Lander University was founded as a college for women by 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.[3]
Lander University has had twelve presidents serve since its founding. They are: Samuel Lander (1872–1904); John O. Willson (1904–1923); B. Rhett Turnipseed (1923–1927); R. H. Bennett (1927–1932); John W. Speake (1932–1941); John Marvin Rast (1941–1948); Boyce M. Grier (1948–1966); E. Don Herd, Jr. (1966–1973); Larry A. Jackson (1973–1992); William C. Moran (1992–2000); Daniel W. Ball (2000–2015); and Richard E. Cosentino (2015–present).[3]
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.[4]
Academics
More than 90 areas of undergraduate and graduate studies are offered.
College of Arts and Humanities
Department of Art + Design
Department of English and Foreign Languages
Department of Media and Communication
Department of Music
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Department of Government, Criminology, and Sociology
Department of History and Philosophy
Department of Psychological Sciences and Human Services
College of Business
College of Education
Department of Teacher Education
Department of Physical Education and Exercise Studies
College of Science and Mathematics
Department of Biology
Department of Physical Sciences
Department of Mathematics and Computing
College of Graduate & Online Studies
Department of Graduate Studies
Department of Online Studies
William Preston Turner School of Nursing
Honors College
Rankings
In the 2018 edition of U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges rankings, Lander ranked 29 in Regional Colleges of the South and 6 in Best Colleges for Veterans.[5]
Varsity athletic teams have reaped honors 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, 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.