From the President
Progress is the true measure of success. Without it, the status quo would become extraordinary and the mediocre exemplary. But progress, like success, doesn’t happen without hard work, dedication, and steady hands to guide it.
President Elizabeth Davis
Those steady hands reside throughout the Furman community. When we look to our classrooms and labs and the learning and research coming from them, we marvel at our undergraduate students who are doing graduate-level work and our faculty mentors who are showing them the way. When we walk across campus, we see members of our community welcoming new students and hard-working staff ensuring our campus is a beautiful, safe and nurturing environment. And when we talk to alumni, we see the most engaged supporters who know that Furman is not simply attended… it is lived.
Each student experience is a part of their progression toward graduation and beyond, and that is intentional. It’s the promise we make to engage, enlighten and educate each and every student. And it is what drives our new five-year strategic plan.
Since it was launched in May, FUture Focused has set us on a clear path for our third century. None of the pieces are completely new to Furman. Each pillar is based in what has been the aim of our university for years – to deliver an innovative and purposeful education. Now we have a focus for strategy and a plan to measure our progress.
Throughout this report, you will see the intention behind each strategic pillar below and how the past year brought us to this point. You will see how each success built upon the last, and how each triumph makes us strive to accomplish even more.
- Innovation and Impact
- Drive a culture of innovation that positions Furman as a premier liberal arts and sciences university recognized for delivering a high-value, individualized learning experience through the teacher-scholar model, and fosters student engagement and purposeful community impact.
- Thriving Community
- Cultivate a vibrant, interconnected community where students, faculty, and staff flourish, engagement thrives, and wellbeing is prioritized.
- Sustainable and Strong Future
- Foster a dynamic and sustainable future as we enter our third century.
You will see how innovation leads to impact through our students’ success and how as graduates they are rising to the top of their fields. We will highlight our scholars who are earning accolades around the world and how their start here in the Pathways Program and the experience of The Furman Advantage led them to amazing opportunities. And we will showcase what belonging and support look like at Furman – and what building and fostering those relationships can mean for past, present and future Paladins. None of this could be accomplished without a focus on sustainability – financially and how we operate, as well as how effectively we tell our story to the world.
The Clearly Furman campaign has reached heights we only dreamed of, and that dreaming has become the reality of what we can do together. So much so, that we are expanding our efforts and our goals using everything we learned from the past year.
Join us in celebrating our shared accomplishments and progress. I am excited about what’s to come and all the ways we will build upon the successes that make Furman a most special place. Together, we will enter Furman’s third century with a clear vision and from a position of strength that will help us reach our greatest potential.
Elizabeth Davis
President
Furman by the Numbers
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#1Best Small Colleges in SC (out of 24)–Niche
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#35Top Liberal Arts Universities– Forbes – America’s Top Colleges
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#45National Liberal Arts Colleges in America
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#7Most Innovative– U.S. News & World Report
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#17Undergraduate Teaching– U.S. News & World Report
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#22First-Year Experience (among all universities)– U.S. News & World Report
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#32Undergraduate Research (among all universities)– U.S. News & World Report
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The Best 390 Colleges
– The Princeton Review -
#22Most Accessible Professors– The Princeton Review
Furman University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts and sciences university of 2,500 students in Greenville, South Carolina. The university is noted for its rigorous academic program and strong faculty, and its 940-acre campus is widely recognized as one of the most beautiful in the nation. At the heart of the university’s academic experience is The Furman Advantage, a personalized pathway for each student that prepares students for lives of purpose, successful careers and community benefit by combining classroom academics with engaged learning experiences in study away, internships and research.
Furman has accomplished a lot over the past year, and the future looks bright and exciting. As we plan for our bicentennial celebration in 2026, we are reminded of where we came from, what we have accomplished and how much more we have to offer the Paladin community and the world at large.
The Furman brand is stretching farther than ever before. Of course, we don’t do it alone. It takes the continued support of students, faculty and staff, alumni, parents, community leaders, city officials and business partners.
We have a roadmap in place for making Furman the best it can be. By collaborating with our supporters, we can ensure that every student gets an education free of financial burdens, every fan can return to their home away from home for Homecoming, Dins Day and Furman Engaged, and every alumnus can pursue the dreams that started on the Furman campus.
Our third century will begin with many of our goals checked off and the excitement of new challenges, raised bars and a clear path to a successful future.
That Paladin Pride
The Pita and Paws event was hosted by the Heller Service Corps and was held in the Hartness Pavilion on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.
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The Pita and Paws event was hosted by the Heller Service Corps and was held in the Hartness Pavilion on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.
Orientation staff member Paisley Gerasimovich ’26 dances with first-year students.">
Orientation staff member Paisley Gerasimovich ’26 dances with first-year students.
Jackson Lehmann ’25, left, shows how to place bees into a new hive to members of the Furman Bee Club, from left, Chloe Sanderson ’24, Chase Sledge ’26 and Ella Back ’26 at the Furman Solar Farm on Saturday, March 23, 2024.">
Jackson Lehmann ’25, left, shows how to place bees into a new hive to members of the Furman Bee Club, from left, Chloe Sanderson ’24, Chase Sledge ’26 and Ella Back ’26 at the Furman Solar Farm on Saturday, March 23, 2024.
The Furman University International Students Association (FUISA) held its annual dance festival at McAlister Auditorium.">
The Furman University International Students Association (FUISA) held its annual dance festival at McAlister Auditorium.
Furman first-year students participate in the traditional processional down Furman Mall to McAlister Auditorium for Opening Convocation on Monday, August 21, 2023.">
Furman first-year students participate in the traditional processional down Furman Mall to McAlister Auditorium for Opening Convocation on Monday, August 21, 2023.
Students found a variety of ways they can participate on- and off-campus at the Student Involvement Fair on Sept. 6, 2024.">
Students found a variety of ways they can participate on- and off-campus at the Student Involvement Fair on Sept. 6, 2024.
Furman Board of Trustees Chair Kevin Byrne, left, leads a panel discussion with Associate Professor Shaniece Criss, President Elizabeth Davis, and VP for Intercollegiate Athletics Jason Donnelly during a Clearly Furman campaign event at the Atlanta Zoo on Thursday, September 22, 2023.”">
Furman Board of Trustees Chair Kevin Byrne, left, leads a panel discussion with Associate Professor Shaniece Criss, President Elizabeth Davis, and VP for Intercollegiate Athletics Jason Donnelly during a Clearly Furman campaign event at the Atlanta Zoo on Thursday, September 22, 2023.”
Christina Henderson ’08 speaks during the What Really Matters: Cultivating Community That Works CLP in Daniel Chapel on Wednesday evening, March 20, 2024. The CLP was part of the L.D. Johnson Lecture Series and was sponsored by the Office of Spiritual Life.">
Christina Henderson ’08 speaks during the What Really Matters: Cultivating Community That Works CLP in Daniel Chapel on Wednesday evening, March 20, 2024. The CLP was part of the L.D. Johnson Lecture Series and was sponsored by the Office of Spiritual Life.
FUASIA held a Holi Festival CLP in the lawn behind the Dining Hall that featured traditional Indian food, dance performances and throwing of color powders on Monday, March 25, 2024.">
FUASIA held a Holi Festival CLP in the lawn behind the Dining Hall that featured traditional Indian food, dance performances and throwing of color powders on Monday, March 25, 2024.
From left, Isabelle Burke ’27, Mayson Drinkard ’27 and Rachel Sun ’27 view the partial solar eclipse in front of the James B. Duke Library on Monday, April 8, 2024.">
From left, Isabelle Burke ’27, Mayson Drinkard ’27 and Rachel Sun ’27 view the partial solar eclipse in front of the James B. Duke Library on Monday, April 8, 2024.
The Duke Endowment Board and the Board of Trustees come together for a fun night of dinner, presentations, awards, and great conversations, on Thursday, February 15, 2024.">
The Duke Endowment Board and the Board of Trustees come together for a fun night of dinner, presentations, awards, and great conversations, on Thursday, February 15, 2024.
Lilly Woo ’24, middle, reacts after being named the winner of the Paladin Pitch in the Watkins Room of the Trone Student Center on Thursday, April 11, 2024.">
Lilly Woo ’24, middle, reacts after being named the winner of the Paladin Pitch in the Watkins Room of the Trone Student Center on Thursday, April 11, 2024.
Jaeyden Hill-Mims speaks during the Presentation of Senior Projects in the Blackwell Atrium of the James B. Duke Library. ">
Jaeyden Hill-Mims speaks during the Presentation of Senior Projects in the Blackwell Atrium of the James B. Duke Library.
Teezo Touchdown performs during the FUSAB Spring Concert at the amphitheater on Friday, April 12, 2024.">
Teezo Touchdown performs during the FUSAB Spring Concert at the amphitheater on Friday, April 12, 2024.
Greg Lewis, left, professor of Biology, and Brannon Andersen, professor of Earth, Environmental and Sustainable Sciences, work with Max Ferrier ’25 while taking water samples from local streams to measure methane levels as part of a research project on Wednesday, July 3, 2024.">
Greg Lewis, left, professor of Biology, and Brannon Andersen, professor of Earth, Environmental and Sustainable Sciences, work with Max Ferrier ’25 while taking water samples from local streams to measure methane levels as part of a research project on Wednesday, July 3, 2024.
A ceremony to unveil the Benefactors Green was held on Saturday, April 13, 2024.">
A ceremony to unveil the Benefactors Green was held on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
Holly Pinheiro, Jr., assistant professor of History at Furman University, speaks during a Juneteenth celebration at the James B. Duke Library on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.">
Holly Pinheiro, Jr., assistant professor of History at Furman University, speaks during a Juneteenth celebration at the James B. Duke Library on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
Furman students and faculty members participating in the Math and the Mouse May X take a picture with President Elizabeth Davis and Charles Davis at Inter&Co Stadium during a Clearly Furman event on May 22, 2024.">
Furman students and faculty members participating in the Math and the Mouse May X take a picture with President Elizabeth Davis and Charles Davis at Inter&Co Stadium during a Clearly Furman event on May 22, 2024.
The Class of 2024 Commencement ceremony was held in McAlister Auditorium on Saturday, May 4, 2024.">
The Class of 2024 Commencement ceremony was held in McAlister Auditorium on Saturday, May 4, 2024.
Students, faculty, staff, alumni and others celebrate Dins Day and the last day of class on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.">
Students, faculty, staff, alumni and others celebrate Dins Day and the last day of class on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
Lakeview Hall, the newest residence hall in the South Housing Complex, opened this fall to first-year students. ">
Lakeview Hall, the newest residence hall in the South Housing Complex, opened this fall to first-year students.
A committed student celebrates after releasing a confetti canon in front of the Trone Student Center during Furman Forward on Friday, April 19, 2024.">
A committed student celebrates after releasing a confetti canon in front of the Trone Student Center during Furman Forward on Friday, April 19, 2024.
