On July 23, 1946, the Georgia Baptist Convention held ceremonies at Cleveland, Georgia, to mark the establishment of a new two-year liberal arts college named for Truett and McConnell. Truett-McConnell College, operating in temporary quarters on or near the town square in Cleveland, first opened in September 1947, when it enrolled a class of 55 students. The school was first accredited in 1966 to issue two year degrees. In December 2002, the institution was approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to offer four-year degrees.