Historically Black Paine College in Augusta, Georgia, has announced a historic partnership with education company EAB, the United Negro College Fund, Bank of America, the Augusta National Golf Club, and the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area. The partners are collaborating on a groundbreaking 10-year transformation plan designed to preserve, transform, and elevate the institution.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges first questioned Paine’s financial status in 2011. After a two-year probationary period, SACSCOC voted to remove Paine’s accreditation in 2016. The college sued in response and obtained an injunction preventing the association from revoking accreditation until the suit was settled. In 2020, the college received accreditation from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. The U.S. Department of Education listed total enrollments at the college of 251 in the fall of 2021.
Under the new partnership agreement, EAB will act as project leaders and work with Paine College to leverage many of the same best practices the company has used to boost student and institutional success at more than 2,500 partner institutions. EAB first began its work with Paine last year through the Way Forward Initiative, made possible by collaboration with Bank of America and Augusta National Golf Club.
“This is a pivotal moment for Paine College,” commented Michael Thurmond, chair of the Paine College board of trustees. “The board of trustees stand united in our support of this carefully crafted partnership that will elevate the trajectory of the college while preserving the values upon which this institution was founded.”
“This transformation plan will do more than give Paine a facelift,” added Cheryl Evans Jones, president of Paine College. “We look forward to working with our partners to help grow our enrollment, improve educational outcomes for our students, and make curricular improvements at the institution.”
