Welcome to the Tift College Research Guide!
Use the pages on the left to begin your research on the history of Tift College. If you need help or if you have any questions, please contact the Archives' staff at: archives@mercer.edu.
Bessie Tift College was a women's college in Forsyth, Georgia. It was founded in 1849 as the Forsyth Female Collegiate Institute. It was later renamed Monroe Female College in 1857 and then as Bessie Tift College in 1907. The name was finally shortened to Tift College in 1956. Tift College became affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention in 1898 but operated on its own until Mercer University acquired it in 1986. The following year, in 1987, the college was closed by Mercer.
After the closure of Tift College, Mercer University has tried to continue honoring the heritage, identity, and ideals of Tift College, most notably through the Tift College Scholars Program. The program selects exceptional young women from Mercer to continue the legacy of Tift College through scholarships and events with Tift Alumnae. In addition, Mercer renamed the school of education to the Tift College of Education in 2001. The alumnae of Tift college are also quite active in their efforts to keep the memory of their old alma mater alive.
