Saint Leo University Opens New Atlanta Education Center

ATLANTA – Saint Leo University will open its newest education center today, Wednesday, January 2, in beautiful Atlanta!

Classes begin Monday, January 7, at the new location at 2450 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324. Saint Leo’s center in Morrow and Marietta, GA ceased operations on December 14, and students, staff, and faculty will transfer to the new Atlanta site.

“As a result of relocating, Saint Leo will have to opportunity to offer our students a wider variety of academic programs, state-of-art technology, and a higher level of security,” said Mary Estes, Atlanta area director. “The new Atlanta center is more than double the size of our former Atlanta centers [in Morrow and Marietta].”

The Saint Leo University Atlanta Education Center is in the “heart of Buckhead” at Lindbergh City Center. Saint Leo occupies the entire second floor with more than 23,000 square feet. “Our initial plan is to develop eight classrooms with the potential of developing six more in the future,” Estes said.

The new center features a Learning Resource Center, cybersecurity lab, student lounge, and unlimited Wi-Fi, and there are several restaurants within walking distance such as Chili’s Grill & Bar, LongHorn Steakhouse, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, and Taco Mac. The Lindbergh MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) station is on-site. Saint Leo students will have unlimited access to free parking in the on-site deck adjacent to Taco Mac and MARTA, Estes said.

Serving as the associate director of the Atlanta center is NaTanya Dowell.

Saint Leo’s Atlanta location offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. Associate degrees are offered in liberal arts, business administration, and criminal justice.

Bachelor’s degrees offered include accounting, business administration-project management; business administration-management; criminal justice; criminal justice-criminalistics; criminal justice-homeland security; human resource management; human services; psychology-developmental; psychology-general; sociology-general; sociology-applied and clinical; sociology-diversity and inequality; computer information systems; cybersecurity; and health care administration.

Master’s degrees are offered in human services administration and criminal justice.

“Our goal for the new Atlanta Education Center is to establish a stronger presence in Atlanta and offer a broader menu of academic majors through our FLEX program which is coming soon,” Estes said.

Saint Leo FLEX (Flexible Learning EXperience) is an initiative aimed at providing students who live in the communities where Saint Leo has a physical presence, access to programs traditionally only offered online, said Shadel Hamilton, associate vice president of Student Services. “Saint Leo FLEX, which will begin in Spring 1 Semester for our Florida centers, will be quickly expanded to our central region locations, in Spring 2, which includes our new Atlanta Education Center. We’re excited about expanding our footprint by offering these additional offerings to a growing population.”

Hallmarks of the Atlanta Education Center are access and convenience. Classes are available when students—mainly adult learners—need them, said Estes, the Atlanta area director. Evening and online classes make it easy for busy professionals and those with full- or part-time jobs to complete their degrees.

“Location is everything in the South’s largest city,” Estes said. “The Atlanta Education Center has a great central location in Buckhead near luxury apartments, upscale dining, and the Lennox retail footprint. The new campus has immediate access to interstates 75/85, Piedmont Road, Georgia 400, and Peachtree Road. I cannot imagine a better location for a campus that specializes in service and support to adult learners.”

Founded in the Tampa-area of Florida in 1889, Saint Leo University has a proud history of providing an education for students from all backgrounds and all ages. It continues to deliver strong academic programs, one-on-one attention, and support services for students.

Named a 2018 Best Regional University–South and Best Value University–South by U.S. News & World Report, Saint Leo University offers a private-university education at a competitive price at its Atlanta location.

Registration is now taking place for the Spring 2 Semester that begins March 4 and ends April 28.

For more information, email atlanta@saintleo.edu or call (770) 425-5031.

About Saint Leo University

Saint Leo University (www.saintleo.edu) is a modern Catholic teaching university that is firmly grounded in the liberal arts tradition and the timeless Benedictine wisdom that seeks balanced growth of mind, body, and spirit. The Saint Leo University of today is a private, nonprofit institution that creates hospitable learning communities wherever students want to be or need to be, whether that is a campus classroom, a web-based environment, an employer’s worksite, a military base, or an office park. Saint Leo welcomes people of all faiths and of no religious affiliation, and encourages learners of all generations. The university is committed to providing educational opportunities to the nation’s armed forces, veterans, and their families. Saint Leo is regionally accredited to award degrees ranging from the associate to the doctorate, and the faculty and staff guide all students to develop their capacities for critical thinking, moral reflection, and lifelong learning and leadership.

The university remains the faithful steward of the beautiful lakeside University Campus in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, where its founding monks created the first Catholic college in the state in 1889. Serving nearly 12,000 students, Saint Leo has expanded to downtown Tampa, to other sites in Florida and beyond, and maintains a physical presence in seven states. The university provides highly respected online learning programs to students nationally and internationally. More than 93,000 alumni reside in all 50 states, in Washington, DC, in three U.S. territories, and in 76 countries.

Media Contact: Mary McCoy, University Writer & Media Relations, mary.mccoy02@saintleo.edu, (352) 588-7118 or cell (813) 610-8416