Motto	Scienta cum Moribus Conjuncta
Motto in English	Knowledge joined with Morals
Established	1839
Type	Private
Endowment	US$52 million
President	David A. Norman
Academic staff	40 full time
Students	575
Location	Due West, SC, USA
Campus	Rural
Colors	Maroon and Gold
Nickname	Flying Fleet
Affiliations	Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Website	erskine.edu

Erskine College is a four-year, Christian, liberal arts college located in Due West, in the U.S. state of South Carolina.

Early history [edit]

Established in 1839 by the Associate Reformed Synod of the South as an academy for men, Erskine College became the first four year, church-related college in South Carolina. It was named for Ebenezer Erskine, one of the founders of one of the antecedent bodies of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and a pastor. Erskine had led a group of separatists from the Church of Scotland to found an Associate Presbytery. Erskine began to admit women in 1894 and officially became coeducational in 1899. In 1927, it merged with Women's College of Due West, founded in 1859. In 1929, Bryson College closed and merged with Erskine College.^[1][2]

Recent history [edit]

The college adopted a mission statement in May 1991: "Erskine exists to prepare persons for responsible living, service, and ministry, in both Church and society. As a community devoted to Christian commitment and excellence in learning, Erskine accomplishes its mission through undergraduate liberal arts and graduate theological education."

In 1995, the college banned alcohol from the campus and later implemented changes which require all students under the age of 21 to reside in on-campus housing, unless proof of residence with a blood relative was provided. As of 2011 the college has added new policies requiring all students regardless of age or reason to live in on-campus housing. This is mainly seen as a move by the college to combat off-campus drinking.^{[citation needed]}

In 1999, Rev. John Carson became president of the college. Upon his installation he noted: "I do not intend to add anything new, not one new straw on the backs of faculty or staff or students," Carson said. "But I do intend to be consistent in making this vision a reality. Erskine College will be, by God's grace, what it has been called to be—a Christian liberal arts college open to all students." Dr. Randall T. Ruble was voted in as the President of Erskine College and Seminary on October 26, 2006. He was inaugurated April 10, 2007.

In April 2011, David A. Norman was inaugurated into the office of President.

Academics [edit]

• Degrees offered: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science

• Erskine Majors: American Studies, Athletic Training, Art, Behavioral Science, Bible and Religion, Business Administration, Biology, Chemistry, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, English, French, History, Mathematics, Music, Natural Science, Philosophy, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, (as of 2007) Political Science, Spanish, Special Education, Sports Management.

• Erskine Minors are offered in most of the major fields of study. A Christian Education concentration is offered within the Bible and Religion major. Special minors are offered in Family Studies, Computer Science, Non-Western Studies, Theater, and Information Technology.

• Pre-Professional programs: Pre-Medicine, Pre-Law, Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Dentistry.

Student to faculty ratio is 13:1.^{[citation needed]}

On December 20, 2012, Erskine College was placed on warning by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.^[3]

Athletics [edit]

Erksine College teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division II. The Flying Fleet are a member of the Conference Carolinas. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.

Major buildings [edit]

• Administrative offices: Belk Hall, Watkins Student Center
• Art buildings: Bowie Arts Center, Memorial Hall (music), Print Shop
• Classrooms: Belk Hall, Reid Hall, Daniel Moultrie Science Center (DMSC)
• Recreation: Galloway Center, the Hangar (under Lesesne Auditorium), pavilion, swimming pool, volleyball court
• Male housing: Grier (freshmen), Pressly, Kennedy
• Female housing: Carnegie (freshmen), Bonner, Robinson
• Dining services: Java City, Moffatt Dining Hall and Snappers
• Erskine Towers: Flagship Building, old astral observatory and clock tower
• Computer Lab and library: McCain Library, Reid Hall (archives)

Notable alumni [edit]

Members of the class of 2007.

• Susan Audé - WIS-TV news anchor
• Erskine Caldwell - American author (attended, but did not graduate)
• Beth Couture - head coach of the Butler Bulldogs women's basketball team
• Thomas S. Gettys - U.S. Congressman from South Carolina
• Ira B. Jones - former South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice and gubernatorial candidate
• Thomas G. Long - Brandy Professor of Preaching at Candler School of Theology at Emory University
• Benjamin Meek Miller - Governor of Alabama, 1931–1935
• William Bell Montgomery - Founder of Southern Farm Gazette (now known as the Progressive Farmer) and Mississippi State University
• Lemuel P. Padgett - U. S. Congressman from Tennessee
• Charles Bryson Simonton - U.S. Congressman from Tennessee
• Tom Verlaine- lead singer/guitarist of Television (attended, but did not graduate)

See also [edit]

• List of colleges and universities in South Carolina

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Erskine College official website
• Erskine Flying Fleet official website
• Erskine Theological Seminary
• William Moffatt Grier Statue (5th President of Erskine College)
• Erskine College Admissions

Coordinates: 34°19′49.72″N 82°23′25.63″W / 34.3304778°N 82.3904528°W / 34.3304778; -82.3904528