Community Corner
New College Campus Opens in Cumming
A ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opens the new University Center | GA 400 campus in Cumming.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Thursday afternoon for the opening of the University Center | GA 400 campus in Cumming.
A crowd of more than 150 people, including local leaders and school officials from North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College celebrated the opening of the new campus, which builds on the 27-year partnership between the two institutions, according to a press release.
The new instructional center is located off Georgia 400 at Pilgrim Mill Road, (Exit 16) and will extend the presence each school has in the region by exclusively hosting the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Between the two institutions, the center will also offer a range of two- and four-year undergraduate programs, graduate programs, and professional development opportunities.
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“This facility will provide dividends to this community for many years to come,” said Cumming Mayor H. Ford Gravitt. “It is a great addition to the University System of Georgia.”
Gravitt recently established two annual $1,000 scholarships. One is in honor of his late wife, and will be given to a deserving student from Forsyth County. The other is in honor of his high school alma mater—Forsyth Central High School—and will be given to a deserving student graduating from that school.
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The University Center, which has an enrollment of more than 500 students this fall, aims to meet the growing need for higher education in the underserved northeast Georgia region.
While the facility is not residential, it is expected to alleviate some of the capacity pressure at both the Dahlonega and Oakwood campuses. With an expected fall enrollment of about 6,300 students, North Georgia is nearing capacity at its Dahlonega campus, and Gainesville State’s capacity has exceeded 100 percent on the Oakwood campus since 2000.
The center will provide an additional location for students to take entry-level, bachelor’s, and graduate-level courses, creating further opportunities to complete the classes needed to graduate in a timely manner.
“This center is a huge step forward for the city of Cumming and Forsyth County,” said Dr. Randy Pierce, interim president of Gainesville State. “For generations to come this community will benefit from the University Center.”
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