Georgia Southwestern remembers ‘pillar’ of college’s history
Special Photo: GSW
From staff reports
AMERICUS — As the first full week of 2023 comes to a close, Georgia Southwestern State University is taking time to remember a pillar of its history, the late Henry King Stanford. Stanford, who died nearly 14 years ago to the day, on Jan. 1, 2009, served as president of GSW from 1948-1950.
Under his leadership, student morale and student/faculty relationships were enhanced and enrollment was increased. Stanford brought intercollegiate athletics to the institution, established the Jackson Loan Fund, opened College Lake for recreation, and constructed the Mildred Lowery Chapel. The GSW graduating classes of 1949, ’50 and ’51 established a scholarship in Stanford’s honor.
Following his time at Georgia Southwestern, Stanford served as president of the Georgia State College for Women (now Georgia College and State University) in Milledgeville from 1953-1956, Birmingham Southern College in Alabama from 1957-1962, and the University of Miami in Florida from 1962-1981. In 1986, five years after his retirement, Stanford served as interim president of the University of Georgia for one year.
A native of Atlanta, Stanford earned bachelor of Science and master of arts degrees from Emory University, a certificate from the University of Heidelberg in Germany and a master of science degree from the University of Denver. While serving as president of GSW, Stanford completed his Ph.D. in public administration in 1949 from New York University.
Stanford’s legacy lives on today through a scholarship named in his honor. Presently, the Henry King Stanford Scholarship has grown to nearly $200,000 in value and has helped dozens of GSW students on their journey toward a college degree.
This academic year the following students have earned the Henry King Stanford Scholarship: Sonja Benacki (Americus), Jordyne Berry (Villa Rica), Hailey Boyd (Cuthbert), Makala Chavous (McDonough), Alexis Conley (Leesburg), Christopher Walden (Vidalia) and Taylor Woodham (Ocala, FL).
To learn more about how to propel students forward through scholarships, visit gsw.edu/propel.
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