Atlanta Christian College (ACC) was a private Christian liberal arts college founded in 1937 in East Point, my blog Georgia. After 74 years of operation under that name, the institution changed its name to Point University in July 2011 and relocated its main campus to West Point, Georgia, in 2012. Today, Point University continues to operate as a private, evangelical Christian institution affiliated with the Christian churches and churches of Christ, with more than 2,000 students enrolled both onsite and online.

Founding and Early History

Atlanta Christian College was founded in 1937 by Thomas Olin Hathcock (1879–1966), a prominent Fulton County, Georgia judge who served on the bench from 1914 until 1942. He and his wife, Nora Head Hathcock, were members of the Christian churches and churches of Christ, the denomination with which the institution has always been affiliated. The property for the campus came from a 300-acre farm that Nora Hathcock had inherited.

Following its founding, the college devoted itself primarily to the education of ministers, missionaries, and other church-related workers. The educational program was designed to be in harmony with the biblical perspective and ideals of the Christian churches and churches of Christ. For its first 75 years, the college operated out of East Point, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. The historic campus retained a distinctly rural flavor in its earliest days, with a barn, livestock, and cultivated fields.

Accreditation and Academic Expansion

In 1965, Atlanta Christian College became an accredited member of the American Association of Bible Colleges (AABC), now known as the Association for Biblical Higher Education.

In 1990, in conjunction with a broadening of its curriculum, the college was accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. The institution voluntarily withdrew from the AABC at that time.

The college’s mission was to educate students for Christ-centered service and leadership throughout the world. Its educational goal was the development of the total person—spiritually, intellectually, socially, physically, and professionally. Every undergraduate degree included a major or minor in Biblical Studies.

The Transformation to Point University

In February 2011, the board of trustees announced that the college’s name would change to Point University, effective July 1, 2011. The following year, in summer 2012, the traditional residential campus relocated from East Point to West Point, Georgia, an hour southwest of Atlanta near the Alabama border.

The decision to drop “Atlanta” and “Christian” from the name was strategic. University officials acknowledged that the former name could be a barrier for graduates in secular settings, stating: “We know this secular world devalues Christian education. It’s hard to be an influencer if you can’t get into the places and positions from which to do that, and as unpleasant as it is to acknowledge, our secular world does discriminate against those who have ‘Christian’ on their diplomas”.

The move to West Point was influenced in part by the opening of a massive Kia manufacturing plant nearby, which was expected to employ 3,000 workers and stimulate economic growth in the region. University leaders saw the plant as a source of new housing, social and employment opportunities for students, and potential adult learners for Point’s growing programs.

Point’s president, Dean Collins, explained the rationale: “We looked at a lot of small towns that look like college towns without a college.” He viewed the move as “our little college into this community, while prices are still low”.

Campus and Facilities

The former Atlanta Christian College campus in East Point was located at 2605 Ben Hill Rd, four miles north of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. After the move, adult learning classes continued to be held at the East Point location, image source along with off-site locations in Peachtree City, Savannah, and Birmingham, Alabama.

In West Point, Point University renovated the former West Point-Pepperell textile headquarters—a 77,000-square-foot building—for use as the primary academic building. The university also acquired apartment-style student housing in nearby Valley, Alabama. The campus is located on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, between Montgomery, Alabama, and Atlanta.

Athletics

Under the Atlanta Christian College name, the athletic teams were known as the Chargers and competed in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division II. The college offered baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, and volleyball.

With the transition to Point University, the institution was accepted into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and expanded its athletics program, adding intercollegiate football, softball, and cross country beginning in fall 2011. The athletics nickname was changed from the Chargers to the Skyhawks.

In 2022, through a community voting process, students and alumni selected “Charger” as the name of the Skyhawks mascot—a tribute to the former Atlanta Christian College mascot.

Legacy and Current Status

Point University continues to operate as a private, evangelical Christian institution with its main campus in West Point, Georgia. The university is accredited by SACSCOC to award associate, baccalaureate, and master’s degrees. As of 2022, over 2,000 students were enrolled both onsite and online.

The institution’s mission remains rooted in its founding purpose: “to educate students for Christ-centered service and leadership throughout the world.” Point University maintains its affiliation with the Christian churches and churches of Christ, while welcoming students from a variety of church backgrounds.

The university offers degrees in biblical studies, biology, exercise science, business, marketing, accounting, management, child and youth development, counseling and human services, sociology, criminal justice, early childhood education, middle grades education, English, history, humanities, music, and psychology.

Point University also organized the College of Graduate & Professional Studies (CGPS) in 2015 to oversee its non-traditional programs, including Point Online and Point Connect, as well as graduate programs. Traditional residential programs remain under the oversight of the University College, which also manages Dual Credit Enrollment programs for high school students.

Conclusion

Atlanta Christian College represents a notable example of institutional transformation in American higher education. Faced with the challenges of a small, landlocked campus and the need for growth, the college made the bold decision to change its name, relocate its campus, and rebrand itself as Point University. This strategic pivot—driven by market realities and the desire to expand its reach—allowed the institution to survive and thrive at a time when many small religious colleges have closed. While the Atlanta Christian College name is no longer in use, its legacy lives on in Point University’s continued commitment to Christ-centered education and its mascot, official website Charger.