University of North Carolina at Greensboro facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
University of North Carolina
at Greensboro

Former names	State Normal and Industrial School (1891–1896) State Normal and Industrial College (1896–1919) North Carolina College for Women (1919–1932) Woman's College of the University of North Carolina (1932–1963)
Motto	"Service"
Type	Public research university
Established	February 18, 1891; 134 years ago (February 18, 1891)
Parent institution	University of North Carolina
Accreditation	SACS
Academic affiliations	CUMU
Endowment	$368.6 million (2022)
Chancellor	Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr.
Provost	Debbie Storrs
Academic staff	1,145 (859 full-time and 286 part-time) (2019 fall)
Students	19,764 (2020 fall)
Undergraduates	15,995 (2020 fall)
Postgraduates	3,769 (2020 fall)
Location	Greensboro , North Carolina , United States
Campus	Large city, 250 acres (100 ha)
Newspaper	The Carolinian
Colors	Gold, white, and navy blue
Nickname	Spartans
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS – SoCon
Mascot	"Spiro" the Spartan

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (often called UNCG or UNC Greensboro) is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina. It's a place where students can do lots of research. UNCG is part of the larger University of North Carolina school system.

The university offers many different study programs. You can choose from over 100 programs for your first college degree (undergraduate). There are also 61 programs for master's degrees and 26 for doctoral degrees. UNCG is also home to the Weatherspoon Art Museum, which has amazing art.

History of UNCG

North Carolina State Normal and Industrial School, around 1906.

The Julius I. Foust Building, built in 1891.

UNCG first opened in 1892 as a college just for women. It was created by a special law in 1891. A person named Charles Duncan McIver helped start the school. He was the first leader, called the President.

When it first opened, the school taught subjects like business, home economics, and how to be a teacher. In its first year, there were 223 students and 15 teachers. The land for the school was given by R. S. Pullen and R. T. Gray. The first building cost $30,000 to build.

This university was the first public college in North Carolina made to educate women. In 1949, it became the biggest all-female school in the whole country.

The school's name changed many times over the years:

• From 1891 to 1896, it was the State Normal and Industrial School.
• From 1896 to 1919, it was the State Normal and Industrial College.
• From 1919 to 1932, it was the North Carolina College for Women.
• In 1932, it became the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina.
• Finally, in 1963, it became the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. This was also the year men were first allowed to attend the school.

How UNCG Ranks

UNCG is known as a good university. In 2023, Forbes magazine ranked it among the top colleges in the U.S. It was also ranked highly among public universities and schools in the Southern U.S.

U.S. News & World Report also gives UNCG good rankings. In 2022, it was listed among the top "National Universities" and "Top Public Schools." The magazine also recognized UNCG for being a "Top Performer on Social Mobility." This means the school helps students from all backgrounds succeed.

Exploring the Campus

The Fountain in front of the Dining Halls.

The UNCG campus has many old and important buildings. These include the Julius I. Foust Building (built in 1891) and Spencer Hall (from 1904). The Quad, a central area, was built between 1919 and 1923. The Chancellor's Residence (where the university leader lives) was built in 1923.

You can also find a statue of Minerva on campus. Minerva is a Roman goddess of wisdom. She has been a symbol of the university since 1894. The statue was put up in 2003.

UNCG Sports Teams

The sports teams at UNCG are called the Spartans. They have been competing in college sports since the late 1940s. All Spartan teams have been part of NCAA Division I since 1991. This is the highest level of college sports.

The Men's Soccer team was very successful in the 1980s. They won the NCAA Division III national championship title many times. Today, UNCG competes in the Southern Conference, which includes 10 schools in the Southeast.

The men's basketball team plays their home games at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Lynne Agee was a very successful coach for the women's basketball team. She won over 600 games before she retired. Under her coaching, the Spartans won 20 games or more in 16 different seasons. Her teams also played in the national tournament many times.

Clubs and Student Life

Student Clubs

UNCG has many different clubs and groups for students. In 2010, there were 36 honor societies and 20 fraternities and sororities. Students can also join:

• The student government association, started in 1910.
• The Campus Activities Board (CAB), which plans events.
• Groups for different cultures.
• The Neo-Black Society.
• PRIDE!, a group that supports LGBT students.
• The Science Fiction Fantasy Federation.
• Various performing arts, religious, and service groups.

Students also create their own media. They publish the university newspaper, The Carolinian. There is also a fine arts magazine called CORADDI and a campus radio station, WUAG.

Club Sports

Besides the official NCAA teams, UNCG also has many club sports. These are student-run teams that compete against other colleges. Here are some of the club sports:

University Libraries

The UNCG University Libraries system has two main locations:

• The Walter Clinton Jackson Library, which is the main library on campus. It also has special collections and university history records.
• The Harold Schiffman Music Library, which focuses on music-related materials.

There are also other smaller libraries on campus, like the Michel Family Teaching Resources Center.

What You Can Study at UNCG

UNCG has many different schools and colleges where students can learn. These include:

• The College of Arts and Sciences
• The College of Visual and Performing Arts
• The Lloyd International Honors College
• The Joseph M. Bryan School of Business and Economics
• The School of Education
• The School of Health and Human Sciences
• The School of Nursing
• The Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering
• The Graduate School

College of Arts and Sciences

This is the biggest part of the university. It has almost 500 full-time teachers in 21 different departments. You can study subjects like art, history, social sciences, natural sciences, and math here.

All students at UNCG must take some general education classes. These classes help students learn about different subjects and new ways of thinking. The College of Arts and Sciences offers most of these important classes.

English Department

The English Department started in 1893. It offers different degrees in English, including a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and PhD. The writing program is very popular and helps students improve their writing skills.

The department is located in the Moore Humanities and Research Administration Building. Famous writers like Louise Gluck have taught here.

Lloyd International Honors College

The Honors College offers special programs for students who want an extra challenge. Students can take unique Honors courses that are usually smaller. These classes often combine different subjects.

If you want to complete International Honors or Full University Honors, you need to have an international experience. You also need to learn a second language.

Joseph M. Bryan School of Business and Economics

The Bryan building, home of the business school, was completed in 1979.

The Bryan School is the largest of UNCG's professional schools. It started in 1969 and is named after Joseph M. Bryan, a well-known business person. This school is among the top 1 percent of business schools in the world. It has special accreditation for both business and accounting programs.

The Bryan School has 73 full-time teachers and many students. There are over 20,000 people who have graduated from this school.

Departments in Bryan School

• Accounting and Finance
• Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies
• Economics
• Information Systems and Supply Chain Management
• Management
• Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality, and Tourism

School of Education

The School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

The School of Education has programs for students who want to become teachers or work in education. It even offers a PhD in Educational Studies.

The history of this school goes back to when UNCG was first founded in 1891. The university was created to train women to be educators. The idea was that educated women would then teach their children and improve education in the state.

College of Visual and Performing Arts

UNCG College of Visual and Performing Arts

This college is home to over 900 students and more than 100 talented teachers. It includes the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, and the Department of Art. These groups joined together in 2010 and 2016 to form this college.

School of Nursing

The School of Nursing started in 1966. It offers programs for students to become nurses, from their first nursing degree (BSN) to advanced degrees (MSN and PhD). Over 4,000 students have graduated from this school.

School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering

The Joint School of Nanoscience & Nanoengineering (JSNN) is a special project. It's a partnership between North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and UNCG.

This school offers master's and PhD degrees in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. Nanoscience is the study of very tiny things, like atoms and molecules. Nanoengineering is about building things at that tiny scale.

The programs here focus on:

• Nanobioscience: This looks at the biological and chemical sides of nanoscience.
• Nanotechnology: This focuses on the engineering and environmental parts.
• Environmental nanoscience: This explores the ethical and environmental impacts of nanoscience.

The Graduate School

The Graduate School at UNCG helps manage all the graduate programs on campus. It serves about 3,600 graduate students. These students come from many different states and countries around the world.

Notable People from UNCG

Many famous writers have been part of the university's history. These include Allen Tate, Caroline Gordon, John Crowe Ransom, and Randall Jarrell.