(COLUMBIA, SC) On Sunday, September 19, United Methodist churches across South Carolina will commemorate the 150th anniversary of Columbia College. Planned activities include, among others, remarks by alumnae and current students, bulletin items, special recognition of Columbia College alumnae and students who are members of the congregation, and the ringing of church bells at noon.
Columbia College was founded in February 1854 by the S.C. Methodist Conference "to educate women for fruitful service to church, state, and nation." A charter was granted to the College by the S.C. General Assembly in December of the same year. After several delays, the College opened in 1859 on Plain Street (now Hampton Street) in downtown Columbia with a student body of 121 and a faculty of 16.
Today, Columbia College's enrollment is 1500 students from 23 states and 20 countries. The College has been ranked since 1994 by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top comprehensive undergraduate colleges in the South. Among its most notable features are an award-winning faculty, a nationally-recognized honors program, and unique opportunities for travel-study in the U.S. and abroad.
