Spartanburg Methodist College
Former names | Textile Industrial Institute Spartanburg Junior College |
---|---|
Motto | Deus Providet |
Type | Private college |
Established | 1911 |
Accreditation | SACS |
Religious affiliation | United Methodist Church |
Endowment | $24.8 million (2022)[1] |
President | William Scott Cochran |
Academic staff | 65 |
Students | 1,025 |
Location | Saxon (Spartanburg address) , , United States |
Campus | metropolitan, 110-acre (45 ha) campus |
Nickname | Pioneers |
Mascot | Chuck |
Website | www |
Spartanburg Methodist College is a private Methodist liberal arts[2] college in Saxon, South Carolina, with a Spartanburg postal address.[3] The college serves approximately 1,000 students (2022-2023 academic year). The college awards associate's degrees and bachelor's degrees, including through online programs.
History
Founded in 1911 by Dr. David English Camak as the Textile Industrial Institute, TII was tailored for young adults working in the area textile mills by offering high school level courses in preparation for advanced education or employment. In 1927, the first two years of college-level work were added to the curriculum to provide graduates with an associate degree in liberal arts for transfer to senior level colleges. The continued relationship between TII and local business and industry led to the development of associate degrees that prepared students for immediate employment. In 1940, the high school classes were dropped from the TII curriculum, and in 1942, the Textile Industrial Institute became Spartanburg Junior College. In 1974, Spartanburg Junior College became Spartanburg Methodist College.[4] In 2019, Spartanburg Methodist College began to offer bachelor's degrees.[5]
Presidents[6]
President | Years Served |
---|---|
David English Camak | 1911-1923 |
Rembert B. Burgess | 1923-1962 |
Lester Kingman | 1963-1970 |
James S. Barrett | 1970-1976 |
George D. Fields, Jr. | 1976-1997 |
Charles Porter Teague | 1997-2009 |
Colleen Perry Keith | 2009-2015 |
William Scott Cochran | 2015-present |
Accreditation and affiliations
Spartanburg Methodist College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the University Senate of the United Methodist Church. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and with the South Carolina Annual Conference.
Academics
SMC offers six associate degrees and three bachelor's degree programs. Bachelor's degrees are offered in business administration, psychology, or a customizable degree where students can choose two concentrations out of a pool of six: business, criminal justice, English, history, psychology, and religion. Nine associate and bachelor's degree programs are available 100% online.
All bachelor's degrees include what SMC calls "The Camak Core." The Camak Core, named for SMC's founder, is a required 6 courses – or 18 hours of degree credit – of professional development (soft skills and experiences for personal and career success). The Camak Core makes up one-third of student's total bachelor's degree hours. Another unique feature for SMC's bachelor's degree programs is students will also earn an associate's degree after their first 2 years.[7]
SMC also offers free tutoring services to all students, whether on-ground or online. This tutor service includes the Write Place, where students have the opportunity to work one-on-one with a member of the English faculty on written assignments for any class.[8]
Campus
SMC occupies 110 acres near the western edge of the city limits of Spartanburg, and is within very easy driving distance to South Carolina’s coast and North Carolina’s slopes, as well as the cities of Greenville, Asheville, Atlanta, Charleston, and Charlotte. The campus has seven residential halls (Willard, Hammond, Kingman, Parsons, Judd, Bridges, and Sparrow) that are co-ed or all-female. Over the past decade, SMC has expanded its campus facilities. In 2012, an new academic building, Ellis Hall, was opened on campus and houses nine classrooms, the bookstore, academic offices, including the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Write Place, student publications, the President's Hall, and Gibbs Auditorium (which seats 275).[9] In 2019, the 4,000 foot Moore Family Fitness Center was opened on campus and provides students with access to aerobics machines, free weights, weight machines, and an aerobics classroom.
Athletics
The college is a Division I member of Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Region X includes colleges in the Carolinas, West Virginia, and Virginia. SMC offers 14 intercollegiate athletic programs which include Men's and Women's Soccer, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Golf, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Softball, Volleyball (indoor and beach), Baseball, and Men's and Women's Track and Field. The college's athletic teams have won numerous regional, divisional, and national titles.
The men's soccer team won the 1994 NJCAA national championship. Several other teams have made appearances in their respective NJCAA (JUCO) Division I national tournaments in recent years — most recently women's golf (three individual Top 50 finishes, 2011), men's tennis (26th-place finish, 2010), wrestling (29th-place finish, 2010), men's cross country (2nd place, 2012), women's cross country (16th place, 2009), men's and women's half marathon (3rd place, 2012) and volleyball (16th-place finish, 2009).
Notable alumni
- Olin D. Johnston - South Carolina Governor and Senator (first graduating class of the college)
- Orlando Hudson - professional baseball player[10]
- Lee Haney - professional bodybuilder [11]
- Heath Hembree - professional baseball player
- Dennis Moss - South Carolina State Representative[12]
- Reggie Sanders - professional baseball player[13]
- Dwight Smith - professional baseball player[14]
- Harris Stanton - comedian
- Sebastián Velásquez - professional soccer player[15]
References
- ^ As of June 30, 2022.
- ^ "Academics". Spartanburg Methodist College. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Saxon CDP, SC" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
Compare to: "Zoning Map" (PDF). City of Spartanburg. Retrieved 2021-07-05. (shows the university is not in the Spartanburg city limits)
See following address: 1000 Powell Mill Road, Spartanburg, SC 29301 - ^ "Mission / Vision / History". Spartanburg Methodist College. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
- ^ Ware, Lisa (2019-02-20). "SMC receives federal approval to offer first four-year degree this fall". Spartanburg Methodist College. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ "The Inauguration of W. Scott Cochran". Spartanburg Methodist College. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ "Academics". Spartanburg Methodist College. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ "Tutoring Services". Spartanburg Methodist College. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ Kitzmiller, Felicia. "Spartanburg Methodist celebrates opening of Ellis Hall". Spartanburg Herald Journal. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ "Orlando Hudson Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
- ^ "Lee Haney Pro Bodybuilding Profile". Bodybuilding.com. 12 October 2015.
- ^ "South Carolina Legislature Online - Member Biography". www.scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
- ^ "Reggie Sanders Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
- ^ "Dwight Smith Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
- ^ "Sebastián Velásquez". Real Salt Lake. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
External links
- Spartanburg Methodist College
- Private universities and colleges in South Carolina
- United Methodist Church
- Educational institutions established in 1911
- Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Education in Spartanburg County, South Carolina
- Buildings and structures in Spartanburg County, South Carolina
- NJCAA athletics
- 1911 establishments in South Carolina