Brenau University

Brenau University is a private university located in Gainesville, Georgia. Founded in 1878, it began as a women’s institution and continues to include the historic Brenau Women’s College alongside coeducational undergraduate, graduate, and online programs. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees through colleges focused on fine arts and humanities, health sciences, business, and education. Brenau also operates additional campuses in Georgia and provides flexible learning options for working adults. Known for its small class sizes and emphasis on professional programs such as nursing, occupational therapy, and business, Brenau attracts traditional residential students as well as adult and graduate learners seeking career advancement.

Brenau University was founded in 1878 in Gainesville, Georgia, as the Georgia Baptist Female Seminary by Rev. William Clay Wilkes. Established to provide educational opportunities for women at a time when few institutions did so, the school quickly became part of the region’s academic landscape. In 1900, under the leadership of Haywood Jefferson Pearce, the institution was renamed Brenau, a blend of words meaning “as gold refined by fire,” reflecting its enduring motto. During the twentieth century, Brenau expanded its academic offerings and governance structure, transitioning to oversight by a board of trustees. In the late 1960s, it began offering coeducational evening and weekend programs. Brenau College officially became Brenau University in 1992, marking its growth into a comprehensive university. In the twenty-first century, Brenau University expanded graduate and online programs while maintaining its historic Women’s College.