Agnes Scott College
Encyclopedia
Agnes Scott College is a private undergraduate college in the United States. Agnes Scott's campus lies in downtown Decatur
, Georgia
, nestled inside the perimeter of the bustling metro-Atlanta
area.
The college was founded in 1889 as Decatur Female Seminary by Presbyterian minister Frank H. Gaines. In 1890, the name was changed to Agnes Scott Institute to honor the mother of the college's primary benefactor, Col. George Washington Scott
. The name was changed again to Agnes Scott College in 1906, and remains today a liberal arts
women's college
.
Agnes Scott currently enrolls 914 students. In 2006, the student to faculty ratio was 10:1. Eighty-seven percent of the faculty are full-time, and 100% of the tenure-track faculty hold terminal degrees.
The undergraduate school offers 30 majors and 25 minors, and is affiliated with numerous institutions, including Georgia Institute of Technology
, Emory University
School of Nursing, and Washington University. Students who graduate from Agnes Scott receive a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Agnes Scott is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA)
, and is considered one of the Seven Sisters of the South
. The current mission of the college, adopted in 2002, states: Agnes Scott College educates women to think deeply, live honorably and engage the intellectual and social challenges of their times.
, the founding director of Duke University
's Kenan Institute for Ethics.
On July 27, 1994, the campus was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as part of the South Candler Street-Agnes Scott College Historic District. The historic district boundaries are East College Ave., South McDonough St., S. Candler St., East Hill St. and East Davis St. It includes the entire campus, as well as historic homes adjacent to the campus. The campus is also designated by the City of Decatur as an historic district.
Undergraduate programs:
to downtown Decatur.
Agnes Scott (Main) Hall, the oldest building on campus, was built in 1891 and once housed the entire school. This is documented in the history of Agnes Scott by Dr. McNair entitled Lest We Forget published in 1983.
Agnes Scott occupies more than 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) in Decatur. The college also owns the Avery Glen apartments as well as more than a dozen houses in the surrounding neighborhoods housing faculty, staff, and students. There are also six dedicated undergraduate dormitories located on campus.
The Bradley Observatory
at Agnes Scott houses the Beck Telescope, a 30 inches (762 mm) Cassegrain reflector
, as well as a planetarium with 70-seat capacity and a radio telescope. Recently Agnes Scott College and the Georgia Tech Research Institute
have collaborated on a project that added a LIDAR
facility to the observatory.
The college's science building contains a three-story rendering of part of the nucleotide sequence from Agnes Scott's mitochrondrial DNA. The DNA came from a blood sample of an ASC alumna who is a direct descendant of the college's namesake.
American poet Robert Frost
was an annual visitor at Agnes Scott from 1945 to his death in 1962. During his visits, he would read poetry in Presser Hall. A statue of the poet sculpted by George W. Lundeen sits in the alumnae gardens. A collection of Frost's poetry and letters can be viewed at McCain Library.
to reduce its impact on the local environment.
Aurora is the Agnes Scott literary magazine. The magazine is published once a year and includes student poetry, prose, and artwork. In the past, the magazine has also considered publishing musical compositions.
Psychobabble is the student-run newsletter of Agnes Scott's Department of Psychology. The newsletter’s goal is to create an informed and united community within the discipline by promoting coordinated activities and facilitating communication and relationships among faculty, students and staff. Psychobabble gives psychology majors and minors an opportunity to involve themselves in their interest and form an identity as undergraduate students, while benefiting the department as a whole and supporting the educational experience of their peers.
The Profile, the college's independent student newspaper, is published bi-weekly during the academic year. All students interested in writing, photography, editing, layout and design, cartoons, advertising or circulation are encouraged to join the staff.
team. Swimming and cross country have been cut due to funding issues http://www.collegeswimming.com/news/2009/mar/4/agnes-scott-cuts-swimming-and-cross-country/. Agnes Scott uses the tune of the Notre Dame Victory March
as their fight song and to rally the students together during the annual Black Cat Spirit Week.
The Agnes Scott mascot is a "Scottie," a Scottish Terrier
named Irvine.
The school colors of Agnes Scott are purple and white and the school mascot is the Scottie, a Scottish Terrier.
Class Colors
Each incoming class is assigned a class color—red, yellow, blue, or green—and votes on a class mascot that correlates with that color. The colors and mascots are intended to establish class pride, particularly during one week of activities called Black Cat.
Black Cat
Black Cat occurs every fall and culminates in a series of skits written, directed, and performed by the junior class. If there is dissatisfaction with a class mascot, the class is given the option to revote and choose a different mascot their second year.
Pestle Board
A senior-only social and philanthropic society created to lampoon the campus chapter of the academic honor society Mortar Board. Whereas Mortar Board has strict GPA and extracurricular prerequisites for membership, Pestle Board's only entry requirement is the completion of a humorous initiation process known as "capping" that pairs junior "cappees" with graduating senior "cappers". Capping also involves Pestle Board's largest philanthropic fundraiser of the year.
Class Ring
The class ring
is given to students during the spring of their sophomore year in a special ceremony. The ring is very distinctive with a rectangular engraved black onyx
stone inscribed ASC and has remained essentially the same since its introduction in the 1920s with choices only in metal (white or yellow gold) and antiquing. Alumnae who wear the ring are recognizable to one another or those familiar with the college's tradition. Students and Alumnae alike dub themselves the "Black Ring Mafia".
Honor Code
The honor code
is held in high regard among Agnes Scott students and faculty. At the beginning of every academic year, new students must sign the honor code and recite a pledge promising to uphold the high academic and social standards of the institution.
Students self govern themselves and ask violators of the code to turn themselves in to Honor Court. The trust the Honor Code builds between faculty and students allows for students to take self scheduled, unproctored, exams.
Senior Investiture
Senior Investiture is one of the college’s most cherished traditions. During the investiture ceremony in the fall of students' senior year, each student is capped with an academic mortar board as a symbol of her senior status at the college by the Dean.
Bell Ringers
Seniors at Agnes Scott traditionally ring the bell in Agnes Scott Hall's bell tower upon acceptance to graduate school or a job offer. This tradition dates from the 1980s when the tower acquired its bell during the administration of President Ruth Schmidt. Students who ring the bell sign their names on the walls of the tower.
Alumnae Pond
Tradition dictates that students who get engaged are thrown into the alumnae pond by their classmates.
In 2004, the college ranked second among women's colleges, seventh among national liberal arts colleges, and 27th overall in endowment per full-time enrolled student.
In April 2007, Kiplinger named Agnes Scott as one of the top 50 private liberal arts colleges.
Princeton Reviews 2007 The Best 361 Colleges ranks the college as follows:
No. 4 for "Most Beautiful Campus"
No. 8 for "Dorms Like Palaces"
No. 11 for "Diverse Student Population"
No. 13 for "Students Happy with Financial Aid"
According to the 2010 US News and World Report, Agnes Scott is ranked the 59th best liberal arts college in the country. It is the highest ranked women's college in the southeast. The report also ranked Agnes Scott as No. 28 for "Great School, Great Price."
Princeton Review's 2011 The Best 373 Colleges ranks the college as follows:
No. 3 for "Easiest Campus to Get Around" (ASC’s second consecutive year in Top 10)
No. 8 for "Town Gown Relations Are Great" (ASC’s third consecutive year in Top 10)
No. 10 for "Best Quality of Life"
No. 19 for "Don't Inhale"
No. 20 for "Stone Cold Sober" (ASC traditionally places Top 20 in this category)
Agnes Scott is one of forty colleges profiled in the book Colleges That Change Lives
by Loren Pope
.
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, nestled inside the perimeter of the bustling metro-Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
area.
The college was founded in 1889 as Decatur Female Seminary by Presbyterian minister Frank H. Gaines. In 1890, the name was changed to Agnes Scott Institute to honor the mother of the college's primary benefactor, Col. George Washington Scott
George Washington Scott
George Washington Scott was a noted Florida businessman, plantation owner, and military officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
. The name was changed again to Agnes Scott College in 1906, and remains today a liberal arts
Liberal arts colleges in the United States
Liberal arts colleges in the United States are certain undergraduate institutions of higher education in the United States. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise offers a definition of the liberal arts as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general...
women's college
Women's Colleges in the Southern United States
Women's colleges in the Southern United States refers to undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations consist exclusively or almost exclusively of women. Salem College is the oldest female educational institution in the South and...
.
Agnes Scott currently enrolls 914 students. In 2006, the student to faculty ratio was 10:1. Eighty-seven percent of the faculty are full-time, and 100% of the tenure-track faculty hold terminal degrees.
The undergraduate school offers 30 majors and 25 minors, and is affiliated with numerous institutions, including Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
School of Nursing, and Washington University. Students who graduate from Agnes Scott receive a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Agnes Scott is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
, and is considered one of the Seven Sisters of the South
Women's Colleges in the Southern United States
Women's colleges in the Southern United States refers to undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations consist exclusively or almost exclusively of women. Salem College is the oldest female educational institution in the South and...
. The current mission of the college, adopted in 2002, states: Agnes Scott College educates women to think deeply, live honorably and engage the intellectual and social challenges of their times.
History
Agnes Scott is considered the first higher education institution in the state of Georgia to receive regional accreditation. The current president is Elizabeth KissElizabeth Kiss
Elizabeth Kiss is currently serving as the eighth president of Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia.-Biography:Kiss received her undergraduate degree in 1983 from Davidson College and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, where she received her D.Phil in 1990.Prior to joining Agnes Scott,...
, the founding director of Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
's Kenan Institute for Ethics.
On July 27, 1994, the campus was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as part of the South Candler Street-Agnes Scott College Historic District. The historic district boundaries are East College Ave., South McDonough St., S. Candler St., East Hill St. and East Davis St. It includes the entire campus, as well as historic homes adjacent to the campus. The campus is also designated by the City of Decatur as an historic district.
Special curricula
Coeducational graduate programs:- Master of Arts in teaching secondary English (program ending May 14, 2011)
- Master of Arts in teaching secondary math and science (program ending May 14, 2011)
- Post-baccalaureate pre-medical program
Undergraduate programs:
- combined bachelor and master's degree in art and architecture with Washington University
- BA/BSN degree with Emory UniversityEmory UniversityEmory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
School of Nursing - BA/BS degree in engineering with the Georgia Institute of TechnologyGeorgia Institute of TechnologyThe Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
- exchange program with Mills CollegeMills CollegeMills College is an independent liberal arts women's college founded in 1852 that offers bachelor's degrees to women and graduate degrees and certificates to women and men. Located in Oakland, California, Mills was the first women's college west of the Rockies. The institution was initially founded...
- Washington Semester: students spend one semester at American UniversityAmerican UniversityAmerican University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
in Washington DC - Irene K. Woodruff return-to-college program - a program for Non-traditional studentsNon-traditional studentsNon-traditional student is an American English term referring to some students at tertiary educational institutions. The National Center for Education Statistics acknowledges there is no precise definition for non-traditional student, but suggests that part-time status and age are common elements...
Downtown Decatur
Access to Agnes Scott College is enhanced by direct subway service via the MARTAMarta
Marta may refer to:* Marta or Marta Vieira da Silva , a Brazilian women's football forward* Marta Estrella, a recurring fictional character from Arrested Development...
to downtown Decatur.
Agnes Scott (Main) Hall, the oldest building on campus, was built in 1891 and once housed the entire school. This is documented in the history of Agnes Scott by Dr. McNair entitled Lest We Forget published in 1983.
The Bradley Observatory
Bradley Observatory
The Bradley Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Agnes Scott College. It is located in Decatur, Georgia, east of Atlanta, Georgia, . The observatory's largest telescope, the Beck Telescope, is a vintage 30 inch Cassegrain reflector built in 1930. The telescope...
at Agnes Scott houses the Beck Telescope, a 30 inches (762 mm) Cassegrain reflector
Cassegrain reflector
The Cassegrain reflector is a combination of a primary concave mirror and a secondary convex mirror, often used in optical telescopes and radio antennas....
, as well as a planetarium with 70-seat capacity and a radio telescope. Recently Agnes Scott College and the Georgia Tech Research Institute
Georgia Tech Research Institute
The Georgia Tech Research Institute is the nonprofit applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
have collaborated on a project that added a LIDAR
LIDAR
LIDAR is an optical remote sensing technology that can measure the distance to, or other properties of a target by illuminating the target with light, often using pulses from a laser...
facility to the observatory.
The college's science building contains a three-story rendering of part of the nucleotide sequence from Agnes Scott's mitochrondrial DNA. The DNA came from a blood sample of an ASC alumna who is a direct descendant of the college's namesake.
American poet Robert Frost
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
was an annual visitor at Agnes Scott from 1945 to his death in 1962. During his visits, he would read poetry in Presser Hall. A statue of the poet sculpted by George W. Lundeen sits in the alumnae gardens. A collection of Frost's poetry and letters can be viewed at McCain Library.
Sustainability
Agnes Scott has committed to becoming a carbon-neutral institute by the college's 150th anniversary in 2039 and has taken steps such as partnering with the Clean Air CampaignThe Clean Air Campaign
The Clean Air Campaign is a not-for-profit organization that motivates Georgians to take action to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion....
to reduce its impact on the local environment.
Housing
On-campus housing is guaranteed for all four years as an undergraduate at Agnes Scott College. There are six dorms situated around the Northern edge of the campus: Winship, Walters, Inman, Hopkins, Rebekah, and Agnes Scott Hall (nicknamed "Main"). Agnes Scott also owns off-campus apartments one block from campus, called Avery Glen. The housing at Agnes Scott is rated among the best in the country, Upperclasswomen participate in a numeric room selection process, where students choose to live in luxurious loft-style dorms, tower rooms, or apartments with their friends.Campus organizations
Due to the small size of the Agnes Scott College community, students are encouraged to start any organization or group that does not yet exist at Agnes Scott. Students are also welcome to join the diverse group of organizations recognized by the school's student government.Publications
The Silhouette is the yearbook published by the students of Agnes Scott College. All students are invited to join the staff.Aurora is the Agnes Scott literary magazine. The magazine is published once a year and includes student poetry, prose, and artwork. In the past, the magazine has also considered publishing musical compositions.
Psychobabble is the student-run newsletter of Agnes Scott's Department of Psychology. The newsletter’s goal is to create an informed and united community within the discipline by promoting coordinated activities and facilitating communication and relationships among faculty, students and staff. Psychobabble gives psychology majors and minors an opportunity to involve themselves in their interest and form an identity as undergraduate students, while benefiting the department as a whole and supporting the educational experience of their peers.
The Profile, the college's independent student newspaper, is published bi-weekly during the academic year. All students interested in writing, photography, editing, layout and design, cartoons, advertising or circulation are encouraged to join the staff.
Athletics
A member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA Division III), Agnes Scott fields sports teams including basketball, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball. There is also a lacrosseLacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
team. Swimming and cross country have been cut due to funding issues http://www.collegeswimming.com/news/2009/mar/4/agnes-scott-cuts-swimming-and-cross-country/. Agnes Scott uses the tune of the Notre Dame Victory March
Notre Dame Victory March
The "Notre Dame Victory March" is the fight song for the University of Notre Dame. It was written by two brothers who were Notre Dame graduates. The Rev. Michael J. Shea, a 1905 graduate, wrote the music, and his brother, John F. Shea, who earned degrees in 1906 and 1908, wrote the original lyrics...
as their fight song and to rally the students together during the annual Black Cat Spirit Week.
The Agnes Scott mascot is a "Scottie," a Scottish Terrier
Scottish Terrier
The Scottish Terrier , popularly called the Scottie, is a breed of dog. Initially one of the highland breeds of Terrier that were grouped under the name of Skye Terrier, it is one of five breeds of terrier that originated in Scotland, the other four being the modern Skye, Cairn, Dandie Dinmont, and...
named Irvine.
Traditions
Mascot and School ColorsThe school colors of Agnes Scott are purple and white and the school mascot is the Scottie, a Scottish Terrier.
Class Colors
Each incoming class is assigned a class color—red, yellow, blue, or green—and votes on a class mascot that correlates with that color. The colors and mascots are intended to establish class pride, particularly during one week of activities called Black Cat.
Black Cat
Black Cat occurs every fall and culminates in a series of skits written, directed, and performed by the junior class. If there is dissatisfaction with a class mascot, the class is given the option to revote and choose a different mascot their second year.
Pestle Board
A senior-only social and philanthropic society created to lampoon the campus chapter of the academic honor society Mortar Board. Whereas Mortar Board has strict GPA and extracurricular prerequisites for membership, Pestle Board's only entry requirement is the completion of a humorous initiation process known as "capping" that pairs junior "cappees" with graduating senior "cappers". Capping also involves Pestle Board's largest philanthropic fundraiser of the year.
Class Ring
The class ring
Class ring
A class ring is a ring worn by students and alumni in the United States and Canada to commemorate their graduation, generally for a high school, college, or university.-History:...
is given to students during the spring of their sophomore year in a special ceremony. The ring is very distinctive with a rectangular engraved black onyx
Onyx
Onyx is a banded variety of chalcedony. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color . Commonly, specimens of onyx contain bands of black and/or white.-Etymology:...
stone inscribed ASC and has remained essentially the same since its introduction in the 1920s with choices only in metal (white or yellow gold) and antiquing. Alumnae who wear the ring are recognizable to one another or those familiar with the college's tradition. Students and Alumnae alike dub themselves the "Black Ring Mafia".
Honor Code
The honor code
Honor code
An honour code or honour system is a set of rules or principles governing a community based on a set of rules or ideals that define what constitutes honorable behavior within that community. The use of an honor code depends on the idea that people can be trusted to act honorably...
is held in high regard among Agnes Scott students and faculty. At the beginning of every academic year, new students must sign the honor code and recite a pledge promising to uphold the high academic and social standards of the institution.
- "As a member of the student body of Agnes Scott College, I consider myself bound by honor to develop and uphold high standards of honesty and behavior; to strive for full intellectual and moral stature; to realize my social and academic responsibility in the community. To attain these ideals, I do therefore accept this Honor System as my way of life."
Students self govern themselves and ask violators of the code to turn themselves in to Honor Court. The trust the Honor Code builds between faculty and students allows for students to take self scheduled, unproctored, exams.
Senior Investiture
Senior Investiture is one of the college’s most cherished traditions. During the investiture ceremony in the fall of students' senior year, each student is capped with an academic mortar board as a symbol of her senior status at the college by the Dean.
Bell Ringers
Seniors at Agnes Scott traditionally ring the bell in Agnes Scott Hall's bell tower upon acceptance to graduate school or a job offer. This tradition dates from the 1980s when the tower acquired its bell during the administration of President Ruth Schmidt. Students who ring the bell sign their names on the walls of the tower.
Alumnae Pond
Tradition dictates that students who get engaged are thrown into the alumnae pond by their classmates.
Rankings
The 2004 edition of US News and World Reports rankings for best liberal arts colleges placed Agnes Scott as tied for number 50 in the country, and that year promotional information and school merchandise advertised the college's place among the "top 50."In 2004, the college ranked second among women's colleges, seventh among national liberal arts colleges, and 27th overall in endowment per full-time enrolled student.
In April 2007, Kiplinger named Agnes Scott as one of the top 50 private liberal arts colleges.
Princeton Reviews 2007 The Best 361 Colleges ranks the college as follows:
No. 4 for "Most Beautiful Campus"
No. 8 for "Dorms Like Palaces"
No. 11 for "Diverse Student Population"
No. 13 for "Students Happy with Financial Aid"
According to the 2010 US News and World Report, Agnes Scott is ranked the 59th best liberal arts college in the country. It is the highest ranked women's college in the southeast. The report also ranked Agnes Scott as No. 28 for "Great School, Great Price."
Princeton Review's 2011 The Best 373 Colleges ranks the college as follows:
No. 3 for "Easiest Campus to Get Around" (ASC’s second consecutive year in Top 10)
No. 8 for "Town Gown Relations Are Great" (ASC’s third consecutive year in Top 10)
No. 10 for "Best Quality of Life"
No. 19 for "Don't Inhale"
No. 20 for "Stone Cold Sober" (ASC traditionally places Top 20 in this category)
Agnes Scott is one of forty colleges profiled in the book Colleges That Change Lives
Colleges That Change Lives
Colleges That Change Lives is a college educational guide by Loren Pope. It was originally published in 1996, with a second edition in 2000, and a third edition in 2006...
by Loren Pope
Loren Pope
Loren Brooks Pope was an American writer and independent college placement counselor.In 1965, Pope, a former newspaperman and education editor of The New York Times, founded the College Placement Bureau, one of the first independent college placement counseling services in the United States...
.
Notable achievements
- Agnes Scott College was the first college in Georgia to compost in its residence halls.
- Agnes Scott pulled off what is considered the biggest upset in the history of the televised quiz show College BowlCollege BowlCollege Bowl was a format of college-level quizbowl run and operated by College Bowl Company, Incorporated. It had a format similar to the current NAQT format. College Bowl first aired on US radio stations in 1953, and aired on US television from 1959 to 1970...
when they shocked Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, 220-215, on March 6, 1966.
- New York Senator Hillary Rodham ClintonHillary Rodham ClintonHillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
delivered Agnes Scott's May 2005 commencement address. At the ceremony, she and alumna playwright Marsha NormanMarsha NormanMarsha Norman is an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. She received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play night, Mother...
received the first honorary degrees conferred by the college.
- Distinguished alumnae include: Georgia's first female Rhodes Scholar; , and Gates Millennium scholarship winners; the Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court; the CEO of Ann Taylor; Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
and Oscar winners; and the first woman to chair the Federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
- In 2007, the Agnes Scott soccer team defeated Rhodes College in a 1 to 0 victory. Rhodes was ranked number 17th at the time.
- In 2009, Agnes Scott students were recognized for excellence in many fields, with four Fulbright Scholars; two Goldwater Scholars (the same as Harvard ), recognizing work in mathematics, engineering or science; one Truman Scholar for public service leadership potential; one Kemper Scholar providing career development in business administration and one Jessie Ball DuPont Fellowship providing two-year work and study in philanthropy.
- Madeleine AlbrightMadeleine AlbrightMadeleine Korbelová Albright is the first woman to become a United States Secretary of State. She was appointed by U.S. President Bill Clinton on December 5, 1996, and was unanimously confirmed by a U.S. Senate vote of 99–0...
, the first woman to become a United States Secretary of State, delivered Agnes Scott's 121st commencement May 2010. Agnes Scott's President Elizabeth KissElizabeth KissElizabeth Kiss is currently serving as the eighth president of Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia.-Biography:Kiss received her undergraduate degree in 1983 from Davidson College and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, where she received her D.Phil in 1990.Prior to joining Agnes Scott,...
has described Albright as, a "true trailblazer." "Her record of leadership, public service and commitment to creating a more just and humane world makes her a perfect role model for Agnes Scott students," Kiss said.
Notable alumnae
- Nathalie Anderson ’70, poet and author of Following Fred Astaire
- Osjha Anderson Domenicone ’96, Miss Georgia 1999
- Ruth Janet Pirkle Berkeley ’22, one of the nation’s first women psychiatrists
- Margaret BoothMargaret BoothMargaret Booth was an American film editor.Born in Los Angeles, California, she started her Hollywood career as a 'patcher', editing films by D. W. Griffith, around 1915. Later she worked for Louis B...
(Agnes Scott Institute, d.), educational and cultural mentor for the Montgomery, Alabama area; Inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame posthumously in 1999 - Sammye Burnett Brown ’68, the first woman president of the Georgia Association of Psychiatrists
- Mary Brown BullockMary Brown BullockMary Brown Bullock was the seventh president of Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA from 1995 to August 1, 2006.-Early life:As a child, Bullock lived in Asia with her parents while they pursued careers...
’66, president emerita and only alumna to serve as president of the college - Ila Burdette ’81, Georgia's first female RhodesRhodes ScholarshipThe Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
scholar - Dorothy Cave ’49, prominent New Mexico author and historian
- Faith Yao Yu Chao ’61, founder and director of the Evergreen Educational Foundation, a recent Bill and Melinda Gates foundation award winner
- Carolyn Crawford Chesnutt ’55, served as executive director of the Southeast Consortium of Minorities in Engineering
- Georgia B. Christopher ’55, served as president of the Milton Society in 1986
- Constance W. Curry ’55, civil rights activist and author of the award-winning Silver Rights
- Ann Critchton ’61, served as first woman mayor of Decatur, Georgia and representative of the state of Kentucky’s interests in Great Britain
- Laura Dorsey ’66x, hospital chaplain, author and founder of Gardens for Peace, an international organization which designates gardens as places of meditation and a symbol of peace
- Susie Goodman Elson ’59, served as president of the National Mental Health Association
- Daphne Faulkner ’83, religious and political activist, founder and first president of the Georgia chapter of People of Faith for the ERA
- Mamie Lee Ratliff Finger ’39, president of the foundation that funds Ewha Women's University in Seoul, Korea, the largest women's university in the world
- Carolyn Essig Friedrich ’22, the first woman elected to represent the upstate in the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1966
- Margot GayleMargot GayleMargot McCoy Gayle was an American historic preservationist and author who helped save the Victorian cast-iron architecture in New York City's SoHo district.-Life and career:...
’31x, American historic preservationist and author who helped save the Victorian cast-iron architecture in New York City's SoHo district - Karen Gearreald ’66, Agnes Scott's first blind student, who answered the final question to beat Princeton (see above) and was named Outstanding Alumna for Distinguished Career in 1997
- Mary Duckworth Gellerstedt ’46, the first woman president of the Atlanta Symphony Board of Directors who was also named Atlanta Volunteer of the Year in 1986
- Sophie Haas Gimble ’12, fashion designer and merchandiser at Saks Fifth Avenue who appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1947
- Elizabeth Riseley Griffin ’97, a biology student whose death after contracting the B virus while working with Rhesus macaques at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center led to the creation of a memorial foundation and legislation governing primate research safety in the United States
- Katherine HarrisKatherine HarrisKatherine Harris is an American Republican politician, former Secretary of State of Florida, and former member of the United States House of Representatives. Harris won the 2002 election to represent Florida's 13th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She held that post...
’79, former Florida Secretary of State and U.S. Representative - Rachelle Henderlite, the first woman to be ordained a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Bertha "B" HoltBertha Merrill HoltBertha Merrill "B" Holt was an American politician who represented Alamance and Rockingham counties in the North Carolina State House of Representatives from 1975-1993 where she championed North Carolina's failed attempt to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and led the successful effort to remove...
’38, former North Carolina State Representative and children's rights advocate - Amy Kim ’97, winner of the 2007 Academy Award for "Best Live Action Short Film" for her work as a producer on West Bank StoryWest Bank StoryWest Bank Story is a comedy/musical short film, directed by Ari Sandel, co-written by Sandel and Kim Ray, produced by Pascal Vaguelsy, Amy Kim, Ashley Jordan, Ravi Malhotra, Bill Boland and featuring choreography by Ramon Del Barrio. The film is a parody of the classic musical film West Side Story,...
- Katherine "Kay" Krill ’77, CEO of Ann TaylorAnn Taylor (retail chain)ANN INC. is an American group of specialty apparel retail chain stores for women, headquartered in New York City, . The stores offer classic styled suits, separates, dresses, shoes and accessories...
- Michelle MaloneMichelle MaloneMichelle Malone is an American rock and blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Biography:Malone was born and raised in Atlanta by her mother and grandmother, both professional singers...
’90x, musician - Catherine MarshallCatherine MarshallCatherine Wood Marshall was an American author of nonfiction, inspirational, and fiction works. She was the wife of well-known minister Peter Marshall.-Biography:...
’36, author of the novel Christy, later made into a TV seriesChristy (TV series)Christy is an American drama series which aired on CBS from April 1994 to August 1995, for twenty episodes.Christy was based on the novel Christy by Catherine Marshall, the widow of Senate chaplain Peter Marshall...
and A Man Called PeterA Man Called PeterA Man Called Peter is a 1955 American drama film directed by Henry Koster and starring Richard Todd. The film is based on the life of preacher Peter Marshall, who served as chaplain of the U.S. Senate late in his life, in an account written by his wife Catherine Marshall... - Joanna Cook MooreJoanna Cook MooreJoanna Moore was an American film and television actress best known for her guest roles on the popular television shows of the 1960s, most notably as Sheriff Andy Taylor's love interest, Peggy "Peg" McMillan in four episodes of The Andy Griffith Show...
, actress and mother of Tatum O'NealTatum O'NealTatum Beatrice O'Neal is an American actress best known for her film work as a child actress in the 1970s. She is the youngest to win a competitive Academy Award, at the age of 10, which she won for her performance as Addie Loggins in Paper Moon opposite her father Ryan O'Neal... - Jennifer NettlesJennifer NettlesJennifer Nettles is an American country music artist. She is known primarily for her role as lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush. Before Sugarland's inception, she also fronted Atlanta, Georgia-based bands called Soul Miner's Daughter and Jennifer Nettles Band...
’97, Lead singer of the AMA and Grammy award winning country music band Sugarland - Frances Newman (Agnes Scott Institute, d.), first librarian of Atlanta's Carnegie LibraryCarnegie LibraryCarnegie Library, Carnegie Public Library, Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie Free Public Library, Andrew Carnegie Library, Andrew Carnegie Free Library or Carnegie Library Building may refer to any of the following Carnegie libraries:- California :*Carnegie Library , listed on the National Register...
and celebrated feminist novelist, author of The Hard-Boiled Virgin, Dead Lovers are Faithful Lovers, and The Gold-Fish Bowl - Marsha NormanMarsha NormanMarsha Norman is an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. She received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play night, Mother...
’69x, playwright - Evangeline Thomas Papageorge ’28, the first woman full-time manager at Emory University School of Medicine
- Jessica Daves Parker ’14, editor in chief of Vogue magazine 1952-1962
- Susan Philips ’67, the first woman to chair a financial regulatory agency (the Commodity Futures Trading CommissionCommodity Futures Trading CommissionThe U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates futures and option markets....
) - Carolyn Forman Piel ’40, elected in 1986, she is the first female president of the American Academy of PediatricsAmerican Academy of PediatricsThe American Academy of Pediatrics is the major professional association of pediatricians in the United States. The AAP was founded in 1930 by 35 pediatricians to address pediatric healthcare standards. It currently has 60,000 members in primary care and sub-specialist areas...
- Margaret Evans Porter ’80, romance novelist
- Mia Puckett ’86, first female, black District Attorney in the state of Alabama, currently state director of human resources
- Jeanne Addison Roberts ’47, served as president of the Shakespeare Society of America in 1986
- Louise Röska-Hardy ’72, Phi Beta KappaPhi Beta Kappa SocietyThe Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
, philosopherPhilosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
specializing in philosophy of languagePhilosophy of languagePhilosophy of language is the reasoned inquiry into the nature, origins, and usage of language. As a topic, the philosophy of language for analytic philosophers is concerned with four central problems: the nature of meaning, language use, language cognition, and the relationship between language...
and of mindPhilosophy of mindPhilosophy of mind is a branch of philosophy that studies the nature of the mind, mental events, mental functions, mental properties, consciousness and their relationship to the physical body, particularly the brain. The mind-body problem, i.e... - Agnes White SanfordAgnes SanfordAgnes Mary White Sanford is considered to be one of the principal founders of the Inner Healing Movement. She was the daughter of a Presbyterian missionary in China and the wife of the Episcopal priest Edgar L. Sanford. Her first book, The Healing Light, is often considered a classic in its...
’19x, author of the book The Healing Light - Saycon SengblohSaycon SengblohSaycon A. Sengbloh is an American actress and singer. Her influences include the Jackson 5, Tina Turner, and Prince.-History:...
’00x, BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
star and recording artist - Pris Shepperd Taylor ’58, served as editor of the Phi Beta KappaPhi Beta Kappa SocietyThe Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
journal - Jean H. ToalJean H. ToalJean Hoefer Toal is the first woman and the first Roman Catholic to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Carolina....
’65, Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme CourtSouth Carolina Supreme CourtThe South Carolina Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The court is composed of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices.-Selection of Justices:... - M. Virginia Tuggle ’44, the first woman on the Georgia State Board of Medical Examiners
- Leila Ross WilburnLeila Ross WilburnLeila Ross Wilburn was an early 20th century architect, one of the first women in Georgia to enter that profession.-Early life:Leila Ross Wilburn was born in Macon, Georgia. In the midst of the economic depression of 1895, her family moved to Decatur, Georgia. There, she attended Agnes Scott...
’04, Architect
In television and film
- 1955 A Man Called PeterA Man Called PeterA Man Called Peter is a 1955 American drama film directed by Henry Koster and starring Richard Todd. The film is based on the life of preacher Peter Marshall, who served as chaplain of the U.S. Senate late in his life, in an account written by his wife Catherine Marshall...
- 1978 The Double McGuffinThe Double McGuffinThe Double McGuffin is a 1979 children's film directed by Joe Camp. It starred Ernest Borgnine and George Kennedy, alongside a group of young actors, some of whom later became quite famous, including Lisa Whelchel, who would go on to star in the sitcom The Facts of Life. Elke Sommer and NFL stars...
- 1980 The Four SeasonsThe Four Seasons (film)The Four Seasons is a 1981 romantic comedy film starring Alan Alda, Carol Burnett, Len Cariou, Sandy Dennis, Rita Moreno, Jack Weston and Bess Armstrong.-Plot summary:...
- 1983 The Bear
- 1985 One Terrific Guy (TV)
- 1987 From Father to Son
- 1988 The Unconquered (TV)
- 1988 Invictus (TV)
- 1988 A Father’s Homecoming
- 1988 Town and Gown: The Oakmont Story (TV)
- 1989 Murder in MississippiMurder in MississippiMurder in Mississippi is a 1990 television movie which dramatized the last weeks of civil rights activists Michael "Mickey" Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney, and the events leading up to their disappearance and subsequent murder in the summer of 1964. It starred Tom Hulce as Schwerner,...
- 1989 Driving Miss DaisyDriving Miss DaisyDriving Miss Daisy is a 1989 American comedy-drama film adapted from the Alfred Uhry play of the same name. The film was directed by Bruce Beresford, with Morgan Freeman reprising his role as Hoke Colburn and Jessica Tandy playing Miss Daisy...
- 1990 Decoration DayDecoration Day (film)Decoration Day is a 1990 film based on a novel by John William Corrington of the same title. The award-winning made-for-TV movie was directed by Robert Markowitz and filmed on location in Georgia.-Plot:...
(TV) - 1991 White Lie (TV)
- 1991 Fried Green TomatoesFried Green Tomatoes (film)Fried Green Tomatoes is a 1991 comedy-drama film based on the novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. It was released in the UK under the novel's full title. Directed by Jon Avnet and written by Fannie Flagg and Carol Sobieski, it stars Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy,...
- 1991 The Nightman (TV)
- 1992 A Kiss to Die For (TV)
- 1993 I’ll Fly Away (TV)
- 1995 A Season in Purgatory
- 1997 Scream 2Scream 2Scream 2 is a 1997 American slasher film created and written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jamie Kennedy and Liev Schreiber, released on December 12, 1997 as the second installment in the Scream film series...
- 2000 Young AmericansYoung Americans (TV series)Young Americans is an American television drama created by Steven Antin. The show debuted on July 12, 2000 on The WB network as a summer replacement for, and spin-off from, another Columbia TriStar Television production, Dawson's Creek. The series was originally ordered for the fall 1999-2000...
(TV) - 2002 The Adventures of Ociee Nash
- 2003 Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius
- 2006 Revenge of the Nerds (remake)Revenge of the NerdsRevenge of the Nerds is a 1984 comedy film satirizing social life on a college campus. The film stars Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, with Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, Brian Tochi, Larry B. Scott, John Goodman, and Donald Gibb...
- 2007 October RoadOctober Road (TV series)October Road is an American television drama that debuted on ABC on March 15, 2007 following Grey's Anatomy. It follows Nick Garrett , who after a decade returns to his hometown, the fictional Knights Ridge, Massachusetts.The series is produced by ABC Studios and GroupM Entertainment; the latter is...
(TV) - 2007 Why Did I Get Married?Why Did I Get Married?Why Did I Get Married? is a 2007 comedy-drama film adaptation written, produced, directed, and starring Tyler Perry, which was inspired by the play of the same name. The film stars Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Richard T. Jones, and Keesha Sharp...
- 2009 Van Wilder: Freshman YearNational Lampoon's Van Wilder: Freshman YearNational Lampoon's Van Wilder: Freshman Year is the third film in the Van Wilder series, following National Lampoon's Van Wilder and National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj. Freshman Year is a prequel to the first film. It was released straight-to-DVD in 2009...
- 2009 Road Trip: Beer PongRoad Trip: Beer PongRoad Trip: Beer Pong is a 2010 direct-to-DVD sequel to the 2000 comedy film Road Trip and directed by Steve Rash. The only original cast members to return for the sequel were DJ Qualls and Rhoda Griffis. The film was produced by Paramount Famous Productions as Paramount Pictures having acquired...
- 2009 The Blind SideThe Blind Side (film)The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical drama film. It is written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The storyline features Michael Oher, an offensive lineman who plays for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL...
- 2009 TV project currently titled Brothers and Detectives
- 2010 Big Momma's House 3
External links
- Agnes Scott College Official Website
- "Giving Voice to a New Generation: Metro Atlanta's three women's colleges are going strong, even while the number of women's colleges nationwide has declined" (Agnes Scott College, Spelman CollegeSpelman CollegeSpelman College is a four-year liberal arts women's college located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The college is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman was the first historically black female...
, and Brenau UniversityBrenau UniversityBrenau University is a private university in Gainesville, Georgia, USA, that was founded in 1878 as Georgia Baptist Female Seminary, though it has never been affiliated with the Baptist Church. The total enrollment of Brenau University tops 2,500 students in its four schools...
) - US News and World Report 2007 rankings
- Kiplinger rankings
- City of Decatur Website: Historic Districts
- National Register of Historic Places: South Candler Street--Agnes Scott College Historic District
- Bradley Observatory -- Agnes Scott College website