Founded in 1896 as the Colored Normal, Industrial, Agricultural & Mechanical College of SC, this university makes up 10 historic buildings dating from 1917-1969. With its origins in the Morrill Land Grant Acts of 1862 and 1890 providing for land-grant colleges, intended "for the best education of the hand, head and heart of South Carolina's young manhood and womanhood of the Negro race." It became SC State College in 1954 and SC State University in 1992. State is consistently among the national leaders in producing African-American students with baccalaureate degrees in biology, education, business, engineering technology/computer science/mathematics, and English language/literature. Moreover, they are one of three universities in South Carolina to offer a doctoral program in Educational Administration and one of two schools in the state to offer an accredited master's degree program in Speech-Language Pathology. You will enjoy a wide variety of events and activities that make campus life special at STATE - NCAA Division I athletics for men and women, the world-famous Marching 101 band, the pageantry and history of Homecoming and Founder's Day, and many others. And because STATE is centrally located in South Carolina, you'll enjoy pleasant weather and easy access to the beaches, the mountains, and such metropolitan centers as Charleston, Columbia, Charlotte, and Atlanta.