Beloved southern college Limestone University abruptly closes campus after 179 years
By EMMA RICHTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COMPublished: 17:42 EDT, 16 April 2025 | Updated: 17:43 EDT, 16 April 2025
South Carolina's Limestone University is set to close its doors after 179 years due to 'financial uncertainty.'
The institution, which costs about $27,000 per semester, announced the devastating news Wednesday to staff and students in a letter on its website.
Because of the setback, the school might switch to strictly online instruction or shut down completely, according to the Christian university.
The liberal arts school, located in Gaffney - about two hours outside of Columbia - said the only way the school will be able to stay afloat is if it receives 'immediate financial support in the amount of $6 million.'
The board is expected to convene on April 22 to discuss the school's future and all in-person classes are set to end at the end of the spring semester - April 29.
In addition to shutting down in-person instruction on campus, which would affect about 1,000 students, athletics would also end.
'The Board’s priority is to preserve the Limestone mission of education and service on our campus in addition to online. But without this financial lifeline, we will have no choice but to move all operations online, which means closing our physical campus,' Randall Richardson, Chair of the Limestone University Board of Trustees, said.
Because of the drastic decision, the campus will be sold and approximately 300 employees will be laid off, Nathan Copeland, the school president, told The Post and Courier.
South Carolina's Limestone University might close its doors after 179 years due to 'financial uncertainty'
Copeland, who became president last year, said the school is $30 million in debt and won't be able to get the funds it needs from tuition payments until September.
The school itself has a $150 million economic impact on Cherokee County, meaning that possibly switching to online instruction or closing down could threaten the entire community.
When he first joined the school, Copeland planned to help pull it out of its financial troubles but it was too far gone, Charles Wyatt, vice president for communications, told the outlet.
'We ran out of runway... If we could have made it until September,' Wyatt said.
He added that the school is working to help transfer students, especially athletes, to other universities.
One student, Cameron Wells, who transferred to Limestone from Coastal Carolina, expressed his disappointment in the news.
'We were just getting things popping,' Wells said.
Richardson said that the school 'remains committed to our students' during this hard time.
The institution announced the devastating news Wednesday to staff and students in a letter on its website
'Limestone remains committed to our students and we will work directly with current students to help them identify the best path to successfully complete their educational journey,' Richardson wrote in the letter.
'We are reaching out separately to students with information regarding options to continue their education.'
Limestone opened its doors in 1845 when it was known only as Limestone College. It officially changed its name in 2020.
When it first opened, the school was the first women's college in the state and one of the first in the nation.
The institution started admitting men in the early 1990s, but they were not initially allowed to live on campus.
The school currently offers both on-campus and remote learning schedules for undergrad and masters programs.
