News        from ABAC

Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30 -- 2802 Moore Highway Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-5056 mchason@abac.edu

IMMEDIATE MAY 10, 2007

ABAC MAKING BIG PLANS FOR 100^th BIRTHDAY YEAR

TIFTON – When classes begin on Aug. 20 for the fall term at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the 100^th birthday celebration of ABAC will be in full swing. And there are plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Designated last year as a State College of the University System of Georgia, ABAC plans to add four-year degrees to its lineup of 55 associate degree programs. ABAC enjoyed its largest enrollment ever last fall with 3,574 students from 11 states, 10 countries and 153 Georgia counties.

The college will also open its new freshman housing complex called ABAC Lakeside when students report for classes in August. Financed by the ABAC Foundation, the 489-bed facility sits on the north shore of Lake Baldwin. It faces ABAC Place, an 835-bed housing complex which has been filled since the day it opened in 2004.

ABAC’s first ever intercollegiate women’s soccer team had to play on the Tift County Recreation Department field last season. That will not be the case this year when Coach Jimmy Ballenger’s Fillies open their own field on the south side of the 421-acre campus. The new addition also includes an intramural softball field and intramural football field.

The 100^th birthday party for ABAC began at Homecoming in March and continues through 2008. A huge lineup of First Day events will take place on Feb. 20, 2008 which is the day classes started at the Second District A&M School 100 years ago. It was an area high school before changing its name to the South Georgia A&M College and then to the Georgia State College For Men. ABAC assumed its present title in 1933.

One of the Centennial Year events will take place on June 15 when acclaimed singer Amy Grant headlines the 36^th annual Dollars For ABAC Scholars. Tickets are now available for the event, which will be held for the second straight year at the John Hunt Auditorium of the Tifton Campus Conference Center of the University of Georgia, located just across the railroad tracks from ABAC’s campus.

Summer term classes begin at college on June 4. For more information on ABAC, interested persons can visit the web site at www.abac.edu or call 800-733-3653.

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