Mary Pomeroy
James Parlar
Contributing Writers
After Birmingham Southern College (BSC) closed its doors for the final time this past May, Sewanee prepared to receive the now displaced BSC students looking to transfer. Because of a lack of funding, the 168-year-old institution was closed after a unanimous decision made by their Board of Trustees. BSC, formerly located in Birmingham, Alabama, was closely comparable to Sewanee due to a similar sizing and community. As a result, Sewanee immediately became a potential destination for displaced students.
According to Carter Johnston (C’ 26), Aaron Johnston (C’ 26), William Poe (C’ 26), and Cooper Smith (C’ 26)–four out of seven transfer students from BSC–the threat of BSC’s closing had not come by surprise. The college had communicated with its students of the financial stress they were under over the course of almost two years. “It had been in the back of our heads for over a year by then that it might close at the end of any semester, it was just like–wow, finally happened,” said Carter Johnston.
Since the news broke, Sewanee has made an effort to ease the transfer process for former BSC students with a Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU. Sewanee assured the former BSC students that their credits would be transferred and general education requirements completed at BSC would remain valid at Sewanee. Additionally, credits earned in subjects not offered at Sewanee may be considered for transfer general elective credits. The students commended the transfer agreement that made their transfer to Sewanee easier than it would have been at other institutions.
It was this that prompted the students to pick Sewanee as their transfer school of choice. As a private Southern liberal arts school, Sewanee shares similarities with BSC. “But a big part of it is, at least for me, is that I really, really liked Birmingham Southern,” Carter Johnston said. “I loved the academics, I loved the small community and the environment, and so no part of me wanted to transfer to a big school. I wanted to be at another small one, and Sewanee is one that I knew was extremely well known and well respected, and also just in such a beautiful place.”
The former BSC students have found humor in the situation and speak of their final days of Birmingham Southern with lightheartedness and warmth. “Over the past year and a half, the quality gradually went down at BSC… we didn’t even notice it until we got here and everything was normal again,” Carter Johnston said. “Compared to our old cafeteria, Clurg is godly… It was getting rough at the end there.”
Despite the quirks of such an unconventional college career, the students felt great love for Birmingham Southern and are excited to continue their education at Sewanee.