Francis Marion University
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| Type | Public university |
|---|---|
| Established | 1970 |
| Endowment | Nearly $25 million |
| President | Dr. Luther Fred Carter |
|
Academic staff
|
262 |
| Students | 4,187 |
| Location | Florence, South Carolina, United States |
| Campus | Rural, 400 acres (162 ha) |
| Colors | █ ██ Red, White & Blue |
| Athletics |
NCAA Division II, Peach Belt 12 varsity teams, two of which are Division I independents |
| Nickname | Patriots, Pats |
| Mascot | Patriot |
| Website | www.fmarion.edu |
Francis Marion University (formerly Francis Marion College) is a state-supported liberal arts university located six miles (11 km) east of Florence, South Carolina, USA. It is named in honor of American Revolutionary War hero Brigadier General Francis Marion.
The university dates back to 1957, when the University of South Carolina set up a freshman center at the Florence County Library. A few years later, in 1961, USC-Florence was set up on land donated by the Wallace family six miles east of Florence, South Carolina. In 1966, many in the Florence area pushed to establish a four-year university. Governor Robert E. McNair signed into law an act creating Francis Marion College, effective July 1, 1970. The newly created Francis Marion College initially enrolled 907 students from 23 of South Carolina's 46 counties in 10 departments.
In 1992, Francis Marion College achieved university status and subsequently changed its name to Francis Marion University. Today, Francis Marion enrolls over 4,100 students from 32 states and 17 different countries. Francis Marion is one of South Carolina's 13 state-assisted universities. Since 1999, Francis Marion University has consistently ranked as one of the South's best regional universities, earning it a spot in US News and World Reports America's Best Colleges.
The Slave Houses, Gregg Plantation were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Located on a 400-acre (162 ha) tract of land originally included in a grant by the King of England and later made a cotton plantation by the Wallace Family, Francis Marion University is situated 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Florence. The campus includes 100 acres (40 ha) of mixed pine-hardwood and bottomland forests accessed by a series of trails. The University is located on U.S. Highways 76 and 301 and is just an hour's drive from Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand and 4 hours from the Blue Ridge Mountains. With a metropolitan-area population of 200,000, the city of Florence is nestled alongside Interstate 95, the main north-south corridor from the New England area to Miami, and at the eastern end of Interstate 20. The city is served by Amtrak, bus service, and a regional airport.
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