Georgia State University - History

History

Initially intended as an engineering school for mining engineering programs, Georgia State University was established in 1913 as the Georgia School of Technology's "Evening School of Commerce". The school focused on what was called "the new science of business." A reorganization of the University System of Georgia in the 1930s led to the school becoming the "Atlanta Extension Center of the University System of Georgia" and allowed night students to earn degrees from several colleges in the University System. During this time, the school had two informal names: "Georgia Evening College," which granted business degrees, and "Atlanta Junior College." In September 1947, the school became affiliated with the University of Georgia and was named the "Atlanta Division of the University of Georgia." The school received its independence in 1955 and became the "Georgia State College of Business Administration." In 1961, other programs at the school had grown large enough that the name was shortened to "Georgia State College." It became Georgia State University in 1969.

In 1995, the State Board of Regents accorded Georgia State "research university" status, joining the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia, and the Georgia Health Sciences University. Georgia State is in the heart of activity of downtown Atlanta. The Sports Arena and center campus are less than a half-mile from CNN Center, Centennial Olympic Park, Philips Arena and the Georgia Dome. The campus intersects Peachtree Street, the main street of Atlanta. The first female chairman, president and CEO to ever ring the New York Stock Exchange’s opening bell when she did so in 1998, was Georgia State alum M. Christine Jacobs of Georgia-based Theragenics Corporation.

The first African-American student enrolled at Georgia State 50 years ago in 1962. Annette Lucille Hall was a Lithonia social studies teacher who enrolled in the course of the Institute on Americanism and Communism, a course required for all Georgia social studies teachers.

The Peachtree Road Race, the world’s most famous 10-kilometer run, was started by Georgia State crosscountry coach and dean of men Tim Singleton. The “father of the Peachtree” headed it the first six years before turning it over to the Atlanta Track Club by using volunteers from Georgia State’s fraternities and sororities. He marked the first race with cooking flour to indicate mileage and charged a $2 entry fee. The second year, he created the first valuable collectible T-shirt. Many Georgia State faculty and students assisted in the early races, and several Georgia State runners have won or finished in the Top 10.