Savannah State University, a historically Black educational institution in Georgia, has recently received approval from the oard of regents of the bUniversity System of Georgia to expand the academic offerings in the HBCU’s College of Education.
The board of regents’ recent decision will allow Savannah State to establish a certificate program in elementary education. The new program aims to help alleviate the shortage of teachers in the state of Georgia, whose need for elementary school educators has quickly grown in recent years.
Currently, Savannah State’s department of teacher education only offers secondary education programs and certificates, with a particular emphasis on training STEM teachers. The new addition of an elementary education program could increase the HBCU’s enrollment by attracting a new population of students who previously would have needed to pursue their desired course of study at another institution.
“We’re looking forward to adding elementary education to our program,” said Cora Thompson, interim dean of the College of Education “As the oldest HBCU in the area, we have deep ties in the community and a history of producing graduates who give back, uplift and strengthen their communities. This expansion will give us one more way to fulfill that mission.”
