This past Friday, RCSE learned about Ralston College which is a new liberal arts college based in Savannah that is offering a one year Masters in Humanities. After Raffle, Happy, and Rotary Business items, Kim Campbell introduced Dr. Stephen Blackwood who is the President of Ralston College.
Dr. Blackwood began by giving a brief bio about himself and how the idea of Ralston College began while he was studying at Emory University. Ralston College was founded in 2010 as a place for young students to come and rediscover Western Civilization through the humanities. The fundamental principle of the college is to light a fire in the souls of the young. Since it was a new college, Dr. Blackwood had to fundraise in order to fund the operation of the school. It was founded in 2010 and it took eleven years for Dr. Blackwood to raise the necessary capital. Therefore, the first graduating class of Ralston College received their diplomas in 2022.
Dr. Blackwood also spoke on what makes a good university. One reason Ralston College was formed is because he and others believed that administrators at other institutions of higher learning have forgotten the recipe or key ingredients in what makes a successful learning environment. He says you need 1. Great teachers and scholars who delight in sharing their knowledge, 2. Students who have a desire to learn, 3. A campus that enables conversation and a sense of community, and 4. Access to mode of learning. To learn more about Ralston College and their graduate degree program, please visit https://www.ralston.ac/