Columbia, S.C., November 25, 2025, Benedict College is proudly celebrating the fifth consecutive year of its forward-thinking fall academic calendar, an approach that ensures students receive a full semester of instruction while allowing them to depart for home following the Thanksgiving break. The model, praised for its efficiency and student-centered design, eliminates the traditional December return and reduces student travel from two moves to one, creating a more economical and stress-free transition for students and families.
“Our academic calendar reflects both thoughtful planning and a deep understanding of what our students and families need. By ensuring a full, rigorous semester while giving students the ability to return home after Thanksgiving, we honor our commitment to academic excellence, efficiency, and care,” said Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, President and CEO of Benedict College. “This schedule has proven itself year after year, because it works.”
Parents and students have consistently expressed gratitude for the streamlined schedule, which remains rooted in policies first crafted during the unprecedented challenges of 2020. That year, Benedict College made national headlines for honoring its promise to the Class of 2020 by holding Spring Commencement in August, an act of commitment by President Artis that contributed to her being named President of the Year by Higher Ed Dive.
Amid global uncertainty, Benedict reshaped its academic calendar to comply with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) requirement of 45 days of instruction, a limited fall break and minor holidays to preserve the full academic experience. This innovation helped maintain the integrity of instruction while giving students the opportunity to remain home after Thanksgiving without returning for final exams.
The approach, often referred to as part of the “Benedict Bubble,” was praised for its remarkably low COVID-19 incident rate and was highlighted in the Greenville News and discussed on national PBS platforms.
At present, many peer institutions, including Claflin University, Voorhees University, South Carolina State University, Philander Smith University, Wiley University, Norfolk State University, and Tennessee State University, have adopted similar common-sense schedules. Of course, exceptions are made for student athletes competing over the break, including men’s and women’s basketball and men’s and women’s track and field. Additionally, this year, Benedict’s football team will remain on campus as they advance in the Division II playoffs after their stunning upset of rival Wingate University last Saturday.
This year, Benedict students will complete the remainder of the fall term virtually from December 1–12, learning from home while meeting all academic requirements. Higher education professionals have applauded the hybrid model, noting that it mirrors today’s post-graduation workplace expectations, where competency in both in-person and remote environments is essential.
The December transition also provides the College with extended time to complete maintenance, repairs, and upgrades in residence halls before the spring semester begins.
All Benedict College faculty and staff will remain on campus through December 19, when the institution officially closes for winter break. The campus will reopen on January 5, 2025, to welcome students back for the spring term.
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Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution offering 29 competitive baccalaureate degree programs and two master’s degree programs. The Midlands HBCU welcomes students from severalcounties in South Carolina, states across America, and countries around the world. The College also has a diverse faculty deeply engaged in teaching, research, and service.
Benedict College has been highly regarded and exceptionally ranked for its programs by several academic and traditional publications. Benedict College is the recipient of the 2024 UNCF Institutional Excellence Award given by UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building Program in celebration of an HBCU that achieved next-level performance. Benedict was also named HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest and voted the number one Gold Winner in The States’ BEST College or University in 2025.
Benedict College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees. Five of the College’s degree programs hold national accreditation: Social Work Program, Environmental Health Science Program, Environmental Engineering, Studio Art, and the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship.