Cornelia Strong College
Encyclopedia
Cornelia Strong College is one of three residential colleges on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
. It is currently housed in South Spencer Hall. It is usually abbreviated as Strong College.
and astronomy
in the University from 1905 to 1948. Modeled after the residential colleges of Harvard and Yale
, Strong College is open to both undergraduate and graduate students in the University through a competitive admission process, and is advertised as suited to those who seek a richer and more rewarding academic experience than they might have in a traditional residence hall. Strong College does not have a special curriculum—its members take the usual complement of courses throughout the University. Instead, Strong College offers its members the opportunity to join and contribute to an informal social and academic community of students and faculty within the context of the greater University. Strong College is interdisciplinary and non-curricular.
From: Elizabeth Ann Bowles, 1967. A Good Beginning: The First Four Decades of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
"A word often used by former students to describe Miss Strong was "brilliant." A native of South Carolina
and the daughter of a Presbyterian minister, she received her early education at the Agnes Scott Institute. In 1903 she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell, where she was elected to membership in Sigma Xi
. Professor John Henry Tanner was so impressed by her work that he later requested that she be given a leave of absence to return to Cornell to help him write a high school algebra book. Her quest for knowledge carried her to universities across the country, Cornell, Harvard, Michigan, California, Colorado, and Wisconsin, and in 1931 she received her Master of Arts degree from the University of Michigan
. From 1905 to 1948 she was a member of the mathematics faculty at the Normal in Greensboro and one of the most valued members of the entire faculty. One of the achievements of which she was most proud was the introduction of astronomy to the curriculum in 1931."
"From 1913 to 1937 Miss Strong was chairman of the Committee on Advanced Standing, a truly difficult task which concerned the many alumnae who returned to earn standard degrees after the college had been accredited. It was the task of her committee to evaluate the academic records of these students to determine how much work would be necessary to meet degree requirements. She also served on the Loan Committee, the Curriculum Committee, and the Consolidated University Administrative Council."
"As a teacher, she was known for her "thoroughness, her insistence upon accuracy, her infinite patience. Her...students...came to understand and to apply logic in their reasoning...and (at least some of them) experienced...the rare moments in their lives when the wonder and beauty of the mathematical universe flashed upon their sight."
Casual events are one of the most important aspects of life in Strong College. Public spaces such as the JCR are home to a nightly stream of impromptu events, including card games of all sorts, study groups, or simple conversation between groups of College members.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26...
. It is currently housed in South Spencer Hall. It is usually abbreviated as Strong College.
- Motto: per aspera ad astraAd astra (phrase)Ad astra is a Latin phrase meaning "to the stars". The phrase has origins with Virgil, who wrote sic itur ad astra and opta ardua pennis astra sequi, Ad astra is a Latin phrase meaning "to the stars". The phrase has origins with Virgil, who wrote sic itur ad astra ("thus you shall go to the...
, meaning "Through hardships to the stars" - Arms: three gold stars on a blue shield
- Mascot: the lemurLemurLemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
Description
Cornelia Strong College was founded in 1994, and was originally housed in Moore-Strong Hall. It is named for Cornelia Strong, professor of mathematicsMathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
in the University from 1905 to 1948. Modeled after the residential colleges of Harvard and Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
, Strong College is open to both undergraduate and graduate students in the University through a competitive admission process, and is advertised as suited to those who seek a richer and more rewarding academic experience than they might have in a traditional residence hall. Strong College does not have a special curriculum—its members take the usual complement of courses throughout the University. Instead, Strong College offers its members the opportunity to join and contribute to an informal social and academic community of students and faculty within the context of the greater University. Strong College is interdisciplinary and non-curricular.
Who was Cornelia Strong?
Professor Cornelia Strong (1877–1955)From: Elizabeth Ann Bowles, 1967. A Good Beginning: The First Four Decades of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
"A word often used by former students to describe Miss Strong was "brilliant." A native of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and the daughter of a Presbyterian minister, she received her early education at the Agnes Scott Institute. In 1903 she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell, where she was elected to membership in Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...
. Professor John Henry Tanner was so impressed by her work that he later requested that she be given a leave of absence to return to Cornell to help him write a high school algebra book. Her quest for knowledge carried her to universities across the country, Cornell, Harvard, Michigan, California, Colorado, and Wisconsin, and in 1931 she received her Master of Arts degree from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. From 1905 to 1948 she was a member of the mathematics faculty at the Normal in Greensboro and one of the most valued members of the entire faculty. One of the achievements of which she was most proud was the introduction of astronomy to the curriculum in 1931."
"From 1913 to 1937 Miss Strong was chairman of the Committee on Advanced Standing, a truly difficult task which concerned the many alumnae who returned to earn standard degrees after the college had been accredited. It was the task of her committee to evaluate the academic records of these students to determine how much work would be necessary to meet degree requirements. She also served on the Loan Committee, the Curriculum Committee, and the Consolidated University Administrative Council."
"As a teacher, she was known for her "thoroughness, her insistence upon accuracy, her infinite patience. Her...students...came to understand and to apply logic in their reasoning...and (at least some of them) experienced...the rare moments in their lives when the wonder and beauty of the mathematical universe flashed upon their sight."
What Is A Residential College?
A residential college is a program within the structure of a university designed to bring together different people - students, faculty, and staff - from all sections of the institution. Often, the experience of attending a larger university is overwhelming. One can sometimes feel lost in the crowd and lack a sense of belonging to a smaller, close-knit community. While a small liberal arts college can often provide a friendlier atmosphere, it can often lack the resources of a larger university. A residential college gives students the best of both worlds- the social experience of a small, liberal-arts college within the larger context of a research university. Residential colleges focus on the slow accumulation of knowledge through personal and academic interaction. In other words, a residential college is a complete hybrid of the university experience, blending together intellectual and social maturation.Strong College Council
Strong College Council meets Monday nights at 8. It is open to all members of Strong College, and everyone is highly encouraged to attend. Council is responsible for organizing and implementing traditional Strong College events, including the annual Croquet Tournament and Buffalo Creek Regatta, as well as developing any special events members might want to try. Council is also a forum for members to discuss issues relevant to CSC. Council is overseen by a member-elected President and run by a series of committees. All members are encouraged to serve on at least one committee.Movie Night
Strong College's Movie Night, formerly known as the Lemurodeon, is held every Wednesday at 8.College Tea
College Tea is held every Tuesday afternoon from 4:30 to 5:30 in the Junior Common Room (JCR). Tea brings together the students, or Junior Members, with Strong College’s Fellows, faculty members associated with the program who represent a wide array of departments and fields. Tea is an essential part of the College experience, coupling a casual atmosphere that encourages interaction with an intellectual environment that fosters learning and inquiry. As one CSC member puts it, “Why not live in a place where I can sit and eat goldfish crackers every Tuesday with the Dean of my college and the head of the Honors program?” *Blue Lemur Coffee Bar
The Blue Lemur Coffee Bar is held from 9 to midnight every Thursday night and is considered by the CSC faithful to be the highlight of the College week. The Blue Lemur provides free coffee. The Blue Lemur is the best example of student leadership in CSC: it was founded in 1996 by members Sherrill Hayes (’97, ’00) and Tim Owens (’98) and has been passed down from College generation to College generation without interruption.Casual events are one of the most important aspects of life in Strong College. Public spaces such as the JCR are home to a nightly stream of impromptu events, including card games of all sorts, study groups, or simple conversation between groups of College members.