NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A token of history can be found on North Locus Street in North Little Rock.
Shorter College, established shortly after the Civil War in 1886, is expanding.
“Shorter College is one of our jewels in our city," North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick said. "We don’t take advantage of it enough."
The two-year historically black college was founded by the African Methodist Episcopal Church and has seen substantial growth over the past decade.
Shorter College has recently returned to intercollegiate sports with men's and women's basketball. The college is also planning to build three dormitories, something they haven't had in over 20 years.
“It is a major economic engine because of its payroll and the student population," Shorter College President Jerome Green said "It also is a creator of human capital for the North Little Rock and Pulaski County workforce."
Green said work has also been done to help the campus look and feel more alluring.
"Shorter College has had a complete facelift within the past 10 years," Green said. "We have additional work taken place to beautify the campus to make the campus more functional to make it more efficient."
Green said having student-athletes played a role in helping the college transition from just being a commuter campus.
“Making that decision also made it necessary to have the ability to house them,” Green said. "The first in a set of three dormitories in a plan that allows Shorter College to return to residential housing."
This is only the beginning for the college as they continue growing the campus and what programs they have to offer.
“To create a technology campus for our business entrepreneurship program and computer science technology that's on the drawing board," Green said. "Along with just so many other things... we're just very excited.”
Construction on the Shorter College dorms is set to take place in the next 30 days with a goal of housing students in August.