Brenau University

Professors will real life experiences

From costume designers to CNN producers, Brenau graduates have accomplished quite a lot in their careers. Are you a fan of HBO’s Mad Men—or more importantly, the cast’s fantastic wardrobe? Janie Bryant, a 1985 graduate, was the show’s costume designer. You have her to thank for your retro outfit inspiration. In keeping with fashion, Emmie Henderson Howard co-founded the preppy clothing and accessory brand Southern Proper. The company style is Georgia-chic, right down to bowties sporting fireflies and Labradors. Maria Ebrahimji served as the executive editorial producer for CNN Worldwide, and Ronda Rich Tinker was a reporter for NASCAR. Both are also published. Tinker wrote several books, including What Southern Women Know (That Every Woman Should), which is now in its 33rd printing. Ebrahimji co-edited a collection of essays called I Speak For Myself: American Women on Being Muslim. Brenau graduates are not unfamiliar with breaking barriers. Dr. Gale Allen gives credit to her Brenau education for helping her land a job with NASA. She currently serves as deputy chief scientist. And U.S. Navy Admiral Patricia E. Wolfe, a 1987 MBA graduate, is one of a small number of women with a two-star rank. Brenau graduates inspire many through word and deed.

Brenau’s main campus, and the one with the richest history, is in Gainesville, Ga. Main campus is home to the Women’s College, which has been serving students since the late 19th century. When you stand near the glistening Grace Hooten Moore fountain you’re be surrounded by some of the oldest campus buildings and long-standing traditions. Not too far away you will see a freestanding deck called the Crow’s Nest. Word has it only seniors are allowed to stand on the uppermost level. You’ll also have a front-row view of the Pearce Auditorium. Students and community members can easily recognize this building for its tall columns and arched doorways. Step inside and there’s room for you and more than 700 others to watch unique shows: an opera version of Little Red Riding Hood, maybe? But in addition to tradition and art, Brenau offers the latest living and learning spaces. The university opened a new human anatomy lab at its downtown campus in 2015 as well as several new sorority houses. Future students will have lots of places to practice traditions new and old.

If you’re starting college for the first time, you might be interested in getting an online associate’s degree in liberal studies. You can knock out your general education requirements and explore different areas of study. Liberal studies students take courses in art, science, language, and math. If you decide pursue a bachelor’s degree, you might be able to continue your online studies through Brenau depending on the path you choose. The university offers early childhood education, organizational leadership, business administration, accounting, marketing, registered nurse, and human resources management. Actually, the early childhood education program was the first of its kind to be offered in Georgia. Future graduate students: you haven’t been forgotten. You can get your degree online in interior design, early childhood education, middle grades education, applied gerontology, or business administration. Or, earn an MBA along with a graduate certificate in a specialty area: accounting, project management, healthcare management, or insurance management. And don’t forget that Brenau offers programs on five different campuses in Georgia and one campus in Jacksonville, Fl. If you live in the Southeast, an on-campus Brenau education might be closer than you think.

Students have come from across the world to play tennis as a Golden Tiger. Players on the 2015-2016 team hail from Spain, England, Morocco, Netherlands, Paraguay, and Turkmenistan. Brenau’s athletic program has seen some serious growth in the past decade. Students could play basketball and volleyball as of 2005 and 2006, and they raced to join track and field when it launched in 2013. In fact, the track and field team won a conference championship in its first season! The cheerleading team has also celebrated major successes since joining the roster of intercollegiate sports in 2012. The team ranked 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in their class in national competitions between 2012 and 2014. Brenau’s swimmers are making waves nationally as well. In 2016 the swimming team took third place in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Swimming and Diving Championships. The roaring Golden Tigers are giving the entire campus community reasons to cheer. Stay tuned: Lacrosse is coming to Brenau in 2018.

Brenau is expanding its academic opportunities by launching new programs, learning spaces, and community partnerships. For example, the College of Business and Mass Communication partners with the Oxford Center for Entrepreneurs to provide unique business education. As a Brenau-Oxford MBA student you’ll be bumping elbows and shaking hands with successful entrepreneurs. Students have attended CEO roundtable discussions that featured Keith Radford (general manager of Uber) and Jeff Braverman (CEO of Nuts.com). Also, Brenau recently launched a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. As a DPT student you can get clinical experience as early as your second semester thanks to the university’s partnership with the Northeast Georgia Health System. Plus you’ll get to take classes in the state-of-the-art Downtown Center which boasts the new human anatomy lab. Those studying the performing arts will also love the Downtown Center: it is home to a new performance space called Theater On The Square. And they’ll benefit from university partnerships, too. Brenau is a member of the Gainesville Theatre Alliance. Students practice and perform with a collection of professionals, community members, and students at the University of North Georgia. At Brenau you’ll have that tight-knit community feel, but also lots of chances to create relationships beyond its borders.