Stillman College facts for kids
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Former names
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Tuscaloosa Institute (1876–1895) Stillman Institute (1895–1948) |
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| Type | Private historically black college |
| Established | 1876 |
| Accreditation | SACS |
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Religious affiliation
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Presbyterian Church (USA) |
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Academic affiliations
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CIC |
| Endowment | $25,812,266 |
| President | Yolanda W. Page |
| Students | 971 |
| Location |
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U.S.
33°11′53″N 87°35′7″W / 33.19806°N 87.58528°W |
| Campus | 105 acres (42 ha) |
| Colors | Navy Blue & Vegas Gold |
| Nickname | Tigers & Lady Tigers |
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Sporting affiliations
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NAIA – HBCUAC |
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Stillman College
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Built | 1907 |
| NRHP reference No. | 100004680 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | March 16, 2021 |
Stillman College is a private college located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It is a historically black college with ties to the Presbyterian Church. The college offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. Students can choose from 22 different study programs. These programs are part of three main schools: Arts and Sciences, Business Entrepreneurship and CIS, and Education. Stillman College is officially recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Contents
History of Stillman College
Stillman College first opened its doors as Tuscaloosa Institute in 1876. The idea for the school came from Charles Allen Stillman. He was a pastor who wanted to train African American men for ministry.
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In 1895, the school became a legal organization in Alabama. Its name changed to Stillman Institute. Over the years, the school grew and added more programs. It started a junior college program, which was officially recognized in 1937. For a time, between 1930 and 1946, it even had a hospital and a nurse training school.
Becoming a Four-Year College
Under the leadership of Samuel Burney Hay (1948–1965), the school aimed to become a full four-year college. In 1948, its name changed again to Stillman College. The first class to earn bachelor's degrees graduated in 1951. Stillman College received its official accreditation in 1953. During this time, many new buildings were constructed. These included a gym, a library, and student dorms.
John Rice became the dean of students at Stillman College in 1966. His daughter, Condoleezza Rice, lived on campus with him. She later became the 66th United States Secretary of State.
Growth and Modernization
Harold N. Stinson (1967–1980) was the first African American president of Stillman. He brought in new programs to improve education. The campus also grew with new dorms and a science center. In 1978, the college had its first non-black graduate.
Cordell Wynn (1982–1997) was the college's fourth president. During his time, the campus looked much better. Many buildings were updated, and new ones were built. The number of students grew to over 1,000. The college also started new programs like the Stillman Management Institute.
Ernest McNealey (1997–2013) became the fifth president. Stillman became known for its use of technology. It was a leader in wireless computing. The college's football team and marching band also became very popular. Stillman had its largest number of students ever during this period. New buildings were added, including a School of Education building and a fine arts center.
Peter E. Millet served as the sixth president starting in 2014. In August 2014, the college received a large donation of $2 million. To make college more affordable, tuition was lowered in December 2014. In January 2015, Stillman became a smoke-free campus.
Cynthia Warrick (2017–2023) was named the seventh president in 2017. She was the first female president of Stillman College. On July 1, 2023, Yolanda Page became the eighth president. She is the second woman to lead the college.
In 2021, the Stillman College campus in Tuscaloosa was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
Stillman College Athletics
The sports teams at Stillman College are known as the Tigers (for men) and Lady Tigers (for women). The college is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Since the 2024–2025 school year, they compete in the HBCU Athletic Conference.
Stillman currently has eight college sports teams:
- Men's sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, and track & field.
- Women's sports: basketball, cross country, softball, and track & field.
- The college also has men's and women's bowling, and volleyball.
Stillman used to have a football team from 1999 to 2015. They stopped playing football and most other sports in 2015 due to high costs. However, they have since brought back several sports.
Athletic Accomplishments
Stillman College teams have achieved many successes:
- Men's Basketball: In 2018, the Men's Basketball Team won the NAIA A.I.I Conference Championship. They finished the season with a strong record of 27 wins and 5 losses. They also won the SIAC Championship in 2006 and 2016.
- Women's Basketball: In 2018, the Lady Tigers were the NAIA A.I.I. Conference Runner-Ups. They ended the season with 19 wins and 12 losses.
- Baseball: The baseball team has won the SIAC Tournament many times, including in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. They were also SIAC West Division champions in 2015 and 2016.
- Softball: The 2018 Lady Tigers Softball team had a record of 18 wins and 18 losses. This was a great achievement, especially since they started the season with a new coach.
Notable People from Stillman College
Many talented individuals have attended or worked at Stillman College.
Notable Alumni
- Teddy Keaton (1999) – A college football coach.
- Jeff Henderson (2012) – An Olympic Gold Medalist in the Long Jump (2016).
- Junior Galette (2010) – A professional football player.
- Sammie Lee Hill (2009) – A professional football player.
- Brian Witherspoon (2008) – A professional football player.
- Gilbert Johnson (1922) – One of the first African Americans to join the United States Marine Corps.
- Ruth Bolden (1952) – A civil rights worker and library founder in west Tuscaloosa.
- Trudier Harris (1969) – The first tenured African-American faculty member at the College of William and Mary. She is also a distinguished professor and author.
- Michael Figures (1969) – An Alabama State Senator from 1978-1996.
- Willie Williams (1974) – One of the first African Americans to become a three-star general in the United States Marine Corps.
- Dwayne Murray – The first Black fire chief for the City of Daytona Beach, Florida.
- Lena Prewitt – The first Black female professor at the University of Alabama. She worked on the Saturn V rocket project.
Notable Faculty
- Andrew Flinn Dickson – A Presbyterian clergyman who was the first professor at the Institute for the Training of Colored Ministers in 1876.
- Michael Hill – Taught British history at Stillman.
- Yolanda W. Page – The current (eighth) president of Stillman College.
- John Wesley Rice, Jr. – Dean of Students from 1965 to 1968, and the father of Condoleezza Rice.
See also
