5: They survived the Civil War
Mercer survived the Civil War, quite literally.
They were one of a very few number of colleges across the entirety of the south of America to stay open during the conflict.
Their roots in Georgia and place in the history in the war is not quickly forgotten either.
In 1866, the college gave an honorary doctorate to General Robert E. Lee. The leader of the Confederacy.
He was made an honory Doctor of Law a year after he became commander in chief of the confederate forces and surrendered before dying four years later from a stroke.