Georgetown College


Georgetown College is a private, Christian liberal arts college in Georgetown, Kentucky. Chartered in 1829, Georgetown was the first Baptist college west of the Appalachian Mountains. Committed to academic excellence and the future success of its students, Georgetown College has produced five Rhodes Scholars over its history, and 38 Fulbright Scholars since just 1989.
The college offers 38 undergraduate degrees and a Master of Arts in education. Georgetown College offers degrees in areas of visual and performing arts, math and sciences, humanities, language and culture, business, medicine and healthcare, and others. It is best known for its excellence in pre-medical fields and education.

History

In 1829, the Kentucky General Assembly chartered the Kentucky Baptist Education Society with the purpose of establishing a Baptist college in the state. 24 trustees under the leadership of Silas Noel selected the town of Georgetown as the site for the new school. Georgetown College’s early years were defined by perseverance in the face of hardships. The first president hired by the college in 1829, William D. Staughton, died before assuming his duties. The second president, Rev. Joel Smith Bacon, stayed two years, fighting court cases to release funding for the college before leaving out of frustration. The third president, Benjamin Farnsworth, endured a power struggle with the Campbellites and resigned in 1837.
In 1838, Rev. Rockwood Giddings became the fourth president of the college. During his short tenure, Giddings began construction on Recitation Hall, the school's first permanent building, and made many other advances that put the college on sound footing. Giddings died of exhaustion after a year in office and was replaced by Rev. Howard Malcolm in 1840.
Malcolm oversaw the completion of the construction of the building, now known as Giddings Hall. He also expanded the educational offerings beyond the classics and encouraged the founding of literary societies and the Georgetown Female Academy. He resigned in 1849 when his anti-slavery vote at Kentucky's third constitutional convention resulted in much criticism from slavery proponents and a threat on his life.
The college experienced steady growth until the Civil War, when a clear divide established between students and faculty. Partisan differences at the start of the war became so hostile, the College was forced to shut down until 1863. By 1867, enrollment had grown to seventy-six students, and, that same year, one of the earliest female seminaries was founded at the college.
The college saw steady growth for the next century but experienced a major boom following World War II and the GI Bill, and, by 1958, enrollment had jumped to 1,397 students. Georgetown continued its growth into the 1960s and 1970s, with several new academic buildings and dormitories constructed on campus to accommodate the rise in enrollment.
As the student population grew in the late 20th century, the administration sought ways to diversify the campus and protect academic freedom. In 2005, Georgetown College and the Kentucky Baptist Convention redefined their formal relationship. With the approval of the new agreement by the Convention, the college reverted to its original arrangement with Kentucky Baptists.

Distinctions

In its history, Georgetown College has produced five Rhodes Scholars and, since 1989, has produced 38 Fulbright Scholars. The college also has an honors program and a partnership with Regent's Park College, Oxford. In 2014, the college became one of only 18 schools nationwide to earn the highest rating for protecting free speech on campus. Georgetown College became a member of the Southern University Conference in 2010.

Academics

Georgetown College currently offers Bachelor of Arts Degrees, Bachelor of Science Degrees, and several dual-program degrees in 38 undergraduate majors. The College also offers a Master of Arts degree in Education.
The college has produced five Rhodes Scholars in its history, and since 1989, the college has produced 38 Fulbright Scholars. Additionally, five alumni have been named KY Teacher of the Year, and students from the college won a national championship in Forensic Accounting in 2019.

Accreditations

Georgetown College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and master's degrees. Georgetown is also accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board for initial and advanced level educator preparation programs. Its affiliations include the American Council of Education, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Association of American Colleges and Universities, Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Kentucky Independent College Foundation, the Network of Church-Related Colleges and Universities, and the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities. Additionally, faculty and staff are affiliated with a number of regional, national and international professional organizations.

Programs of Distinction

Honors Programs

Oxford Honors Program

The Oxford Honors Program offers Georgetown College students the chance to enroll and study at Oxford University in their junior or senior year. Prior to going, qualified students will use GC Honors courses to develop and hone the academic skills, content expertise, and personal habits needed to thrive in the famous Oxford Tutorial method of teaching and learning. The end result is a top-flight Georgetown College liberal arts education combined with a challenging and transformative academic experience at a world top-five university–a combination that has set our graduates on the path to personal success.

Christian Scholars Program

The Christian Scholars Program encourages students to explore their faith and vocation in college with retreats, mission trips, and focused courses. As servant scholars, students will work beside helpful mentors, develop lifelong friends, think carefully about their life and faith, reflect deeply on the world’s great needs, and pursue their vocation through meaningful travel experiences.

Science Honors Program

Science Honors provides funding for a 10-week summer research internship at a top institution, then helps students present and publish their research.

Independent Honors Program

The Independent Honors track challenges students to discover and develop their intellectual strengths and purpose by completing a personalized honors curriculum developed in consultation with an honors adviser. Independent Honors Students work closely with the program director to fulfill program requirements in a way that supports their academic and intellectual development.

Art Programs

Maskrafters Academy

Maskrafters Academy is for any student who loves being involved in Theatre/Film and allows students to participate in plays and production of films by our students and faculty.

Prototype Program

The Prototype Program offers art students private studio space, a student-curated art gallery, and state-of-the-art equipment for all forms of art to explore their creativity and grow in their artistic talent.

Band and Chorale

Both Band and Chorale offer students the chance to continue pursuing music in college while receiving additional scholarships and training. Our Pep Band and Symphonic Band travel and perform at games and concerts, and chorale travels and performs at concerts as well.

Pre-Professional Programs

Health Scholars

Alongside a community of like-minded students, Health Scholars gives students professional experiences and the skills and preparation they need to succeed in any form of post-graduate health program. Graduates are well-prepared and highly successful in everything from Medicine to small and large animal Veterinary practices, Physical Therapy, and Healthcare Administration.

Equine Scholars

Equine Scholars is a unique pre-professional program and scholarship that prepares scholars to go into many fields in the equine industry, allowing students to explore several different areas of interest with a focus on how to use those multiple skills in the equine industry.

Pre-Law

Pre-Law is a pre-professional program and scholarship that offers students an excellent path to Law School with a 100% acceptance rate in the last five years! Pre-Law offers students individualized advising, dedicated courses, LSAT prep, Mock Trial and Model UN, and internships. In the past three years alone, Georgetown’s 31 Pre-Law graduates have been admitted to 45 different law schools, including University of California-Berkeley, Georgetown University, Vanderbilt, Emory, University of Kentucky, and Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville.

Wellness Advocates

Wellness Advocates gives students pursuing allied health fields experience in health promotion and leadership.

Student organizations

Georgetown College has 58 student clubs and organizations, including four national fraternities. The college offers a chapel and several Christian and other religious groups for students. Its social organizations cover a wide range of interests, including government, recreation, community service, activism, the arts, and academics.

Student life

Georgetown College has four national fraternities and five national sororities on campus. It also has an independent brotherhood known as the President's House Association, which was formed in 1964 as an alternative to the traditional fraternity system. An Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council are also part of Greek life at Georgetown College.
Government-minded students can join the College Democrats, College Republicans, United Nations Georgetown, and the Student Government Association.
Recreation and activity oriented groups include the Georgetown Activities Council, intramurals, Georgetown College Equestrian Team, Georgetown College Film Club, Outdoor High Adventure Club, Social Plug, and the Georgetown College Disc Golf Club.
Activist groups include the Georgetown Sustainability Initiative, Campus Spectrum, Habitat for Humanity, Student Abolitionist Movement, and the American Red Cross Club.
Students interested in the arts can participate in the Dance Marathon, George-Tones, Gospel Choir, Lyric Theatre Society, Maskrafters/Alpha Psi Omega, MTNA piano club, Praise Dance Ministry, and the Step Team.
Religious organizations include Common Ground and Campus Outreach.
Academic groups include Alpha Lambda Delta, American Chemical Society Club, Biology Club, Brokmeyer Society, Delta Omicron, Georgetown College Athletic Training Students, Kentucky Education Association, Math/Physics/Computer Science Club, Nat'l Association for Music Education, Psi Chi/Psi Alpha Omega, Sigma Tau Delta, Sociology Club, Student Women and Gender Society, Students of National Association for Teachers of Singing, and the Academic Team.
Other student organizations include Ambassadors of Diversity, Pre-Health Association, SHAC, SHMAC, Tiger Squad, Commuter Club, and the Real Food Coalition.

Maskrafters

The Georgetown College Maskrafter theatre group is the oldest collegiate theatre company in Kentucky and offers traditional theatre, an emphasis on creating original work, and new initiatives in digital motion picture art. As of 2007, the Maskrafters had produced a feature-length movie entitled Surviving Guthrie, and had put on the musical She Loves Me. Recent plays include Proof, The Fantasticks, Grease, and Shakespeare's The Tempest. The Maskrafters are primarily students at Georgetown, and are guided by staff.

Media

A student-run newspaper, called The Georgetonian, publishes multiple issues per semester. A student-run radio station, WRVG, is housed on campus in the Cralle Student Center.

Traditions

Songfest is an evening of skits written by, starring, and produced by Greek and independent groups on campus. Skits are centered on the Homecoming theme, and also incorporate singing, dancing, and acting. Groups engage in competitions to win awards.
Chapel Day and Men's Bid Day takes place each January. Chapel Day is a sorority event letting the active members know which pledges have accepted their bid to join the sorority. The pledges dress in their new sorority's colors and run through the doors of the chapel into the waiting arms of their sisters. The fraternities' version of Chapel Day occurs the following week. Referred to as Men's Bid Day, it operates in a similar fashion and is held at Cooke Memorial. Even independent students, faculty, staff, family, and sometimes pets brave the cold to enjoy the excitement of this special campus tradition.
Homecoming is an annual tradition, highlighted by Songfest and a football game. Every year, alumni head back to Georgetown's campus. On Saturday morning they have brunch, listen to live music, and visit with fellow alumni, professors and current students. A Homecoming King and Queen, elected by the student body, are crowned during halftime of the football game.
Belle of the Blue is Georgetown's small-scale version of Miss America. It is an annual scholarship pageant that any freshman through junior woman can participate in. Each residence hall, including the male dormitories, nominates a woman to compete as their representative in the February event. On pageant night, the women are judged based on scholarship, interview, talent, poise and appearance. A "Miss Congeniality" title is awarded, as well as an overall scholarship to Georgetown College.
Midnight Brunch – The Caf, each semester, selects one night during finals week to open at midnight. Students listen to music that blares and games are played, and the professors serve students platefuls of comfort food to help fuel their late-night study sessions.
Grubfest happens each September. Students join the annual battle to see which team can complete the most challenges. In a matter of hours, the Quad, a lush, green open area for socializing and studying, is turned into a slimy, muddy arena covered with food products. At the end of Grubfest, the two dirtiest and most creative participants are crowned king and queen of the year's festivities.
Opening Convocation is held in the chapel in the early fall and is a campus-wide assembly intended to create a sense of academic community and common purpose as the academic year begins.
Hanging of the Green is held each December, and students, faculty, and staff gather together in the chapel on the first Monday night of the month for a worship service including an advent wreath lit by faculty and staff, an upperclassman offering the service's message, and a Christmas tree trimmed on stage with ornaments representing various organizations on campus. At the end, the attendees sing "Silent Night".
Commencement, or the graduation ceremony, takes place every May on Giddings Lawn. Seniors troop through the doors of Giddings Hall and fan out onto the front lawn, where commencement proceeds.

Athletics

The athletics teams at Georgetown College are known as the Tigers. They participate in the NAIA and in the Mid-South Conference.
The Tigers participate in 18 varsity sports.
;Men's Sports
;Women's Sports
;Co-ed and Club Sports

Accomplishments