University of North Georgia

The University of North Georgia (UNG) is a public senior military college with multiple campuses in Georgia. It is part of the University System of Georgia. The university was established on January 8, 2013, by a merger of North Georgia College & State University (founded 1873) and Gainesville State College (founded 1964). Campus locations include Dahlonega, Oakwood (Gainesville Campus), Watkinsville (Oconee Campus), Blue Ridge, and Cumming. With nearly 20,000 enrolled students, the University of North Georgia is the sixth-largest public university in the state of Georgia. Within UNG, there are five colleges that collectively offer over one hundred bachelor's and associate degrees, as well as thirteen master's degrees and one doctoral degree. Over 600 students are involved in the university's ROTC program in any given year, which has given the school its motto, "The Military College of Georgia". The university is one of six senior military colleges in the United States. History North Georgia College and State University began in 1873 as North Georgia Agricultural College. It was originally an offsite branch of the University of Georgia's College of Agriculture and Mechanical and was created with funds from the Morrill Act. William Pierce Price, a local congressman, persuaded officials at UGA to use part of the funds to establish a branch of the newly created college in Dahlonega, Price's birthplace and home. The college opened classes in 1873 with 177 students, 98 males, and 79 females, making it the first coeducational college in the state. Classes were originally held in the old U.S. Mint building that was shut down during the Civil War. After the college was awarded the power to grant degrees in 1876, the first graduating class received degrees in 1879. The first graduating class of four consisted of three men and one woman, making North Georgia the first public institution in the state to award a degree to a female.