Courtesy of Barber-Scotia Communications
North Carolina — Barber-Scotia College, a private HBCU in Concord, North Carolina is excited to announce its membership in the New South Athletic Conference (NSAC), unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees, during their June 2024 meeting. This move represents a pivotal step for the college, enhancing its athletic and academic opportunities.
Barber-Scotia President Chris V. Rey, JD, remarked, “We are thrilled to join the New South Athletic Conference. This membership opens doors for Barber-Scotia College to engage with a new generation of student-athletes and advance our institutional goals.”
The New South Athletic Conference, established in 2020, includes small colleges and universities across the Southeast. NSAC Commissioner Mike Davis noted, “After visiting the campus and meeting with President Rey and the Board of Trustees, I was impressed by their vision and leadership. The commitment to rejuvenating Barber-Scotia aligns well with our conference’s values. The NSAC Board of Directors is pleased to welcome the Sabers into the conference.”
The inclusion of Barber-Scotia in the NSAC is expected to enrich the conference’s competitive landscape and provide new opportunities for student-athletes and the broader college community.
About Barber-Scotia
Established in 1867 as Scotia Seminary for African American women in Concord, North Carolina, the HBCU underwent several name changes and mergers before adopting its present name, Barber-Scotia College, in 1932. The charter was later amended in 1954 to admit students regardless of ethnicity or gender.
Barber-Scotia began as a female seminary in 1867. Scotia Seminary was founded by the Reverend Luke Dorland and chartered in 1870. A project by the Presbyterian Church to prepare young African American southern women (the daughters of former slaves) for careers as social workers and teachers, it was the coordinate women’s school for Biddle University (now Johnson C. Smith University).
It was the first female HBCU established after the American Civil War. The Charlotte Observer, in an interview with Janet Magaldi, president of the Piedmont Preservation Foundation, stated, “Scotia Seminary was one of the first black institutions built after the Civil War. For the first time, it gave black women an alternative to becoming domestic servants or field hands.”