Hiwassee College was a small liberal arts institution in the Tennessee mountains with real character and serious engagement with Appalachian culture. The school closed in 2023, but its history as a place for accessible, place-based liberal arts education in rural Appalachia is worth noting. If you're researching small Southern colleges, understand that even schools with deep institutional roots and committed communities can face financial pressures that prove insurmountable in the current higher education market.