The Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) today announced the addition of Agnes Scott College and Berea College to its consortium of leading Southern liberal arts institutions dedicated to excellence in residential teaching, learning, and student success.
L-R: ACS President Anna Drake Warshaw with Agnes Scott President Leocadia I. Zak
L-R: Berea Provost and VP for Academic Affairs, Shewanee Howard-Baptiste; Anna Drake Warshaw and Berea President Cheryl L. Nixon
Agnes Scott and Berea are the first new members to join the consortium since 2001.
“We are thrilled to welcome Berea and Agnes Scott,” said Anna Drake Warshaw, President of ACS. “Their distinctive missions and bold approaches to liberal arts education will enrich our work and open new possibilities for collaboration.”
Founded in 1889, Agnes Scott College is a nationally recognized women’s liberal arts college in Decatur, Georgia, enrolling just under 1,100 students. Its innovative SUMMIT curriculum integrates leadership development, career readiness, and global learning into every student’s academic experience.
“We are honored to join the Associated Colleges of the South and to collaborate with institutions that share a deep commitment to residential liberal arts education,” said Leocadia I. Zak, President of Agnes Scott College. “Through partnerships like ACS, our faculty and students will have new opportunities to learn from colleagues across the region and advance innovative approaches to teaching and leadership.”
Founded in 1855, Berea College in Berea, Kentucky, was the first interracial and coeducational institution in the South. The college enrolls just over 1,500 students, charges no tuition, and requires all students to participate in its nationally distinctive work college program. Ninety-eight percent of first-year Berea students receive Pell Grants, making Berea the number one Pell-serving college in the country.
“Berea College has long believed that the liberal arts can transform lives and strengthen communities,” said Cheryl L. Nixon, President of Berea College. “We are delighted to join the Associated Colleges of the South and work alongside other mission-driven institutions that share our commitment to academic excellence, access, and collaboration.”
ACS has expanded its membership to broaden the perspectives represented within the longstanding regional consortium.
“ACS institutions are leaders in liberal arts education. We are pleased to welcome Berea and Agnes Scott as ACS colleagues,” said Elizabeth Davis, President of Furman University and Chair of the ACS Board. “Together we will continue to strengthen liberal arts learning across the South.”
About the Associated Colleges of the South
Founded in 1991, the Associated Colleges of the South is a consortium of seventeen nationally recognized colleges and universities committed to advancing excellent and accessible residential liberal arts education. Through collaboration, leadership development, and support for innovative teaching and curriculum development, ACS strengthens institutions and expands opportunities for students across the region.
ACS member institutions include Agnes Scott College, Berea College, Centenary College of Louisiana, Centre College, Davidson College, Furman University, Hendrix College, Millsaps College, Morehouse College, Rhodes College, Rollins College, Sewanee – The University of the South, Southwestern University, Spelman College, Trinity University, University of Richmond, and Washington and Lee University.