Athens State's History

Our History

Athens State University began its institutional mission in 1822 as a small, female academy, built on the dreams of a few and the aspirations of many. Since those humble beginnings in a four-room schoolhouse, the institution that we know today has grown to attain a level of significance that shows dreams can come true and that knowledge changes lives.

In 2022, we celebrate our 200th anniversary. Our Bicentennial Celebration, ATHENS FOREVER, will honor the historical significance of the University as a private academy, a Methodist college, and now as a state University. We have known incredible highs, experienced significant adversities, and demonstrated a level of resiliency that few could have imagined.