Founded in 1878, Brenau University enrolls about 3,500 students in graduate and undergraduate studies on campuses and online. The comprehensive, liberal arts-based institution includes the residential Women’s College in Gainesville, Georgia. It also operates coeducational campuses in Gainesville, Augusta, Norcross and Fairburn, Georgia as well as a new campus in Jacksonville, Florida.
Recently, the university announced that it is “reimaging” its women’s residential college and will launch a group of “signature” programs this coming fall. The GOLD initiative is a series of four, one-year programs of study that will be required of all students in the Women’s College. The GOLD program includes programs in:
Gender: a year committed to women’s empowerment
Ownership: a year focused on personal responsibility
Leadership: a year dedicated to preparing tomorrow’s leaders
Diversity: a year concentrating on global citizenship
The college stated that “the newly reimagined Women’s College will incorporate academic enhancements including gender-focused training for faculty, individual career planning, portfolio development and mentoring for each student, along with speakers, capstone courses, seminars and more.”
The university is also implementing a two-year Ideal Collective, a living-learning community available to juniors and seniors that will focus on transformative leadership through collaborative, project-based service learning. The university will also be offering an executive women’s MBA program.
“These measured steps from the university to ensure the sustainability of The Women’s College are a sign of confidence,” said Brooke Statham, Women’s College alumna, president of the Alumni Association and a member of the planning committee. “It shows confidence in the students who currently attend, confidence in the alumni, and confidence in the faculty and staff. I am so pleased that the university has chosen to invest in The Women’s College’s future, and I believe that we are all going to be impressed with what lies ahead. Only the best will do for our Brenau family, and we have a plan that will keep our traditions strong and allow us to grow and thrive.”