Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College facts for kids
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| Type | Public college |
|---|---|
| Established | 1908 |
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Parent institution
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University System of Georgia |
| Endowment | 42.5 million (2021) |
| President | Tracy Brundage |
| Students | 3,815 (Fall 2021) |
| Location |
,
,
United States
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| Campus | Rural |
| Colors | Green and gold |
| Nickname | Golden Stallions |
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Sporting affiliations
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SSAC - NAIA |
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) is a public college located in Tifton, Georgia. It is part of the University System of Georgia. ABAC offers different types of college degrees, including two-year and four-year programs.
The college is named after Abraham Baldwin. He was a very important person from Georgia who signed the United States Constitution. He was also the first president of the University of Georgia.
ABAC started in 1908 as the Second District A&M School. Over the years, its name changed a few times. In 1924, it became the South Georgia A&M College. Then, in 1929, it was called the Georgia State College for Men. Finally, in 1933, it became Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. This happened when it joined the new University System of Georgia. Back then, ABAC mostly focused on two-year programs in farming, home economics, and similar subjects. Today, ABAC offers many different four-year bachelor's degree programs, along with its two-year associate degrees.
Contents
Exploring the ABAC Campus
The ABAC campus is like a giant outdoor classroom! It has many trees, plants, and open fields. This is perfect for students studying agriculture and natural resources. Everyone at ABAC, including students and visitors, enjoys the beautiful and well-kept grounds.
Recently, the first three buildings on campus – Tift, Lewis, and Herring Halls – were updated. The campus also got new landscaping and a fresh front lawn. In 2016, a new science building opened for lab classes. ABAC also has another learning location in Bainbridge.
What Can You Study at ABAC?
The biggest area of study at ABAC is the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This school teaches students about farming, nature, and managing natural resources. For example, the forestry program is officially recognized by the Society of American Foresters. This means it meets high standards for teaching about forests.
Nursing is also a very popular major. This two-year program helps students become certified Registered Nurses (R.N.).
ABAC uses special learning places to help students. These include the J.G. Woodroof Farm and the Forest Lakes Golf Club. The college's large 516-acre campus also has the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village. This museum is about a mile south of the main campus. It features an 1890s village, a blacksmith shop, a grist mill, a cotton gin, a print shop, a saw mill, and even an old steam train!
Student Life and Fun at ABAC
There are many student groups and clubs at ABAC. Students can join anything from the Student Government Association to the Forestry-Wildlife Club. Getting involved is a great way to meet new friends and learn new things!
Campus News and Stories
The Stallion is ABAC's student newspaper. It's known for being one of the best student newspapers in Georgia and the Southeast! It wins awards every year for its great articles, photos, and design.
The college also has a literary magazine called Pegasus. Students and teachers who love creative writing often hold poetry readings. ABAC even has its own radio station, WPLH 103.1.
Sports, Music, and Cool Clubs
ABAC has exciting sports teams! Men's teams include baseball, golf, and tennis. Women's teams play softball, tennis, and soccer. ABAC has won five national championships: three in softball and two in men's tennis.
The music program at ABAC is also very special. It includes a jazz band, jazz choir, concert band, concert choir, bluegrass band, and pep band. The ABAC jazz band has even toured Europe three times! In 2011, ABAC singers performed at the famous Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
The ABAC Arts Connection brings art and cultural events to the local community. The Baldwin Players, a theater group, puts on plays each fall and spring.
ABAC also has a Greek system with several fraternities like Sigma Gamma Rho, Sigma Alpha, Lambda Sigma Upsilon, Alpha Gamma Rho and Kappa Sigma.
One of the most active clubs on campus is the Agricultural Engineering Technology Club. They are famous for holding truck and tractor pulls on campus every fall and spring! The club takes care of the ABAC Crackerjack pulling tractor, which was built in the 1970s. They also recently built a new pulling tractor. This makes the ABAC AET club the only college group in the U.S. with two competitive pulling tractors! Students in the club do almost all the work to build and maintain these tractors. They use the tractors to show off their skills and help recruit new students to the school.
Where Students Live
More than 1,200 students live right on the ABAC campus in modern housing. In ABAC Place, each student gets their own private bedroom in a four-bedroom apartment. ABAC Lakeside offers suite-style living for first-year students. It's located right by Lake Baldwin!
Famous People Who Went to ABAC
Many successful people have attended ABAC, including:
- Fred Bond, Jr., a politician.
- Ralph Bryant, a former professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Tom Cheney, a baseball player who set a record for striking out many batters in one game.
- Cathy Cox, a former Secretary of State of Georgia.
- Harris DeVane, a stock car racing driver.
- Kyle Farnsworth, a former professional baseball pitcher.
- George Thornewell Smith, a unique politician who won elections in all three branches of Georgia's state government. He was also a former lieutenant governor.
- Boo Weekley, a professional golfer on the PGA Tour.
- Harold Bascom Durham Jr., who received the Medal of Honor for his brave actions.
- Tyler Harper, a former Georgia Senator and current Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner.
