

Anne Harris Anne Harris may refer to: *Anne Harris (journalist) (born 1947), Irish newspaper editor *Anne Harris (musician) (born 1966), American singer-songwriter * Anne Harris (sculptor) (born 1928), Canadian sculptor * Anne Harris (author) (1964–2022), Am ...

, '91 14th president of Grinnell College, PhD from the University of Chicago and medieval art historian * Bertha "B" Holt '38 (d.), former North Carolina State Representative and children's rights advocate *

Anna Colquitt Hunter Anna Habersham Colquitt Hunter (January 21, 1892 – January 28, 1985) was an American preservationist, one of the founders of Historic Savannah Foundation in 1955. Early life Hunter was a descendant of James Habersham (1712–1775), a pioneering ...

, founder of

Historic Savannah Foundation Historic Savannah Foundation is a preservation organization founded in 1955 and based in Savannah, Georgia, United States. In 1950, the four-story Wetter House on East Oglethorpe was demolished.Michelle Malone '90x, musician * Catherine Marshall '36, author of the novel Christy, later made into a TV series and '' A Man Called Peter'' *

Joanna Cook Moore Joanna Moore (born Dorothy Joanne Cook, November 10, 1934 – November 22, 1997) was an American film and television actress, who, between 1956 and 1976, appeared in 17 feature films and guest-starred in nearly a hundred television series episod ...

, actress and mother of Tatum O'Neal * Wasfia Nazreen, 2006, Bangladeshi mountaineer, activist, and writer * Jennifer Nettles '97, lead singer of the AMA and

Grammy award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

-winning country music band Sugarland *

Marsha Norman Marsha Norman (born September 21, 1947) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. She received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play '' 'night, Mother''. She wrote the book and lyrics for such Broadway musicals as '' T ...

'69, playwright * Frances Freeborn Pauley '27, civil rights activist * Agnes White Sanford 1919, author of ''The Healing Light'' *

Saycon Sengbloh Saycon Sengbloh (born October 23, 1977) is an American actress and singer. She was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play and won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play and an Obie Award for Outstandi ...

'00, actress and singer * Martha Priscilla Shaw, mayor of Sumter, South Carolina (1952–1956), first female mayor in South Carolina * Willie W. Smith, physiologist and NIH researcher *

Cornelia Strong Cornelia Strong (1877 – June 3, 1955) was an American academic, astronomer, and mathematician. She was a professor at the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina, where she taught mathematics and astronomy, from 1905 to 1948. Strong ...

, 1901 (Agnes Scott Institute), professor, mathematician, and astronomer * Jean H. Toal '65, Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court * Leila Ross Wilburn 1904, architect * Anna Irwin Young 1910 (Agnes Scott Institute, d.), professor of mathematics, physics and astronomy

References

External links

Official website

{{authority control 1889 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Decatur, Georgia Educational institutions established in 1889 Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Georgia (U.S. state) Liberal arts colleges in Georgia (U.S. state) National Register of Historic Places in DeKalb County, Georgia Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Universities and colleges affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) Universities and colleges in DeKalb County, Georgia Women's universities and colleges in the United States Private universities and colleges in Georgia (U.S. state)