theatre). August and December ceremonies continued to be held in the auditorium. In 1951, Greenwood County voters approved a four-mill property tax levy to support the college. The following are additional highlights of the “Grier Years”: 1952 — Lander College received its initial institutional accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. 1953 — Lander College awarded its first honorary degrees to James C. This 1953 yearbook photo shows students Self and Kathleen Lander rejoicing over Lander’s accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Willson. 1955 — Miriam Stevenson, a Lander home economics student from Greenwood, was named Miss Universe in the national pageant. 1956 — Lander College began the first associate degree nursing program in South Carolina with the cooperation of Self Memorial Hospital and with financial support from the Self Family Foundation.
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President Boyce M. Grier caps Mary Sue Knott Schneider, a member of Lander’s first nursing class, 1959
A Brief History of Lander University