200 Years. One Unforgettable Place.
Founded in 1826, Furman is the oldest private university in South Carolina and among the 75 oldest institutions of higher education in the nation. At its heart was a bold idea: that a moral and productive society depends on broadly educated citizens from all walks of life. Two centuries later, that vision still drives everything we do.
A Campus Like No Other
Furman’s early years were marked by movement, with the campus changing locations twice before arriving in downtown Greenville in 1851. In the 1930s, Furman merged with Greenville Woman’s College to become a coeducational institution. A century later, seeking room to grow and to unite both campuses, the university relocated to its current 940-acre home at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A 28-acre lake. Miles of wooded trails. Buildings designed by the architects who restored Colonial Williamsburg. There’s a reason we’re regularly named one of the most beautiful campuses in America.
Where Paladins Are Made
When students united on our current campus in the 1960s, they voted to bring all athletic teams under one mascot: the Paladin, a medieval knight known for heroism and honor. That spirit still defines the Furman experience, from 18 Division I athletic teams and national championships to Greek life, 170+ clubs, and the Heller Service Corps, our largest student organization. And it follows our graduates: Furman alumni include Charles H. Townes ’35, co-recipient of the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics, Richard W. Riley ’54, former U.S. Secretary of Education, and Alexander Stubb ’93, President of Finland. They’ve served as governors and a Director of National Intelligence. They’ve conducted the Boston Pops, reported for NPR, won Grammys and Olympic medals, and devoted their lives to serving others.
Charting Our Own Course
For over 160 years, Furman was governed by the South Carolina Baptist Convention. By the late 1980s, that relationship threatened the university’s academic freedom and values. In 1992, the convention severed all ties, a move embraced by most of the university community. That independence set the stage for Furman to confront its past and shape its future on its own terms.
Understanding Our Full History
In 2017, Furman became a regional leader among colleges and universities in researching its ties to slavery. The university is named for Richard Furman, an influential Baptist leader and advocate for education who was also a slaveholder and publicly defended the practice. His son James C. Furman, the university’s first president, vehemently and publicly defended slaveholding and signed South Carolina’s Ordinance of Secession. The university continues to reckon with these legacies, and recommendations from our Task Force on Slavery and Justice have resulted in renamed buildings, new memorials, curriculum changes, and a deeper understanding of all who contributed to the university’s history, including Joseph Allen Vaughn, who desegregated Furman’s undergraduate student body on January 29, 1965. Today, a plaza honors Vaughn and others who have contributed to Furman’s diversity.
Your Future Starts Here
Today, Furman is defined by The Furman Advantage: high-impact experiences, expert mentorship, and real-world preparation from day one. As we enter our third century, we’re looking for students ready to be challenged, supported, and transformed. Your next chapter starts here.
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Two hundred years of defining moments, championship seasons, groundbreaking firsts, and the people who shaped this university.