Piedmont University history

Piedmont became the first in the South when the American Missionary Board of the Congregational Church took it under its wing in 1901.

In 1948, under president James Walter, the college became an independent institution, although it maintains an affiliation with the United Church of Christ (UCC) and the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC), both of whom claim descent from the Congregational tradition.

Georgia Piedmont Tech was first established in 1961 as DeKalb Area Vocational School.

1963: New campus opens in Clarkston for 1300 students

First secured atop the chapel steeple in 1970, the Mayflower has become a Demorest and Habersham County landmark.

In 1971, Piedmont completed a building program and established an endowment.

1972: Operated as a division of DeKalb Community College under the governance of the DeKalb County Board of Education

1986: Separated from DeKalb Community College and operated as DeKalb Technical Institute, and Doctor Paul Starnes appointed as first president

In 1994 the college began to expand, adding schools for Business and Nursing & Health Sciences to its existing programs in the Arts and Sciences and Education.

In 1995, the college offered its first graduate-level program, the Master of Arts in education, and other graduate programs soon followed.

1996: Transitioned from County Governance to state governance under the Technical College System of Georgia

2004: Opening of learning center on Montreal Road, later renamed the Starnes Center and Doctor Robin Hoffmann named acting president (and later second president) of the College

2008: Completed 78,000 SF addition of classroom space and a conference center to the campus in Clarkston and begins working with the Rockdale Career Academy

(2011-present) Georgia Piedmont Technical College — also known as Georgia Piedmont Tech

2014: Launched film and television production program to respond to the growing demand for workers in the film industry

2015: Opened South DeKalb Campus—the third campus for the college—and was home to both the year’s top technical education student (GOAL) and the top GED student (EAGLE) in the state

2017: Initiated innovative partnership with Clark Atlanta University that allows for bi-lateral dual enrollment that expands opportunities for students at both institutions

2018: Installed Doctor Tavarez Holston as the fourth president of Georgia Piedmont Tech, and student Crystal Wright named as the top Technical College System of Georgia GOAL Student of the Year

In 2019, Piedmont College President James Mellichamp was accused of sexual assault by tenured professor Rick Austin, who is also the mayor of Demorest.

Recognizing the dramatic growth and transformation at the institution, Piedmont’s Board of Trustees approved in 2020 a proposal to change the college’s name to Piedmont University.