Benedict College
Founded in 1870, Benedict College is a private, co-educational liberal arts institution located in Columbia, SC (link is external). Benedict College was recently ranked for the third consecutive year one of the top baccalaureate colleges in the nation by Washington Monthly for creating social mobility among low-income students, producing cutting edge scholarship and research.
In 2011, Benedict received the National Civic Engagement Award from The Washington Center. Benedict is recognized for encouraging students to give back to the community which is the heart of the College’s vision and mission. Benedict also was named one of the top 100 institutions in the nation graduating African-American scholars in by Diverse Magazine. Dr. David Holmes Swinton is the thirteenth president of Benedict College.
Since Dr. Swinton’s appointment in 1994, the College has experienced a dramatic increase in its enrollment, particularly among male students. As a result of this tremendous growth, Benedict has the second largest undergraduate population of the 20 private institutions in South Carolina, and has become the third largest college in The College Fund/UNCF network.
Benedict has over 15,000 alumni throughout South Carolina and the United States. The College has been “a power for good” in the community for over 143 years and is a major economic contributor to the region and South Carolina, with a local annual economic impact of $106.7 million.
