Berry College: Brief History

1902

Founding of the Boys Industrial School through Martha’s devotion of the 83 acres she had inherited from her father.

1909

Addition of the Martha Berry School for Girls.

1914

Implementation of “work” as an integral component of the Berry education allowing students to keep operation costs low through they’re contribution in running the college.

1926

The school became a junior college and soon after a senior college.

1930

Martha Berry gained national renown for her educational efforts including being named by Good Housekeeping magazine as one of the nation’s 12 most influential women.

1930’s

Through Miss Berry’s relentless fundraising efforts of which included a landmark gift from Henry and Clara Ford to fund the construction of Berry’s iconic Ford Complex, the College footprint grew to 30,000 acres.

1932

Berry College graduated it’s first ever class.

1956

Berry began a vigorous development of its liberal arts and professional program offerings, led by President John R. Bertrand.

1957

Berry was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, hence, admissions efforts were then expanded to include urban areas, commuters, and non-traditional students.

1960’s/70’s

Berry underwent a series of cultural reforms consisting on paying student workers instead of crediting accounts, conducting national searches for faculty members, and ending mandatory religious services.

2002-2006

Berry formed a state-of-the-art science center (now known as McAllister Hall), restored the historic Ford Complex with a new alumni center and renovated the Cook Building as a teacher education facility.

July 2006

Stephen R.. Briggs became Berry’s eight president.

2008

The 131,000-square-foot Steven J. Cage Athletic and recreation Center opened, providing a stunning and state-of-the-art home for intercollegiate athletics and establishing a new focal point for campus life.

• Berry joined the Annapolis Group, a prestigious organization of leading national independent liberal arts colleges.

• The college began its transition to NCAA Division III, eventually becoming one of the founding members of the Southern Athletic Association; conference consisting of academically selective residential liberal arts colleges throughout the region.

• Berry created the Gate of Opportunity Scholarship to provide motivated students who posses a strong work ethic the opportunity to experience the colleges education and graduate debt free.

2014-present

Berry continues to grow the Gate of Opportunity Scholarship nd established academic centers for integrity in leadership and entrepreneurship, dramatically enhancing the campus’ offerings by renovating/building several new facilities including:

• Valhalla Stadium, Williams Field and Clark Track & Dickey Field (2015)

• Rome Tennis Center at Berry College, the nation’s largest hard court facility and home to Vikings Tennis (2016)

• Sisters Theatre, a 9,226 square-foot addition to Blackstone Hall that includes a black-box stage (2017)

• The Christopher Browning Pavilion at Oak Hill (5,760-square-foot event facility: 2018)

• The Betty Anne Rouse Bell Recital Hall at the historic Ford Auditorium (2020)

• The Fairfield Inn & Suited by Marriot Hotel (2021)

• The 23,000-square-foot ($15.7 million building) Animal Science Building which houses the college’s most distinctive and largest major.

• The Oak Hill Residences are the most recent student housing addition and the first off-campus facility complete with resident assistant and staff member on site (2021).

July 2025

Sandeep Mazumder became Berry’s ninth president.

Oak Hill & Martha Berry Museum

The estate and historic home of Berry’s founder, Martha Berry, featuring the campus’ renowned museum and enchanting gardens, trails, and a stunning event space, residing amongst Georgia’s most prized possessions

Atop Lavender Mountain: House o’ Dreams

Built in 1922 by Berry students and staff as a tribute to their beloved founder, the House o’ Dreams commands an inspiring view of the campus and the Northwest Georgia area.