BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (WTXL) - 155 students at Bainbridge State College walked across the stage at their annual graduation ceremony on Wednesday.
This is the first graduation since Bainbridge State College consolidated with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC).
In January, the two rural colleges merged after the university system of Georgia set out some goals for the state.
The university system wanted to be more efficient with the taxpayers dollars and expand access to education.
The Bainbridge State College and ABAC consolidation is the ninth in Georgia.
"We're already offering a Bachelor's of Business, but that will be complimented with ABAC's business program with more courses and more tracks," said Dr. Michael Kirkland, Executive Director of ABAC. "We'll also offer a Bachelor's of Science and Nursing degree, which we didn't offer previously."
Dr. Kirkland says, those courses will be offered next fall and more classes will be phased in.
Not only does the merger offer more classes to Georgia students, it also saves the taxpayers money.
Dr. Kirkland says, now there is only one set of administration jobs that need to be filled and payed for.
Students that started classes before the merger started will still received their degrees Thursday from Brainbridge State College.
