Eckerd College

About Eckerd College

According to Wikipedia, Eckerd College is a private Presbyterian liberal arts college in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.History Eckerd was founded as Florida Presbyterian College in 1958 as part of national growth in post-secondary education driven by GIs entering college after returning from World War II and later by the baby boom. The United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and the Presbyterian Church worked together to establish the college, receiving a charter from the Florida legislature in 1958 and opening in 1960. The college opened in temporary quarters at Bayboro Harbor with a liberal arts focus and 154 freshmen; it had 310 freshmen and sophomores in January 1962, when it was about to expand with the addition of a junior class, and began the 1966–1967 academic year with 810 students. In 1971, Jack Eckerd donated $10 million to the college and the following year the institution's name was changed to Eckerd College. A covenant relationship is still maintained with the Presbyterian Church.