Savannah State University facts for kids
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| Latin: Lux Et Veritas | |
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Former names
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Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth (1890–1932) Georgia State College (1932–1950 Savannah State College (1950–1996) |
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| Motto | (Latin: Light and Truth) |
| Type | Public historically black university |
| Established | November 26, 1890 |
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Parent institution
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University System of Georgia |
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Academic affiliation
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Space-grant |
| Endowment | $10 million |
| President | Cynthia Robinson Alexander (interim) |
| Provost | Sametria R. McFall |
| Students | 2,945 (Fall 2022) |
| Location |
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United States
32°1′30″N 81°3′50″W / 32.02500°N 81.06389°W |
| Campus | 401-acre (1,622,789.4 m2), coastal setting |
| Newspaper | The Tiger's Roar |
| Colors | Burnt orange and reflex blue |
| Nickname | Tigers and Lady Tigers |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division II – SIAC |
| Website | www.savannahstate.edu |
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Savannah State University (often called Savannah State or SSU) is a public university located in Savannah, Georgia. It is a special type of school known as a historically black university. This means it was first created to provide higher education for African American students. Savannah State is the oldest public university of its kind in Georgia.
The university is part of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which supports historically black colleges and universities. Savannah State has four main areas of study, called colleges. These are the College of Business Administration, the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the College of Sciences and Technology, and the College of Education.
Contents
History of Savannah State
Savannah State University has a long and interesting history. It started over 130 years ago!
| 1890 | Established as Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth |
| 1891 | Relocated from Athens to Savannah |
| 1921 | First female students admitted as campus residents |
| 1928 | Became a full four-year degree-granting institution; high school and normal programs were removed |
| 1932 | Renamed Georgia State College |
| 1947 | Land-grant designation transferred to Fort Valley State College |
| 1950 | Renamed Savannah State College |
| 1996 | Renamed Savannah State University |
How Savannah State Began
Savannah State University was created because of a law passed in 1890. This law, called the Second Morrill Land Grant Act, said that states in the South needed to create colleges for black students. This was because schools were separated by race back then.
On November 26, 1890, the state of Georgia officially started the Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth. The first classes were held in Athens in 1891. Later that year, on October 7, 1891, the college moved to its permanent home in Savannah. Richard R. Wright Sr. became the first president.
The school started with five teachers and eight students. These first students had all graduated from Edmund Asa Ware High School in Augusta. The campus was built on land that used to be a plantation.
Early Years and Growth
The college gave out its first bachelor's degree in 1898. In 1921, girls were allowed to live on campus for the first time. By 1928, the college offered full four-year degrees. It stopped offering high school classes and programs for training teachers.
In 1932, the college became a part of the University System of Georgia. Its name changed to Georgia State College. For a while, it was Georgia's special land-grant school for African-American students. This means it received federal land or money to support its programs. In 1947, this special status moved to Fort Valley State College. In 1950, the college's name changed again to Savannah State College.
Savannah State Today
As the college grew and offered more advanced degrees, its status changed. In 1996, the Georgia Board of Regents decided to make Savannah State College a state university. That's when it got its current name, Savannah State University.
In 2008, there was a plan to combine Savannah State University with another school, but this plan did not happen. Savannah State University was the first school in Georgia to offer a degree in homeland security. It was also one of the first schools in the University System of Georgia to have wireless internet all over campus.
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Notable campus events
Parts of the movie The General's Daughter were filmed at Hill Hall on campus in 1997. The director liked the campus's "Southern Gothic" look.
The TV show Trading Spaces filmed an episode at Savannah State in 2007. Students helped transform spaces in the King-Frazier Student Center.
A Christian student group had a disagreement with the university about their activities. They reached an agreement in 2008, allowing the group to be a recognized student organization again. |
What Students Study at SSU
Savannah State offers many different study programs for students. You can earn a bachelor's degree (your first college degree) or a master's degree (a higher-level degree). These programs are offered through the university's colleges.
- College of Business Administration: Here, students learn about business. They can even get an MBA, which is a master's degree in business. The college also helps train teachers for business subjects.
- College of Sciences and Technology: This college works with Georgia Tech on engineering programs. Students can start their engineering studies at Savannah State.
- College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS): This college covers many subjects like history, writing, and social sciences.
- College of Education: This college helps students become teachers.
Students can pick from 23 different bachelor's degree programs and 5 master's degree programs. Savannah State is located near the coast, so its Marine Biology Department has two research boats. These boats, the R/V Sea Otter and the R/V Tiger, help students study ocean life. The university also works with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to teach about environmental rules.
Savannah State has an honors program for students who achieve high grades. This program offers more challenging courses and special opportunities.
How SSU Programs are Approved
Savannah State University's programs are officially approved by important groups. This means the education you get there meets high standards.
The university is approved by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This group makes sure colleges are doing a good job. Many specific programs also have their own special approvals:
- Civil engineering technology
- Electronics engineering technology
- Mechanical engineering technology
The Chemistry department is approved by the American Chemical Society. This shows it meets high standards for chemistry education.
Programs in Social Work are approved by the Council on Social Work Education. The master's program in Public Administration is approved by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. The College of Business Administration is approved by the AACSB International. The Mass Communications Department is approved by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.
How Savannah State is Run
The university has different offices that help it run smoothly. The Office of Graduate Studies and Sponsored Research helps with teaching, research, and community programs.
Who Oversees SSU
The University System of Georgia oversees Savannah State University. This group sets goals and rules for all public colleges in Georgia. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) also allows the university to offer graduate degrees.
How SSU Gets Money
Savannah State is a public university. This means it gets money from the State of Georgia. It also gets money from student tuition, fees, and special grants for research. Private scholarships and donations from alumni (former students) also help. The university's budget in 2005 was over $42 million.
Savannah State Campus
Savannah State University is about 5 miles (8 km) southeast of downtown Savannah. It's easy to reach from major highways. The campus is beautiful, with Spanish moss hanging from live oak trees. You'll also see palm trees, magnolias, and many colorful azaleas and camellias. The campus is 201 acres (81 hectares) and is located next to a marsh.
Early Campus Buildings
The first campus was 86 acres (35 hectares) and had three buildings. About 51 acres (21 hectares) were used as the school's farm. Many of the older buildings were actually built by the students and teachers themselves! They show different building styles from the past.
Historic Places on Campus
Both the Savannah State campus and Hill Hall are recognized as historic places in Georgia.
Hill Hall: A Historic Building
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Hill Hall at Savannah State College
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| Location | Savannah, Georgia |
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| Built | 1901 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000197 |
| Added to NRHP | 1981 |
Walter Bernard Hill Hall was built between 1900 and 1901. Students who were learning trades like blacksmithing helped build it. This building has been used for many things, including a bookstore, a student center, and a library. It was closed in 1996 for a long time because it needed many repairs.
People worked hard to raise money to fix Hill Hall. It reopened in 2008 after being restored. Today, it holds offices, a lecture hall, a banquet room, and a small museum.
Sports Facilities
Tiger Arena is a large building with 6,000 seats. It's where the university's basketball teams play their games. It also has offices for the sports department. Ted A. Wright Football Stadium is where the football team plays. It has 7,500 seats and an Olympic-sized outdoor track. The stadium opened in 1967, and the track was built in 1995.
New Buildings on Campus
In 2007, Savannah State started building a new academic building. It was finished in 2009. This building has 10 classrooms, three lecture rooms, and three computer labs. It also has research labs and offices for different departments, like Public Administration and Social Work.
Student Life at SSU
About 3,800 students attend Savannah State University. There are also 385 full-time teachers. The university offers many activities for students outside of classes. There are 75 student organizations, leadership workshops, and 15 different intramural sports. Students can also work on student publications or get internships.
Wesleyan Gospel Choir
The SSU Wesleyan Gospel Choir started in 1971. In 2004, the choir released a live album called RLW: "Revelation, Love, & Worship". The choir has performed at many gospel music events and even appeared on TV. They performed with singer Ann Nesby at the Savannah Black Heritage Festival.
The "Powerhouse Of The South" Band
The university's marching band is known as the "Powerhouse of the South." They perform at Savannah State football games. The band has also been a featured performer at the Honda Battle of the Bands several times, including in 2004, 2005, and 2023.
Student Groups and Clubs
Savannah State University has chapters of all nine National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organizations. These are historically black Greek-letter fraternities and sororities. There are also many other national fraternities and sororities on campus.
Student Media
Students at Savannah State create their own media.
The Tiger's Roar Newspaper
The Tiger's Roar is the official student newspaper of Savannah State University. It is available both in print and online.
WHCJ Radio Station
SSU runs its own radio station, WHCJ (FM). It broadcasts 24 hours a day from the campus. You can hear it all over Chatham County and in nearby areas. WHCJ started in 1975 and is known as "the Voice of Savannah State University." It plays gospel, jazz, reggae, blues, and salsa music. It also has talk shows and cultural programs.
Sports at SSU
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The sports teams at Savannah State are called the Savannah State Tigers. They compete in college sports. The university spends about $2 million each year on its sports teams and facilities.
Savannah State University is part of the NCAA Division II. They are a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). Savannah State has teams in many sports, including:
- Football
- Baseball
- Basketball (for men and women)
- Cross-country (for men and women)
- Tennis (for men and women)
- Track and field (for men and women)
- Volleyball (for women only)
- Golf (for men)
- Softball (for women)
In 2017, Savannah State announced it would move all its sports programs back to Division II. This change was expected to happen for the 2019-2020 school year.
SSU Cheerleading
Savannah State University's cheerleading team made history in February 2017. They became the first team from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to win a national cheerleading title. The 13-member team won a CheerSport National title for their amazing routine.
See also
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Additional faculty information
For additional information on notable Savannah State University faculty and staff members, you may also want to view articles in the following categories:
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- List of Savannah State University alumni
- List of Savannah State University faculty
- President of Savannah State University
