Information
Landmark: Berry CollegeCity: Rome City
Country: USA Georgia
Continent: North America
Berry College, Rome City, USA Georgia, North America
Overview
Berry College sits in Rome, Georgia, a private liberal arts school where pine-lined trails frame a campus famous for its beauty, hands-on work programs, and a rare mix of tough academics with character building.Martha Berry founded the college in 1902, and today it spreads across 27,000 rolling acres-making it the largest continuous college campus in the world.The college blends Southern heritage with forward-thinking education, all grounded in a spirit of service and the grit to stand on your own.First.Berry College was founded by Martha Berry, a trailblazing Southern educator and philanthropist who once taught children beneath the shade of an old oak.She founded the Berry Schools to give kids from rural, struggling communities in Appalachia a chance at education, where dusty roads and worn schoolbooks were the norm.She built her philosophy on “Head, Heart, and Hands,” blending sharp thinking, steadfast ethics, and the kind of work you feel in your fingertips.The school’s first mission was simple: offer a solid education in return for hard work on campus, whether that meant tending the garden or repairing old benches.To help cover tuition, students put in hours on the campus farms, built furniture in the workshops, and shaped clay in the craft shops.Martha Berry earned national acclaim for her forward-thinking approach, with praise coming from U. S. presidents and leading education reformers alike.Number two.Berry College is famous for its breathtaking landscape and vast grounds-home to shady forests, wide meadows, sparkling lakes, and quiet streams.More than 80 miles of trails invite hiking, biking, and horseback rides past working farms, open pastures, and protected wildlife reserves, where deer wander freely.At the heart of campus stands Frost Chapel, a stone building built by students, its handcrafted woodwork and warm stained-glass casting a gentle glow on those seeking a place for reflection or service.Henry Ford donated these Gothic-style buildings, which house dorms, classrooms, and the graceful Ford Dining Hall, where sunlight spills across long wooden tables.These spots rank among the most photographed corners of campus-think sunlit steps or the old stone arch by the library.House o’ Dreams is a cozy stone cottage perched on a mountain ridge, built by students for Martha Berry, with sweeping views of the campus and the rolling green hills beyond.Number three.Berry College offers over 40 majors and 30 minors through four schools: the Campbell School of Business, the Charter School of Education and Human Sciences, the Evans School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences.Students dive into undergraduate research, hands-on learning, and cross-disciplinary study, with favorites ranging from Animal Science and Pre-Veterinary to Business Administration, Psychology, Environmental Science, Education, Creative Technologies, and History and Political Science.With class sizes small enough that professors know your name-about an 11-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio-you get close mentorship and an education that feels personal.Number four.At Berry, one of the most striking traditions is the LifeWorks Program, a hands-on extension of Martha Berry’s original vision, where the smell of fresh sawdust in the campus workshop still carries her spirit forward.Every student can land a job on campus, and more than 95% do-whether it’s running the campus farm at sunrise, planning events, designing graphics, assisting with research, or launching their own business.Berry hires more student workers per capita than any other college in the country, giving them jobs that help pay the bills while sharpening career skills, time management, and leadership-right down to showing up on time for a 6 a.m. shift.Five.At Berry, campus life feels tight-knit and lively, with more than 75 ways to get involved-academic societies, service clubs, outdoor adventure groups, even Greek houses with porch swings and shared coffee mornings.The school thrives on a strong tradition of community service, true to its ethos of giving back-like students planting flowers along the neighborhood sidewalks each spring.The campus buzzes with traditions like Mountain Day, marking Martha Berry’s birthday, Viking Fusion’s lively student media, and outdoor adventures that smell faintly of pine.Students enjoy using the bright art studios, lively performance halls, bustling athletic complexes, and joining in on spiritual life events.Number six.At Berry, the Vikings take the field in crisp blue and silver, representing the school in NCAA Division III as part of the Southern Athletic Association.Students can choose from football, basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, swimming, and volleyball, while outdoor favorites like hiking and cycling thrive in the area’s green hills.The Berry Equestrian Center, with its scent of hay and well-kept stables, is a big attraction for those studying animal science or eager to ride.With its sprawling campus, Berry throws itself into sustainability work-tending organic farms and gardens, managing timber, protecting wildlife, and backing student-led projects and research.The land isn’t just beautiful; it’s a living laboratory where students in biology, agriculture, environmental science, and forestry learn by getting their hands dirty in the soil.The number eight sat there, simple and round like a loop drawn in one stroke.Martha Berry’s vision still defines the college, with her commitment to self-reliance, building character, and serving others woven into its very fabric, like the steady ring of a chapel bell.Across campus, her life and mission live on in bronze statues, etched quotes, and the stone walls of towering halls.People often call Berry a hidden gem, thanks to its dedication to keeping college affordable, opening doors for all, and staying true to its moral compass-values you can feel the moment you walk its quiet, tree-lined paths.9.The Visitor Experience Campus Tours are open all year, and prospective students can join a guided walk past the old oak by the main gate.Scenic drives lead you past winding trails, blooming gardens, and weathered old buildings worth a lingering glance.House o’ Dreams Hike takes you up a well-loved trail to the old stone cottage once built for Martha Berry.Berry’s Eagle Cam streams a bald eagle nest live, drawing thousands of viewers each nesting season to watch the rustle of feathers and the careful turn of eggs.Berry College offers a rare mix of challenging courses, practical learning, a close-knit community, and scenery so beautiful you can hear the wind in the pines.Its legacy of service, hard work, and care offers an approach to education that shapes minds-and also molds character and gives purpose, much like a teacher’s steady voice guiding a crowded classroom.From the quiet hush inside Frost Chapel to the enduring mark left by its founder, Berry shows a graceful blend of tradition, fresh ideas, and the natural world, even in the rustle of leaves along its paths.
