In 1901, the West Florida Seminary was renamed “Florida State College” in order to reflect changes that had been made to the curriculum.  By this time, the school had expanded, boasting clubs and organizations, participation in intercollegiate athletics, and dormitories.

The first iteration of the school physically opened in 1855 and was alternately called “The City Seminary” and “Tallahassee Male Seminary.” In 1856, it was renamed the Florida Institute. In 1857, the school was designated as the official seminary west of the Suwannee River and renamed the West Florida Seminary.

In 1905, the Florida legislature passed the Buckman Act in an attempt to reduce duplication in Florida’s institutions of higher education. As a result, Florida State College was renamed “Florida Female College” and was transformed into a college exclusively for white women. In 1909, the name of the institution was changed to the more grammatically correct “Florida State College for Women.”

With the end of World War II and the Congressional passage of the GI Bill, there was an enormous influx of male students looking to earn a college degree. In 1947, Florida’s governor signed a bill transforming both Florida State College for Women and the University of Florida, which had been exclusively for white male students, back into coeducational institutions. The Florida State College for Women was then renamed Florida State University