North Greenville University

North Greenville University
Former name
North Greenville High School (1892–1915)
North Greenville Baptist Academy (1915–1950)
North Greenville Junior College (1950–1972)
North Greenville College (1972–2006)
MottoChrist Makes the Difference
TypePrivate college
EstablishedOctober 14, 1891; 133 years ago (1891-10-14)
Religious affiliation
South Carolina Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention)
PresidentGene Fant Jr.
ProvostHunter Baker[1]
Students2,125[2]
Undergraduates1,839
Postgraduates286
Location, ,
United States

35°4′9″N 82°22′20″W / 35.06917°N 82.37222°W / 35.06917; -82.37222
CampusRural
ColorsRed, Black & White
     
NicknameTrailblazers
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division IICarolinas
Websitengu.edu

North Greenville University is a private Baptist college in Tigerville, South Carolina. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and awards bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.[3][4]

History

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NGU's history dates to 1892 when it was initially named North Greenville High School, the first high school in the northern portion of Greenville County.[5] Benjamin F. Neves donated land for the school which was operated by the North Greenville Baptist Association. It was established to expand educational offerings in the mountainous northern portion of Greenville County.

The school received a state charter in 1904. It was taken over by the Southern Baptist Convention's Home Mission Board a year later. It was renamed North Greenville Baptist Academy in 1915. The North Greenville Baptist Association reassumed control of the school in 1929.[6]

In 1934, the academy was expanded to include a junior college. In 1949, it was transferred to the South Carolina Baptist Convention, which renamed the school North Greenville Junior College a year later. In 1957, it was accredited as a two-year college, and high school courses were dropped altogether. It was renamed simply North Greenville College in 1972.[7]

NGC began offering its first junior- and senior-level classes in 1992 in Christian studies and church music and added a teacher education program in 1997. In the following years, various other bachelor's degree programs were added, including English, History, Spanish, Psychology, Business, Criminal Justice, Theatre, Communications, Interdisciplinary Studies, Biology, and Mathematics, among other subjects. The institution's name changed to North Greenville University in 2006, and it began granting master's degrees as well.[8]

NGU was granted an exception to Title IX in 2015, which some groups, such as Campus Pride, allege allows them to discriminate against LGBTQ students legally.[9] Homosexual acts and all sex outside of marriage are grounds for expulsion from the school.[10]

Academics

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In 2024, the institution was ranked 36th in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Regional Universities" in the South.[11] It is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention).[12]

Athletics

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Younts Stadium

The North Greenville (NGU) athletic teams are called the Trailblazers— they were previously known as the Crusaders until 2024.[13] The institution is a member of the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the Conference Carolinas (CC; formerly known as the Carolinas–Virginia Athletic Conference (CVAC) until after the 2006–07 school year) since the 2011–12 academic year.[14] They were also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the South Region of the Division I level. The Trailblazers previously competed as a member of the Mid-South Conference (MSC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1995–96 to 2000–01.

NGU competes in 20 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track & field, and volleyball, while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball; and co-ed sports include cheerleading.[15]

Baseball

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The baseball team won the national NCAA Division II baseball tournament in 2022.[16][17]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ O'Gwynn, Marty (19 October 2023). "Noted Evangelical Scholar Hunter Baker Named NGU Provost". NGU.edu. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  2. ^ "College Navigator - North Greenville University". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved Apr 17, 2021.
  3. ^ "North Greenville University". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
  4. ^ "North Greenville University - Top University in United States of America - GoToUniversity". www.gotouniversity.com. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
  5. ^ "North Greenville College". South Carolina Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
  6. ^ "North Greenville University History: Founding, Timeline, and Milestones - Zippia". www.zippia.com. 2020-08-27. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
  7. ^ Project, SC Picture (2016-11-04). "North Greenville University". SC Picture Project. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
  8. ^ "ABOUT NGU: A CHRISTIAN COLLEGE". North Greenville University. 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  9. ^ Staff, The Charlotte Observer (2016-08-29). "Eight Carolinas colleges included on 'Shame List' for LGBT discrimination". www.wbtv.com. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  10. ^ Cary, Nathaniel (August 10, 2015). "Why same-sex ruling has SC's religious-based schools fearing loss of tax exemption". The Greenville News. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  11. ^ https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-universities-south [bare URL]
  12. ^ Southern Baptist Convention, Colleges and Universities, sbc.net, USA, retrieved October 22, 2022
  13. ^ O'Gwynn, Marty (April 30, 2024). "North Greenville Seeks to Honor History, Blaze Trail With New Mascot" (Press release). North Greenville University. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  14. ^ "North Greenville University Athletics". ngcrusaders.com. Retrieved 2012-10-15.
  15. ^ "North Greenville University | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
  16. ^ Morris, Julia (June 11, 2022). "North Greenville baseball team wins national championship". WYFF. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  17. ^ Howell, LaVerne (2022-06-14). "National Champions: NGU Wins NCAA DII Baseball". North Greenville University. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
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