Limestone University, formerly Limestone College, is a

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Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

university in Gaffney, South Carolina. It was established in 1845 by Thomas Curtis, a distinguished scholar born and educated in England. Limestone was the first women's college in South Carolina and one of the first in the nation; it is the third-oldest college in South Carolina. Ten buildings on the campus, as well as the Limestone Springs and limestone quarry itself, are on the National Register of Historic Places. In the 1960s, Limestone became fully coeducational and in 2020 its name changed from Limestone College to its current name of Limestone University. In addition to its traditional Day Campus located in Gaffney, SC, the university provides an Online Program degree path, along with Student Service Centers in Charleston, Columbia, Gaffney, Greenville, and Florence.

Academics

Over 80% of the faculty at Limestone hold the terminal degree in their field, and the student/faculty ratio is 14:1. Limestone offers students 57 majors in four different divisions of study: Arts and Letters, Natural Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Professional Studies. Additionally, in addition to free, reasonable accommodations through the Accessibility Office, Limestone University offers a comprehensive support program, LEAP (Learning Enrichment & Achievement Program), for Day Campus students with learning and attention challenges. The new 58,000-square-foot Hines-Riggins Center was completed in 2021 and houses the campus library, campus store, student center, art gallery, meeting and study rooms, and dining options. It serves as the academic and social hub of the campus. Limestone offers an online Master of Business Administration, as well as an MBA concentration in Healthcare Administration. A Master of Social Work degree is also available online, along with an RN-to-BSN Nursing Program. In December 2019, Limestone announced an articulation agreement with the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), which is a doctoral-level osteopathic medical college with a nearby campus in Spartanburg. Limestone’s partnership with VCOM provides its Pre-Medical students an opportunity to receive a Guaranteed Admissions Interview, as well as take part in an Early Admission Program.

Athletics

Limestone plays sports in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC). Limestone offers competitive opportunities at the NCAA Division II level for men in

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

, basketball, baseball, wrestling, lacrosse, golf, cross country, tennis, track and field, and volleyball and for women in golf, volleyball, basketball, softball, tennis, soccer, cross country, lacrosse, cheerleading, track and field, acrobatics/tumbling, wrestling, and field hockey. Limestone has an indoor Olympic-size pool for intramural and recreational use, along with a Physical Education facility containing classrooms, offices, locker rooms, Athletic Training Education facilities for the school's fully accredited Athletic Training program, a fitness center, and a wrestling practice facility.

Clubs and organizations

Clubs and organizations at the university include academics, religious, leadership, musical, theatre, and special interest affiliations. Students also contribute to a yearbook and a literary magazine of poems, essays, short stories, and art. The college has a Reserve Officers' Training Corps program for students interested in serving in the military or reserves.

Notable alumni

Jay Byars '' Survivor'' is an American reality television show, based on the Swedish program, ''Expedition Robinson''. Contestants are referred to as "castaways" and they compete against one another to become the "Sole Survivor" and win one million U.S. do ...

, '09, reality TV show contestant, '' Survivor: One World'' * Lois Collier, actress *

Alphonza Gadsden Alphonza Gadsden Sr. (born 1945) is an American Anglican bishop. From 2007 to 2020, he was bishop ordinary of the Reformed Episcopal Church's Diocese of the Southeast. Biography Gadsden was born to Silas and Leola Gadsden in Russellville, Sout ...

, bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church * Ann Gordon McCrory, First Lady of North Carolina *

Mark Mathabane Mark Mathabane (born Johannes Mathabane, 18 October 1960) is a South African author, lecturer, and a former collegiate tennis player and college professor. Early life in South Africa Mathabane was born in Alexandra, South Africa, an area that ...

, South African author *

Bob Peeler Robert Lee "Bob" Peeler (born January 4, 1952) served as the 86th Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina from January 1995 to January 2003. He was the first Republican Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina since Richard Howell Gleaves served ...

, '74, former

Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina The lieutenant governor of South Carolina is the second-in-command to the governor of South Carolina. Beyond overseeing the Office on Aging and the responsibility to act or serve as governor in the event of the office's vacancy, the duties of th ...

* Gaylord Perry,

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

Major League Baseball player * Kevin Pucetas, '06, professional baseball player,

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

Eleanor P. Sheppard Eleanor Parker Sheppard (July 24, 1907 – March 13, 1991) was an American civic activist and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician who became the first woman to be elected to the city council of Richmond, Virginia, and later ...

, first female mayor of

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* Vyncint Smith, NFL wide receiver, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

References

External links

*
Official athletics website
{{Coord, 35.0548131, -81.6487135, display=title Private universities and colleges in South Carolina Education in Cherokee County, South Carolina Educational institutions established in 1845 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Buildings and structures in Cherokee County, South Carolina 1845 establishments in South Carolina