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AMERICUS, GA --
Georgia Southwestern State University and the GSW Foundation will honor the University’s eighth president Wednesday, March 27 at 11 a.m. by dedicating the Capitan Plaza. William H. Capitan, Ph.D., served as the president of Georgia Southwestern from 1979 to 1995. Capitan and his wife, Dolores, will be in attendance.

The program, which is open to the public, will take place at the site of the Capitan Plaza – between Building I and II of the new Rosalynn Carter Health and Human Sciences Complex. The Capitan Plaza will include a commemorative bronze plaque, benches, and trees and flowers planted specifically for the area.

Capitan’s tenure as GSW president brought growth in academic and external programming, new construction, and enrollment. New degrees under his leadership included the Bachelor of Fine Arts; the Bachelor of Science in computer information systems, computer science, and computer science technology; and an expanded Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Capitan led construction efforts for the Fine Arts Building, the Deriso Pool, the Education Center, and the Westbrook Bell Tower. Enrollment in Fall 1995 reached its highest point since 1975 under his guidance. Capitan was also instrumental in establishing the GSW Foundation (chartered Dec. 4, 1979) and the Rosalynn Carter Institute (Oct. 14, 1987).

Dolores Capitan was involved on campus as well, as she championed for writing across the curriculum. The Dolores Capitan Writing Award is given each year to nonfiction writers who are students at GSW. It is made possible by generous support from the Capitans.

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