these legacy institutions, Middle Georgia State University traces its history to 1884. In 2015, the institution adopted its current name to reflect its elevation to state university status.
== History ==
Middle Georgia State is a relatively new institution in name, though it has been in existence in several forms for most of 130 years.
=== 1884–1919 ===
The institution's beginnings date to the establishment of New Ebenezer College, which occupied the site of the current Cochran Campus. New Ebenezer was established in 1884 by the New Ebenezer Baptist Association, which was composed largely of Baptist churches in Pulaski, Dodge, Laurens, and Telfair counties of Middle Georgia. The first building on the campus was completed in 1886, and classes were first held in 1887 with approximately 100 students. However, the association discontinued its financial support for their namesake college in 1898, forcing the school to close its doors.
The college's building served as a high school for the city of Cochran until …
