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Wikipedia / Lander University

Lander University is a public university in Greenwood, South Carolina, United States. It was founded in 1872. Its intercollegiate athletic teams compete in NCAA Division II.

History

Lander University was founded as a college for women by the Methodist clergyman Samuel Lander in 1872 as Williamston Female College in Williamston, South Carolina. It was re-named Lander College in 1904. Men were admitted starting in 1943 and it became a university in 1992.

Lander University has had twelve presidents serve since its founding. They are: Samuel Lander (18721904); John O. Willson (19041923); B. Rhett Turnipseed (19231927); R. H. Bennett (19271932); John W. Speake (19321941); John Marvin Rast (19411948); Boyce M. Grier (19481966); E. Don Herd, Jr. (19661973); Larry A. Jackson (19731992); William C. Moran (19922000); Daniel W. Ball (20002015); and Richard E. Cosentino (2015–present).

Campus

Lander University is located approximately one half-mile from uptown Greenwood, South Carolina. The main campus sits on 190 acres of land, though this does not include its many off-campus locations.

Lander University has ten residence halls. Residence halls include Bearcat Village, Brookside, Centennial Hall, Chipley Hall, Lide Apartments, McGhee Court, New Hall, Thomason, University Place, and Williamston. The Lander College Old Main Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In July 2021, Lander announced that the state legislature has appropriated new funding for the University, which includes money that will be used to construct a nursing building on Lander's campus in Greenwood. Additional funding was appropriated in 2022, including $8 million for a new information commons that will take the place of Jackson Library. An additional $6 million will be used to renovate the existing library into academic space.

Academics

More than 90 areas of undergraduate and graduate studies are offered.

  • College of Business and Technology

  • College of Education

  • College of Graduate & Online Studies

  • College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

  • College of Nursing, Human Performance and Health Sciences

  • College of Science and Mathematics

  • Honors College

Rankings

In 2025, U.S. News and World Report's college and university rankings listed Lander fourteenth among regional colleges in the south and third among public regional colleges in the south.

Athletics

Varsity athletic teams have won at district and national levels, including 12 national championships in men's tennis, and, most recently, in men's wrestling. A member of the NCAA Division II, Lander plays in the Peach Belt Conference and fields teams in men's and women's basketball, lacrosse, soccer, and tennis; men's baseball and golf; and women's cross country, softball, and volleyball. Lander also offers club sports that include equestrian, ultimate disc, rugby, bass-fishing, lacrosse, soccer, water skiing, running, Cross-Fit, baseball, and women's volleyball and it has an intramural program open to all students, faculty, and staff.

Student life

Sorority and fraternity organizations are under three different councils, these being the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), and Interfraternity Council (IFC).

Notable people

Alumni

Faculty and staff

Lander has 178 full-time faculty members. Notable current and former faculty and staff include:

See also

Notes

References