Georgia State University facts for kids
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Former names
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Georgia Tech Evening School of Commerce (1913–1947) Atlanta Division of the University of Georgia (1947–1955) Georgia State College of Business Administration (1955–1961) Georgia State College (1961–1969) |
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| Motto | Veritas valet et vincet (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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Truth shall overcome |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | 1913 |
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Parent institution
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University System of Georgia |
| Accreditation | SACS |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | 170.8 million (2020) |
| Budget | $1.149 billion (2020) |
| President | M. Brian Blake |
| Provost | Nicolle Parsons-Pollard |
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Academic staff
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1,586 (Fall 2018) |
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Administrative staff
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3,627 (Fall 2018) |
| Students | 50,521 (Fall 2023) |
| Undergraduates | 43,807 (Fall 2023) |
| Postgraduates | 6,714 (Fall 2023) |
| 1,971 (Fall 2023) | |
| Location |
Atlanta, Georgia
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U.S.
33°45′13.3″N 84°23′09.5″W / 33.753694°N 84.385972°W |
| Campus | Urban (main campus) and suburban (Perimeter College campuses); Downtown Atlanta campus (main campus): 109.87 acres (0.445 km2); All instructional sites (including Perimeter College campuses): 440.06 acres (1.781 km2); All facilities: 771.41 acres (3.122 km2) |
| Newspaper | The Signal |
| Colors | Blue and White |
| Nickname | Panthers |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I – Sun Belt Conference and C-USA |
| Mascot | Pounce, the blue panther |
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Georgia State University (often called Georgia State or GSU) is a large public research university in Atlanta, Georgia. It was started in 1913. GSU is one of the biggest universities in Georgia, with about 50,000 students. This includes many students at its main campus in downtown Atlanta.
Georgia State is known as a top research university. It offers more than 250 different study programs across 10 colleges. The university has two main libraries. These libraries hold over 13 million items for students to use. GSU's sports teams, the Georgia State Panthers, play in NCAA Division I. They are part of the Sun Belt Conference.
Contents
Discovering Georgia State University
Georgia State University has a long and interesting history. It started as a small night school and grew into a huge university.
How Georgia State Began
In 1913, Georgia State University began as a night school. It was first called the Georgia School of Technology's Evening School of Commerce. This school was for people who worked during the day. They could take classes in the evenings.
Later, in the 1930s, it became part of the University System of Georgia. This allowed students to earn degrees from different colleges. In 1947, it joined the University of Georgia. It was then called the Atlanta Division of the University of Georgia.
Becoming an Independent College
For its first 40 years, the school was like a branch of other universities. But in 1955, it became its own four-year college. It was named Georgia State College of Business Administration. The first president was Walter Sparks. In 1961, its name was shortened to Georgia State College. Finally, in 1969, it became Georgia State University.
In 1995, Georgia State was given "research university" status. This means it's recognized for its important research. It joined other big universities like the University of Georgia and Georgia Institute of Technology.
Important Milestones
The first African-American student enrolled at Georgia State in 1962. Her name was Annette Lucille Hall. She was a social studies teacher.
The famous Peachtree Road Race was started in 1970. It was founded by Tim Singleton, who was a coach and dean at Georgia State.
Growing the Campus Over Time
Over the years, Georgia State has grown a lot. It has added many buildings to its campus in downtown Atlanta.
Early Growth: 1913–1975
Many buildings were built in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These included the Pullen Library, Classroom South, and the Sports Arena. A system of walkways was also built. This helped connect the buildings over Decatur Street.
Expanding in the 1980s
In the 1980s, Georgia State continued to grow. The former Atlanta Municipal Auditorium became Alumni Hall. The College of Law was also started. In 1988, Library South was built. It doubled the library's space.
New Buildings: 1990–2004
The 1990s brought more growth. The Natural Science Center opened. The Robinson College of Business moved into a new building. The Rialto Theater was also acquired. It became a home for music programs. The Student Recreation Center opened in 2001.
Modern Expansion: 2005–2015
From 2005 to 2015, many new buildings were added. New student housing like the University Commons was built. The Parker H. Petit Science Center opened in 2010. It has modern science labs. In 2013, GSU started using the 25 Park Place Building. This tall building houses many academic offices. The College of Law moved to a new building in 2015.
Recent Developments: 2016–Present
In 2016, an extension to the Petit Science Center was finished. The university also made big plans for its sports facilities. In 2014, Georgia State decided to buy the Turner Field site. This was the former home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team.
In 2017, Georgia State officially bought Turner Field. They turned it into a 30,000-seat football stadium. It is now called Center Parc Stadium. They also plan to build a new baseball field and student housing there. In 2021, M. Brian Blake became Georgia State University's first African-American president.
Merging with Georgia Perimeter College
In 2016, Georgia State University merged with Georgia Perimeter College. Georgia Perimeter College was a two-year college with five campuses. This merger created the largest university in Georgia. It now has about 52,000 students. Since the merger, more students at Perimeter College are graduating.
How Georgia State is Organized
The university is led by its President, Dr. M. Brian Blake. He works under the Georgia Board of Regents. Georgia State has 11 different colleges and schools.
Colleges and Schools
- Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
- Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions
- College of the Arts
- College of Arts & Sciences
- College of Education and Human Development
- J. Mack Robinson College of Business
- College of Law
- School of Public Health
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences
- Honors College
- Perimeter College
Students at Perimeter College campuses mostly take classes there. If they want to earn a bachelor's degree at the main downtown campus, they need to apply to transfer.
Exploring the Campus
Georgia State University is right in the middle of Downtown Atlanta. The campus is often called "the Concrete Campus." The university likes to say it's "a part of the city, not apart from the city."
Key Campus Buildings
- 25 Park Place: This building has classrooms and offices. It used to be a bank building.
- Sparks Hall: This was the first building made just for Georgia State. It opened in 1955. It holds admissions offices and classrooms.
Student Housing Options
Georgia State has many places for students to live on campus.
- University Lofts: Opened in 2002, this building has apartments for students.
- University Commons: This large complex opened in 2007. It can house almost 2,000 students.
- Patton Hall: Opened in 2009, this dorm is just for first-year students. It has a dining hall.
- Greek Housing: In 2010, special housing was built for fraternities and sororities.
- Piedmont North: Two former hotels were turned into dorms in this complex. It houses about 1,100 students and has a dining hall.
- Piedmont Central: This new dorm opened in 2016. It can house over 1,100 students.
Campus Safety and Security
Georgia State has its own police department. It has over 160 police officers. They work to keep the campus safe for everyone.
Perimeter College Campuses
Perimeter College has five campuses around the Atlanta area. These include campuses in Alpharetta, Clarkston, Decatur, Dunwoody, and Newton County. Each campus offers different facilities like athletic fields or student centers.
Life as a Student
Student life at Georgia State is very active. There are many clubs, activities, and media groups.
Student Media
Students at Georgia State run several media groups:
- Album 88: A student radio station.
- Neo Network (NeoN): Creates original video content.
- The Signal: The university's student newspaper and website.
- Underground: An arts and literature journal for students.
Student Diversity
Georgia State University is known for being very diverse. It has one of the most ethnically diverse campuses in the country. Many students from different backgrounds study here.
Student Facilities
- Student Recreation Center: This center has courts for racquetball and squash. It also has a climbing wall, pools, and a gym.
- Cinefest Film Theater: This is a student-run movie theater. It shows many different types of movies. Students can watch movies for free.
- Panther Dining: There are three dining halls in the dorms. There are also food courts in the University Center and Student Center.
Getting Around Campus
Panther Express Shuttles
The university has shuttle buses called Panther Express. They run on different routes around campus. This helps students get to classes and dorms easily.
MARTA and Streetcar
Atlanta's public transport system, MARTA, has stations near Georgia State. Students can get special rates. The Atlanta Streetcar also runs through campus. It connects the main campus to other areas downtown.
Parking
Georgia State has many parking lots and decks. Some are for students, and some are for staff. Students can also park at the Center Parc Stadium lots. Shuttles take them to the main campus from there.
Greek Life
Georgia State University has many fraternities and sororities. There are over 30 different groups. Some of these groups have their own special housing on campus.
Arts and Culture
Georgia State plays a big role in the arts scene in Atlanta.
Rialto Center for the Arts
The Rialto Center for the Arts is a performing arts venue. It hosts jazz, world music, and dance shows. The School of Music also holds concerts here.
Digital Arts and Entertainment Laboratory (DAEL)
The DAEL has equipment for digital media. Students can use it for research and creating projects.
Digital Aquarium
This lab lets students use special computers for editing media. They can also check out equipment and get training. It even has a professional recording studio.
Research and New Ideas
Georgia State is one of the top research universities in Georgia. It is known for being very innovative.
University Libraries
Georgia State has three main libraries. The University Library has over 1.4 million books and other materials. It also has many online resources.
Science Research
- Physics and Astronomy: Researchers study things like atomic physics and how stars work. They use telescopes at different observatories.
- Biology: Biology research focuses on many areas. These include how cells work and how diseases like cancer spread. Georgia State has a special lab (BSL-4) that studies very serious viruses like Ebola.
Research Centers
Georgia State has many centers for research. These centers bring together experts from different fields.
- Language Research Center: This center studies language. It is famous for its work with bonobos and chimpanzees, like Kanzi, who learned to communicate using symbols.
- Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA): This center has powerful telescopes. They can take very detailed images of stars.
Sports and Traditions
The Georgia State Panthers have 16 varsity sports teams. They compete in NCAA Division I. They are part of the Sun Belt Conference. The university has won championships in many sports, including basketball, baseball, and soccer.
Georgia State's beach volleyball team is often ranked among the top ten in the country. The university also has a strong esports program. In 2019, its SMITE team won the school's first national championship.
Olympic Games Connection
Georgia State University played a role in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. The GSU Sports Arena hosted badminton matches. The first dorms on campus were built as part of the Olympic Village. This helped Georgia State grow from a school where students mostly commuted to a large urban university.
Marching Band
In 2010, Georgia State started its first marching band. The band performs at football games and other events. They have performed at big events like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Super Bowl LIII halftime show. They also marched in the Tournament of Roses Parade in 2022.
University Coat of Arms
The university has its own coat of arms. It has a Latin motto that means "Truth shall overcome." The panther on the coat of arms holds a quill, which stands for education. The gold coin shows that the university started as a business school.
Notable Alumni and Faculty
Since it opened, over 227,000 students have graduated from Georgia State. Many of them live and work in the Atlanta area.
Images for kids
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Georgia State Convocation Center, a multi-purpose venue opened in 2022 and home of GSU basketball
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