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In early 2012, the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents recommended the consolidation of North Georgia College & State University, which was founded in 1873 in Dahlonega, Georgia, and Gainesville State College, which was founded in 1964 in Gainesville, Georgia. The consolidation became official on January 8, 2013, creating the University of North Georgia (91¸£Àûµ¼º½), with four campuses across northeast Georgia.

In August 2015, 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ opened an additional campus in Blue Ridge, Georgia, to serve students in the northernmost region of the state.

As a regional multi-campus institution and premier senior military college, 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ is unique in the range of educational pathways it offers students. From associate degrees to graduate-level programs, 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ provides an array of opportunities to help develop students into leaders for a diverse and global society. One of only six federally designated senior military colleges in the nation, the university carries the distinction of The Military College of Georgia and its nationally recognized Army ROTC program attracts students from across the state, region and nation. Additionally, 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ is designated by the University System of Georgia as a State Leadership Institution and has earned the Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Following the Civil War, the abandoned U. S. Mint property in the City of Dahlonega was given to the State of Georgia for educational purposes, thus giving birth to North Georgia Agricultural College in 1873.

The university's iconic Price Memorial Hall, with its gold-covered bell tower, is a nationally registered historic site where the U.S. Mint once stood. The school is Georgia's second-oldest public institution of higher education and its first co-educational university. From its inception, the institution has had a military education program, and the Corps of Cadets continues today as a signature element.

The college was established as a school of agriculture and mechanical arts, particularly mining engineering. As area gold mining resources were depleted and agricultural education was assumed by other state institutions, the mission of North Georgia Agricultural College evolved into one emphasizing arts and sciences and was renamed as North Georgia College in the summer of 1929.

In 1996, due to its much wider scope of academic programs, the University System of Georgia reclassified the college as a state university and renamed it North Georgia College & State University.

Historical symbols  for North Georgia College & State University and North Georgia College¹

¹ These symbols are trademarked and may not be used without authorization from the University of North Georgia.

Founded originally as Gainesville Junior College in March 1964, the college was the result of visionary community leaders who sought to fill a need for accessible, quality higher education for Northeast Georgians. While a campus was in development, the college initially held classes at the Gainesville Civic Center and First Baptist Church.

In 1966, Gainesville Junior College moved to its permanent campus. With an aim to prepare students for the local workforce or to transfer on to other senior institutions, Gainesville Junior College experienced high demand from the outset. It promoted an educational experience that included academics, athletics, student activities, and public service.

Drawing students primarily from the region surrounding Lake Lanier, the college's logo incorporated an anchor symbol and blue and gold colors. The college's athletic teams competed as The Lakers until the 1985-86 academic year, when intercollegiate athletics were discontinued due to lack of spectator support and a reallocation of institutional resources.

In 1987, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents authorized the removal of "Junior" or "Community" from the two names of two-year institutions to better reflect the quality of the educational experiences students in those colleges received. Gainesville Junior College became Gainesville College.

In 1998, the college adopted a new logo that replaced the anchor previously used to represent the college with a symbolic bell tower that greeted students as they entered campus. The college's colors, too, changed from blue and gold to green.

In 2003, the college expanded to include the Oconee Campus in Watkinsville, Ga., where enrollment grew quickly.

In 2005, the institution's name changed to Gainesville State College, reflecting the growth of four-year degree programs within the college.

The college's historic seal incorporates the State of Georgia seal, an anchor symbolizing the college's first mascot – The Lakers, and the lake in the background symbolizing the Lanier Land service area.

Historical symbols for Gainesville State College and Gainesville Junior College¹

¹ These symbols are trademarked and may not be used without authorization from the University of North Georgia.