College Town

Spartanburg, Sc

Spartanburg is a major center for higher education, with seven colleges and universities that have a collective enrollment of nearly 15,000 students. The institutions are a major economic driver for the City and larger region, and a number of partnerships between the schools and businesses are creating significant strategic advantages in workforce training, research, and economic development. 

Literally hundreds of seminars, classes, workshops, sports events, and arts and cultural offerings are open to the public on these campuses, adding immeasurably to the quality of life in Spartanburg. 

Initiated by former Mayor Bill Barnet, the consortium of seven institutions of higher education, known as “The Colleges of Spartanburg,” includes Converse College, Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic, Spartanburg Methodist College, Spartanburg Community College, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of South Carolina Upstate and Wofford College.

The goals of this not-for-profit consortium are to:

  • Capitalize on the advantages offered by the large number of diverse colleges in order to create educational, social and service opportunities for students.
  • Create economic and brand development opportunities for the city.
  • Create and sustain partnership advantages among the colleges themselves.

Founded in 2003, the College Town Consortium is a not-for-profit consortium of Spartanburg’s seven public and private accredited colleges and universities. Its mission is to capitalize on the advantages offered by the large number of diverse colleges in order to create educational, social and service opportunities for students; to create economic and brand development opportunities for the City; and to create and sustain partnership advantages among the colleges themselves.