Gettysburg College
Encyclopedia
Gettysburg College is a private four-year liberal arts college
founded in 1832, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
, United States, adjacent to the famous battlefield
. Its athletic teams are nicknamed the Bullets. Gettysburg College has about 2,700 students, with roughly equal numbers of men and women. Gettysburg students come from 43 states and 32 countries.
The college is the home of The Gettysburg Review
, a literary magazine.
. Both owe their inception to Thaddeus Stevens
, a Radical Republican and abolitionist
from Gettysburg. The college's original name was Pennsylvania College; it was founded by Samuel Simon Schmucker
. Seven years after Gettysburg College was first founded, it established a medical school, which was located in Philadelphia. The college was forced to close the medical school in 1861, when students from the seceding southern states withdrew to return home, leaving it without adequate revenue.
forces during the Gettysburg Campaign
. Many local militia
forces were formed around the area between Chambersburg
and Philadelphia to face the oncoming foe.
Among these units was Gettysburg's 26th Pennsylvania Emergency Militia Regiment (PEMR). Composed mostly of students from the College and Seminary, the 26th PEMR was mustered into service on June 22, 1863. Four days later, the students saw combat just north of town, skirmishing with advanced units of Confederate division
commander Jubal A. Early
. Neither side suffered many casualties, but about one hundred of the militiamen were captured.
During the Battle of Gettysburg
, Pennsylvania Hall
, or Old Dorm, was used as both a signal corps
station and field hospital
. Penn Hall is an interesting anomaly in the battle. Due to the geographic position it held, it was used by both Confederate and Union
troops during the battle for signal work and surgery.
On November 19, 1863, College President Henry Louis Baugher
gave the benediction at the ceremony opening the National Soldiers’ Cemetery at Gettysburg; speaking after Abraham Lincoln
. Henry Baugher was the president of Gettysburg College from 1850 until his death in 1868.
and his wife, Mamie
, lived in a house in Gettysburg that was near the college. Both were fond of the town, so they decided to retire to a working farm adjacent to the battlefield after he left the army. It was there that President Eisenhower recuperated from his 1955 heart attack.
While living in Gettysburg, Eisenhower became involved with Gettysburg College. He served on the Gettysburg College Board of Trustees
, and he was given an office, which he used when writing his memoirs. Eisenhower’s old office is now named Eisenhower House and is occupied by Gettysburg College’s office of admissions. http://www.higheredjobs.com/InstitutionProfile.cfm?ProfileID=15666 Eisenhower’s grandson, David
, and his granddaughter Susan
continue a certain level of family involvement with the institution.
, 55 miles (88.5 km) from Baltimore
, 80 miles (128.7 km) from Washington, D.C., 117 miles (188.3 km) from Philadelphia, and 212 miles (341.2 km) from New York City, and 425 miles (684 km) from Boston.
The college's main campus is roughly divided in half by Pennsylvania Hall
(administration). The northern half contains Plank Gym, Masters Hall (physics and astronomy), Musselman Library, the College Union Building, the College Dining Center, Briedenbaugh Hall (English), and several freshman dorms and fraternities. A section of this part of campus—known as "Stine Lake," is not actually a lake, but rather a quad located outside of the library. Prior to Musselman Library being built in the late 1970s, and due to Gettysburg's wet climate and drainage issues, the quad and library site would be prone to accumulating water, creating a large, muddy "lake" of sorts. Today, however, Stine Lake does not flood, but the name has stuck, to the confusion of first-year students. Additionally, the College Dining Center is known to students and faculty as "Servo," after a now defunct 1980s food service company, Servomation.
The southern half of the main campus includes McKnight Hall (languages), Glatfelter Hall (economics, managmenent, political science, mathematics, and others), Schmucker Hall (art and music), Kline Theater, and several fraternities. Over the last half-century, the campus has expanded considerably to include land to the east of North Washington Street and to the west of the traditional campus. Since approximately 96% of students live on campus, most of this additional land is dedicated to housing. It also includes the college chapel, the admissions building, a large gymnasium and field house complex, and several athletics fields. The college has also purchased or leased a large number of buildings for student housing, including residences on Washington Street, Carlisle Street, Middle Street, Stratton Street, and others.
.jpg)
connectivity is available across 97% of the campus (the other 3% being the practice fields) and in all of the residence halls.
On the student level, adjudication of academic disputes takes place through an Honor Commission, which holds hearings in which students are given a chance to have their say on charges brought against them.
The Academic Honor Code
has been in effect since 1957, and recently has been updated to fit better with today's technology.
Special Interest Programs (Minors):
, Alpha Tau Omega
, Lambda Chi Alpha
, Phi Delta Theta
, Phi Gamma Delta
, Phi Kappa Psi
, Phi Sigma Kappa
, Sigma Alpha Epsilon
, Sigma Chi
, Sigma Nu
, Phi Beta Sigma
, Alpha Phi Alpha
Sororities: Alpha Delta Pi
, Chi Omega
, Delta Gamma
, Gamma Phi Beta
, Sigma Sigma Sigma
, Sigma Gamma Rho
Service Fraternities: Alpha Phi Omega
Music Sorority: Sigma Alpha Iota
Past Greek Organizations on Campus: Alpha Xi Delta
, Chi Phi
, Kappa Delta Rho
, Rho Beta (local), Sigma Kappa
, Theta Chi
, Phi Kappa Rho (local), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
, Tau Kappa Epsilon
, Zeta Psi
Students can only rush as sophomores.
Every year, the media groups on campus work together to host a journalism and media conference entitled Speak Up, Write Out, bringing in members of the world, national, and local media to speak in panels open to students of Gettysburg and other nearby colleges.
Some 75% of the student body is from outside Pennsylvania.
The Class of 2014 had a 40% acceptance rate, making Gettysburg more selective than comparable schools Dickinson
and Franklin & Marshall
. http://www.gettysburg.edu/admissions/class_profile/
The college employs 180 full-time faculty, with 100% of the permanent faculty holding a doctorate or highest earned degree in their fields. The student/faculty ratio is 10:1, with an average class size of 18 students. The college hosts one of only 19 chapters of Phi Beta Kappa
in Pennsylvania.
for the past 12 years.
The Gettysburg College women's lacrosse team won the Division III National Championship in 2011.
The college also offers an extensive array of club, intramural, and recreational programs. Twenty-five percent of Gettysburg's students participate in intercollegiate programs, which include twelve sports for men and twelve sports for women.
The Center features:
The Center was created in order to provide more opportunities for the high percentage of students who like to maintain their fitness regimens and engage in intramural, club sports programs, and exercise classes. About 25 percent of the student body participates in varsity sports, while over 75 percent are active in intramural sports. More space was needed, and the Center is important to improve life on campus.
John Jaeger, a 1965 Gettysburg College graduate, donated $1.2 million to encourage others to fund the project. Another important donor, Robert Ortenzio, provided the largest single gift by a living person in the history of the College, by giving $2 million.
However, another rendition exists with a few differences:
, Gettysburg College hosts a number of activities and awards:
Liberal arts colleges in the United States
Liberal arts colleges in the United States are certain undergraduate institutions of higher education in the United States. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise offers a definition of the liberal arts as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general...
founded in 1832, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...
, United States, adjacent to the famous battlefield
Gettysburg Battlefield
The Gettysburg Battlefield is the area of the July 1–3, 1863, military engagements of the Battle of Gettysburg within and around the borough of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Locations of military engagements extend from the 4 acre site of the first shot & at on the west of the borough, to East...
. Its athletic teams are nicknamed the Bullets. Gettysburg College has about 2,700 students, with roughly equal numbers of men and women. Gettysburg students come from 43 states and 32 countries.
The college is the home of The Gettysburg Review
The Gettysburg Review
The Gettysburg Review is a quarterly literary magazine featuring short stories, poetry, essays and reviews. Work appearing in the magazine often is reprinted in "best-of" anthologies and receives awards....
, a literary magazine.
History
Founding and early roots
Gettysburg College was founded in 1832 as a sister institution for the Lutheran Theological SeminaryLutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg
The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg is America's oldest Lutheran seminary and a site of 1863 Battle of Gettysburg military engagements.-History:...
. Both owe their inception to Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens , of Pennsylvania, was a Republican leader and one of the most powerful members of the United States House of Representatives...
, a Radical Republican and abolitionist
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
from Gettysburg. The college's original name was Pennsylvania College; it was founded by Samuel Simon Schmucker
Samuel Simon Schmucker
Samuel Simon Schmucker was a German-American Lutheran pastor and theologian. He was integral to the founding of the Lutheran church body known as the General Synod, as well as the oldest continuously-operating Lutheran seminary and college in North America .Later in his career, Schmucker became a...
. Seven years after Gettysburg College was first founded, it established a medical school, which was located in Philadelphia. The college was forced to close the medical school in 1861, when students from the seceding southern states withdrew to return home, leaving it without adequate revenue.
Battle of Gettysburg
In June 1863, southern Pennsylvania was invaded by ConfederateConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
forces during the Gettysburg Campaign
Gettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
. Many local militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
forces were formed around the area between Chambersburg
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Chambersburg is a borough in the South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is miles north of Maryland and the Mason-Dixon line and southwest of Harrisburg in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley. Chambersburg is the county seat of Franklin County...
and Philadelphia to face the oncoming foe.
Among these units was Gettysburg's 26th Pennsylvania Emergency Militia Regiment (PEMR). Composed mostly of students from the College and Seminary, the 26th PEMR was mustered into service on June 22, 1863. Four days later, the students saw combat just north of town, skirmishing with advanced units of Confederate division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
commander Jubal A. Early
Jubal Anderson Early
Jubal Anderson Early was a lawyer and Confederate general in the American Civil War. He served under Stonewall Jackson and then Robert E. Lee for almost the entire war, rising from regimental command to lieutenant general and the command of an infantry corps in the Army of Northern Virginia...
. Neither side suffered many casualties, but about one hundred of the militiamen were captured.
During the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, Pennsylvania Hall
Pennsylvania Hall (Gettysburg)
Pennsylvania Hall is the Gettysburg College central administrative building and the college's oldest building. During the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, Pennsylvania Hall was used as a hospital for wounded troops of the Union and Confederate Armies...
, or Old Dorm, was used as both a signal corps
United States Army Signal Corps
The United States Army Signal Corps develops, tests, provides, and manages communications and information systems support for the command and control of combined arms forces. It was established in 1860, the brainchild of United States Army Major Albert J. Myer, and has had an important role from...
station and field hospital
Field hospital
A field hospital is a large mobile medical unit that temporarily takes care of casualties on-site before they can be safely transported to more permanent hospital facilities...
. Penn Hall is an interesting anomaly in the battle. Due to the geographic position it held, it was used by both Confederate and Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
troops during the battle for signal work and surgery.
On November 19, 1863, College President Henry Louis Baugher
Henry Louis Baugher
Henry Louis Baugher was an American Lutheran clergyman and academic. He was President of Gettysburg College from 1850 until 1868.-Background:...
gave the benediction at the ceremony opening the National Soldiers’ Cemetery at Gettysburg; speaking after Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. Henry Baugher was the president of Gettysburg College from 1850 until his death in 1868.
Relationship with the Eisenhowers
Early in his military career, Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
and his wife, Mamie
Mamie Eisenhower
Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower was the wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and First Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961.-Early life:...
, lived in a house in Gettysburg that was near the college. Both were fond of the town, so they decided to retire to a working farm adjacent to the battlefield after he left the army. It was there that President Eisenhower recuperated from his 1955 heart attack.
While living in Gettysburg, Eisenhower became involved with Gettysburg College. He served on the Gettysburg College Board of Trustees
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
, and he was given an office, which he used when writing his memoirs. Eisenhower’s old office is now named Eisenhower House and is occupied by Gettysburg College’s office of admissions. http://www.higheredjobs.com/InstitutionProfile.cfm?ProfileID=15666 Eisenhower’s grandson, David
David Eisenhower
Dwight David Eisenhower II is an American author, public policy fellow, and eponym of the U.S. Presidential retreat, Camp David. He is the grandson of the 34th President of the United States, Dwight D...
, and his granddaughter Susan
Susan Eisenhower
Susan Elaine Eisenhower is a consultant, author, and expert on international security and relations between the Russian Federation and the United States of America. She is the daughter of John Eisenhower, and the granddaughter of President Dwight Eisenhower...
continue a certain level of family involvement with the institution.
Campus
The college is located on a 200 acres (80.9 ha) campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, is 36 miles (60 km) from HarrisburgHarrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, 55 miles (88.5 km) from Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, 80 miles (128.7 km) from Washington, D.C., 117 miles (188.3 km) from Philadelphia, and 212 miles (341.2 km) from New York City, and 425 miles (684 km) from Boston.
The college's main campus is roughly divided in half by Pennsylvania Hall
Pennsylvania Hall (Gettysburg)
Pennsylvania Hall is the Gettysburg College central administrative building and the college's oldest building. During the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, Pennsylvania Hall was used as a hospital for wounded troops of the Union and Confederate Armies...
(administration). The northern half contains Plank Gym, Masters Hall (physics and astronomy), Musselman Library, the College Union Building, the College Dining Center, Briedenbaugh Hall (English), and several freshman dorms and fraternities. A section of this part of campus—known as "Stine Lake," is not actually a lake, but rather a quad located outside of the library. Prior to Musselman Library being built in the late 1970s, and due to Gettysburg's wet climate and drainage issues, the quad and library site would be prone to accumulating water, creating a large, muddy "lake" of sorts. Today, however, Stine Lake does not flood, but the name has stuck, to the confusion of first-year students. Additionally, the College Dining Center is known to students and faculty as "Servo," after a now defunct 1980s food service company, Servomation.
The southern half of the main campus includes McKnight Hall (languages), Glatfelter Hall (economics, managmenent, political science, mathematics, and others), Schmucker Hall (art and music), Kline Theater, and several fraternities. Over the last half-century, the campus has expanded considerably to include land to the east of North Washington Street and to the west of the traditional campus. Since approximately 96% of students live on campus, most of this additional land is dedicated to housing. It also includes the college chapel, the admissions building, a large gymnasium and field house complex, and several athletics fields. The college has also purchased or leased a large number of buildings for student housing, including residences on Washington Street, Carlisle Street, Middle Street, Stratton Street, and others.
Academic Facilities
Library
Musselman Library houses the college collection of books, journals, videos, sound recordings, online publications, rare books, manuscripts, and digital collections. An online catalog, MUSCAT, provides a gateway to all library materials and is accessible through any computer terminal connected to the college network. In addition, the building contains a media theatre, computer lab, and media production center. Musselman Library is open around the clock when classes are in session. The library operates 24 hours a day on weekdays and selected hours during the weekends. In order to help facilitate late night studying, the library provides free coffee, tea, and hot chocolate at midnight to patrons who bring their own mugs.Technology
Full network capabilities in all campus buildings and each residence hall room. Students have access to more than 1,300 computers and a complex system of workstations and laboratories. WirelessWireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
connectivity is available across 97% of the campus (the other 3% being the practice fields) and in all of the residence halls.
Organization
As an independent institution, the college operates under a charter granted in 1832 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The College is governed by a 39-member board of trustees comprising leaders from a range of professions and walks of life. Thirty of the College’s trustees are graduates of Gettysburg.On the student level, adjudication of academic disputes takes place through an Honor Commission, which holds hearings in which students are given a chance to have their say on charges brought against them.
The Academic Honor Code
Honor code
An honour code or honour system is a set of rules or principles governing a community based on a set of rules or ideals that define what constitutes honorable behavior within that community. The use of an honor code depends on the idea that people can be trusted to act honorably...
has been in effect since 1957, and recently has been updated to fit better with today's technology.
Academic Programs
Majors:- AnthropologyAnthropologyAnthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, Art HistoryArt historyArt history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
, Art Studio, BiochemistryBiochemistryBiochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
and Molecular BiologyMolecular biologyMolecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
, BiologyBiologyBiology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, ChemistryChemistryChemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, Classical Studies, Computer Science, Economics, English, Environmental Studies, French, German, Globalization Studies, Greek, Health Sciences, History, International RelationsInternational relationsInternational relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
and Affairs, Japanese Studies, Latin, Management, MathematicsMathematicsMathematics 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...
, Music, Music Education, Music Performance, Philosophy, PhysicsPhysicsPhysics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, Political Science, PsychologyPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, Public PolicyPublic policyPublic policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
, Religion, SociologySociologySociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, Spanish, Spanish & Latin American Studies, Theatre, Women Gender & Sexuality Studies
Special Interest Programs (Minors):
- Africana Studies, American Studies, Asian Studies, Civil War Era Studies, Comparative Literature, East Asian Studies, Education (elementary and secondary, with certification), Global/Area Studies, International Affairs Concentration, Law, Ethics, and Society, NeuroscienceNeuroscienceNeuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Traditionally, neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology. However, it is currently an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,...
, Writing, Film Studies, Peace and Justice Studies
Greek Organizations
Fraternities: Alpha Chi RhoAlpha Chi Rho
Alpha Chi Rho is a men's collegiate fraternity founded on June 4, 1895 at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut by the Reverend Paul Ziegler, his son Carl Ziegler, and Carl's friends William Rouse, Herbert T. Sherriff and William A.D. Eardeley. It is a charter member of the North-American...
, Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
, Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a...
, Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
, Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
, Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
, Phi Sigma Kappa
Phi Sigma Kappa
-Phi Sigma Kappa's Creed and Cardinal Principles:The 1934 Convention in Ann Arbor brought more changes for the fraternity. Brother Stewart W. Herman of Gettysburg wrote and presented the Creed, and Brother Ralph Watts of Massachusetts drafted and presented the Cardinal Principles.-World War II:The...
, Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
, Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
, Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu is an undergraduate, college fraternity with chapters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869 by three cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia...
, Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
, Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
Sororities: Alpha Delta Pi
Alpha Delta Pi
Alpha Delta Pi is a fraternity founded on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The Executive office for this sorority is located on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Alpha Delta Pi is one of the two "Macon Magnolias," a term used to celebrate the bonds it shares with Phi Mu...
, Chi Omega
Chi Omega
Chi Omega is a women's fraternity and the largest member of the National Panhellenic Conference. Chi Omega has 174 active collegiate chapters and over 230 alumnae chapters. Chi Omega's national headquarters is located in Memphis, Tennessee....
, Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.-History:...
, Gamma Phi Beta
Gamma Phi Beta
Gamma Phi Beta is an international sorority that was founded on November 11, 1874, at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. The term "sorority," meaning sisterhood, was coined for Gamma Phi Beta by Dr. Frank Smalley, a professor at Syracuse University.The four founders are Helen M. Dodge,...
, Sigma Sigma Sigma
Sigma Sigma Sigma
Sigma Sigma Sigma , also known as Tri Sigma, is a national American women’s sorority with membership of more than 100,000 members. Sigma Sigma Sigma is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference and hosts chapters on more than 110 college campuses and 89 alumnae chapters in communities all...
, Sigma Gamma Rho
Sigma Gamma Rho
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Butler University on November 12, 1922, by seven school teachers in Indianapolis, Indiana...
Service Fraternities: Alpha Phi Omega
Alpha Phi Omega
Alpha Phi Omega is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members...
Music Sorority: Sigma Alpha Iota
Sigma Alpha Iota
Sigma Alpha Iota , International Music Fraternity for Women. Formed to "uphold the highest standards of music" and "to further the development of music in America and throughout the world", it continues to provide musical and educational resources to its members and the general public...
Past Greek Organizations on Campus: Alpha Xi Delta
Alpha Xi Delta
Alpha Xi Delta is a women's fraternity founded on April 17, 1893 at Lombard College, Galesburg, Illinois. Alpha Xi Delta is one of the oldest women's fraternities as well as one of the ten founding fraternities of the National Panhellenic Conference...
, Chi Phi
Chi Phi
The Chi Phi ' Fraternity is an American College Social Fraternity that was established as the result of the merger of three separate organizations that were each known as Chi Phi. The oldest active organization that took part in the union was originally founded in 1824 at Princeton...
, Kappa Delta Rho
Kappa Delta Rho
Kappa Delta Rho is an American college social fraternity, with 77 chapters spread out over the United States, primarily in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions...
, Rho Beta (local), Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa is a sorority founded in 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, Frances Elliott Mann Hall and Louise Helen Coburn...
, Theta Chi
Theta Chi
Theta Chi Fraternity is an international college fraternity. It was founded on April 10, 1856 as the Theta Chi Society, at Norwich University, Norwich, Vermont, U.S., and was the 21st of the 71 North-American Interfraternity Conference men's fraternities.-Founding and early years at Norwich:Theta...
, Phi Kappa Rho (local), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
, Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon is a college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University with chapters in the United States, and Canada, and affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent...
, Zeta Psi
Zeta Psi
The Zeta Psi Fraternity of North America was founded June 1, 1847 as a social college fraternity. The organization now comprises about fifty active chapters and twenty-five inactive chapters, encompassing roughly fifty thousand brothers, and is a founding member of the North-American...
Students can only rush as sophomores.
Student Media
"The Gettysburgian" (Campus Print Newspaper), The Forum (www.gburgforum.com, the independent online news source), Channel 34 Gburg TV (Campus Television Station), WZBT 91.1 (Campus Radio Station), The Spectrum (College yearbook).Every year, the media groups on campus work together to host a journalism and media conference entitled Speak Up, Write Out, bringing in members of the world, national, and local media to speak in panels open to students of Gettysburg and other nearby colleges.
Students and Faculty
Nearly 2,700 students, approximately one-half men and one-half women and representing 40 states and 35 foreign countries, attend the college.Some 75% of the student body is from outside Pennsylvania.
The Class of 2014 had a 40% acceptance rate, making Gettysburg more selective than comparable schools Dickinson
Dickinson College
Dickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly...
and Franklin & Marshall
Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College is a four-year private co-educational residential national liberal arts college in the Northwest Corridor neighborhood of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States....
. http://www.gettysburg.edu/admissions/class_profile/
The college employs 180 full-time faculty, with 100% of the permanent faculty holding a doctorate or highest earned degree in their fields. The student/faculty ratio is 10:1, with an average class size of 18 students. The college hosts one of only 19 chapters of Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
in Pennsylvania.
Athletics
Twenty-four sports programs, for both men and women, participate in NCAA Division III. Gettysburg has earned the distinction of having the best win/loss record in the Centennial ConferenceCentennial Conference
The Centennial Conference is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams are located in Maryland and Pennsylvania....
for the past 12 years.
The Gettysburg College women's lacrosse team won the Division III National Championship in 2011.
The college also offers an extensive array of club, intramural, and recreational programs. Twenty-five percent of Gettysburg's students participate in intercollegiate programs, which include twelve sports for men and twelve sports for women.
The Center for Athletics, Recreation and Fitness
The College broke ground on the new $25 million athletic center, named the Center for Athletics, Recreation and Fitness, on May 30, 2008. The 55,000 foot Center is an upgrade from the former athletic facility, known as the Bream/Wright/Hauser Complex. Bream/Wright/Hauser still exists next to the additions. The Center opened in stages. A dedication ceremony on April 30, 2010 marked its completion.The Center features:
- A natatorium, complete with eight lanes, four warm-up lanes, and enough space for 350 seated spectators
- A 10,000 foot weight and cardio room complete with flat-screen TVs
- Additional spaces for yoga, aerobics, spinning and martial arts classes
- An upgraded training room with a Hydroworx pool
- Rock climbing walls
- A student lounge called "The Dive"
The Center was created in order to provide more opportunities for the high percentage of students who like to maintain their fitness regimens and engage in intramural, club sports programs, and exercise classes. About 25 percent of the student body participates in varsity sports, while over 75 percent are active in intramural sports. More space was needed, and the Center is important to improve life on campus.
John Jaeger, a 1965 Gettysburg College graduate, donated $1.2 million to encourage others to fund the project. Another important donor, Robert Ortenzio, provided the largest single gift by a living person in the history of the College, by giving $2 million.
"Loyalty Song"
- Fair Gettysburg our Alma Mater, hear us praise thy name,
- We'll ever lend our hearts and hands to help increase thy fame.
- The honor of old Gettysburg calls forth our loyalty.
- So cheer (Rah! Rah!) old G'burg's Bullets on to victory!
However, another rendition exists with a few differences:
- Hail Gettysburg our Alma Mater, help us praise thy name.
- We'll ever lend our hearts and hands to help increase thy fame.
- The honor of old Gettysburg calls forth our loyalty,
- So cheer (Rah! Rah!) our G'burg Bullets on to fight for victory!
Notable alumni
- J. Michael BishopJ. Michael Bishop-External links:**...
, 1989 Nobel LaureateNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in Medicine for cancer researchCancer researchCancer research is basic research into cancer in order to identify causes and develop strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatments and cure.... - Rev. David Bittle, first president of Roanoke CollegeRoanoke CollegeRoanoke College is an private, coeducational, four-year liberal-arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The college is located in Salem, Virginia, a suburban independent city adjacent to Roanoke, Virginia...
, the nation's second oldest Lutheran college after Gettysburg - Janet Morgan RiggsJanet Morgan RiggsJanet Morgan Riggs is the 14th President of Gettysburg College. Riggs, a member of the Gettysburg College class of 1977, has held several positions at the college, including professor of psychology, interim provost, provost, executive assistant to the president, and interim president.-Gettysburg...
, President of Gettysburg College (2009–present) - Ruth J. PersonRuth J. PersonDr. Ruth J. Person is the first woman and the seventh chancellor of the University of Michigan–Flint.-External links:********-References:...
, Chancellor of the University of Michigan (Flint Campus). - Herman HauptHerman HauptHerman Haupt was an American civil engineer and railroad construction engineer and executive. As a Union Army General in the American Civil War, he revolutionized military transportation in the United States and was one of the unsung heroes of the war.-Early life:Haupt, whose first name was...
, American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
general who ran the Union military railroad system - Carson KressleyCarson KressleyCarson Lee Kressley was the fashion expert on the American television program Queer Eye, where he was one of the show's "Fab Five" members. He is also the motivational host of the TV show How to Look Good Naked.-Biography:...
, fashion consultant, Queer Eye for the Straight GuyQueer EyeQueer Eye is an American reality television series that premiered on the Bravo cable television network in July 2003. The program's name was changed from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy after the third season to broaden the scope of its content... - George M. LeaderGeorge M. LeaderGeorge Michael Leader served as the 36th Governor of Pennsylvania from January 18, 1955 until January 20, 1959. He is a member of the Democratic Party, and a native of York County, Pennsylvania. Currently he is the only person from that county ever to be elected governor of the state.-Early...
, former Governor of Pennsylvania (1955–1959) - William N. McNairWilliam N. McNairWilliam N. McNair , served as the 48th Mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1934 to 1936.-Early life:...
, former mayor of Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
(1934–1936) - Ron PaulRon PaulRonald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
, M.D.Doctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, U.S. CongressmanUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Texas, 1988 Libertarian PartyLibertarian Party (United States)The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
Presidential nominee, as well as 2008 and 2012 Candidate for the Republican Party Presidential nomination - James Glenn BeallJames Glenn BeallJames Glenn Beall was a Republican member of the United States Senate, representing the State of Maryland from 1953–1965. He was also a United States Congressman, representing the sixth district of Maryland from 1943–1953.-Biography:...
, former MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
U.S. Senator. - Carol BellamyCarol BellamyCarol Bellamy has been Director of the Peace Corps, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund , and President and CEO of World Learning. In April, 2009, Bellamy was appointed as Chair of the International Baccalaureate Board of Governors...
, former New York City CouncilNew York City CouncilThe New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
President and former executive director, UNICEF - Nathaniel N. Craley, Jr.Nathaniel N. Craley, Jr.Nathaniel Neiman Craley, Jr. was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania....
, former U.S. CongressmanUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
(1965–1967) - Fred F. FieldingFred F. FieldingFred Fisher Fielding is an American lawyer, and held the office of White House Counsel for US Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.-Personal life:Fielding was born in Philadelphia and raised in Mechanicsville, Pennsylvania...
, former (1981–1986, 2007–2009) Counsel to the PresidentWhite House CounselThe White House Counsel is a staff appointee of the President of the United States.-Role:The Counsel's role is to advise the President on all legal issues concerning the President and the White House...
, former deputy to the White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
counsel (1970–1972), member of 9/11 Commission9/11 CommissionThe National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up on November 27, 2002, "to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks", including preparedness for and the immediate response to... - Bruce S. GordonBruce S. GordonBruce Scott Gordon is an African American business executive who spent most of his career with Verizon and currently serves as a corporate director of CBS, Northrop Grumman, and Tyco International. He was selected in June 2005 to head the NAACP, a major American civil rights organization...
, former head of the NAACP (2005–2007) - Jeffrey PiccolaJeffrey PiccolaJeffrey E. Piccola is member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 15th State Senate District. He is in the Republican Party.Piccola is a 1970 graduate of Gettysburg College, and a 1973 graduate of George Washington University Law School. From 1973 to 1974, he served in the United...
, Pennsylvania State SenatorPennsylvania State SenateThe Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
, former State Senate Majority WhipWhip (politics)A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
(2001–2007) - Keller E. RockeyKeller E. RockeyLieutenant General Keller Emrick Rockey commanded the Fifth Marine Division in the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II and the Third Amphibious Corps during the occupation of North China following the war....
, Lieutenant General, United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, commander of the Fifth Marine DivisionU.S. 5th Marine DivisionThe 5th Marine Division was an infantry division in the United States Marine Corps. Created during World War II, the division saw its first action at the Battle of Iwo Jima where it sustained the highest number of casualties amongst the invasion force. They were also to be part of the planned...
during the Battle of Iwo JimaBattle of Iwo JimaThe Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S... - Karen SosnoskiKaren SosnoskiKaren Sosnoski is an American author, radio contributor and documentary filmmaker.Sosnoski is working on a novel, Rosemary's Models, about the intimate secrets, hopes, and fears that cause men, women, and even children to plunge hopefully into artistic relationships with a wood engraver, craving,...
, author, radio contributor and filmmaker - Edgar Fahs SmithEdgar Fahs SmithEdgar Fahs Smith was an American scientist who is best known today for his interests in the history of chemistry...
American scientist and provost of the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution... - Jerry SpinelliJerry SpinelliJerry Spinelli is an author of children's novels on adolescence and early adulthood. He is best known for the novels Maniac Magee and Wringer....
, author, winner of the Newbery MedalNewbery MedalThe John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...
for Maniac MageeManiac MageeManiac Magee is a young adult fiction novel written by American author Jerry Spinelli and published in 1990. Exploring themes of racism and homelessness, it follows the story of an orphaned boy looking for a home in the fictional Pennsylvania town of Two Mills... - F. William Sunderman, Physician, Editor, Musician, and Inventor. Medical Director for the Manhattan ProjectManhattan ProjectThe Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
at Los Alamos, N.M. [ - Charles A. Willoughby, Chief of Intelligence on General Douglas MacArthur'sDouglas MacArthurGeneral of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
staff during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, member of Military Intelligence Hall of FameMilitary Intelligence Hall of FameThe Military Intelligence Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame established by the Military Intelligence Corps of the United States Army in 1988 to honor soldiers and civilians who have made exceptional contributions to Military Intelligence... - George Winter, former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - John Bosley ZieglerJohn Bosley ZieglerJohn Bosley Ziegler, John Ziegler, Montana Jack, was an American physician who originally developed the anabolic steroid Methandrostenolone which was released in the USA in 1958 by Ciba. He pioneered its athletic use as an aid to muscle growth by bodybuilders, administering it to U.S...
who discovered Dianabol and pioneered the use of steroids in sport. - John YovicsinJohn YovicsinJohn Michael Yovicsin was an American football player and coach. He played college football at Gettysburg College from 1937 to 1939 and then professionally with Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL in 1944...
, NFL football player, coach at Gettysburg, and coach at Harvard - Chris Hart, writer, actor, teacher, and co-founder of Travel-Journal.org
- David Hartman, first blind person to graduate from medical school in the United States
- Ron Warner, class of 1962, two-time All-American (1961, 1962) basketball player
- Stephanie SellarsStephanie SellarsStephanie Sellars is an American columnist, screenwriter, actress, singer, director, and producer. She wrote the Lust Life column for the New York Press from February 2006 to October 2007.-Early life:...
, writer, actor, and filmmaker
Civil War History activities
Due to its close relationship to a crucial battle in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Gettysburg College hosts a number of activities and awards:
- Pennsylvania HallPennsylvania Hall (Gettysburg)Pennsylvania Hall is the Gettysburg College central administrative building and the college's oldest building. During the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, Pennsylvania Hall was used as a hospital for wounded troops of the Union and Confederate Armies...
, located in the center of campus, was occupied by both Union and Confederate forces during the Battle of GettysburgBattle of GettysburgThe Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
. Today, a Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
era-style flag (for the year 1863) flies above the building, which was used as a lookout position and a field hospital during the battle.
- In 1982, professor and historian Gabor BorittGabor BorittGabor S. Boritt was the Robert Fluhrer Professor of Civil War Studies and Director of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College. Born in World War II Hungary, he participated as a teenager in the 1956 revolution against the Soviet Union. He escaped to the United States, where he received his...
founded the Civil War InstituteCivil War Institute at Gettysburg CollegeThe Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College is a non-profit organization created to promote the study of the Civil War Era. The Institute was founded in 1982 by historian and Gettysburg College professor Gabor Boritt, an Abraham Lincoln and American Civil War scholar...
, which hosts annual seminars and tours on Civil War themes. Scholarships are granted to high school students and history teachers to attend the week-long summer event.
- Since 1998, the Gettysburg Semester, a semester-long immersion in Civil War academic study has been offered.
- Gettysburg College students may elect to pursue a unique interdisciplinary minor in Civil War Era Studies. Requirements include a general introduction course about the Civil War and a capstone senior-level seminar. Students must also select four classes of at least two disciplines. Some of the classes offered include (but are not limited to): military history, Economics of the American South, Civil War Literature, films about the Civil War, and Gender Ideology in the Civil War.
- The Lincoln PrizeLincoln PrizeThe Lincoln Prize, endowed by Richard Gilder and Lewis Lehrman and administered by the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College, has been awarded annually since 1991 for the best non-fiction historical work of the year on the American Civil War. It is named for U.S...
has been awarded annually since 1991 for the best non-fiction historical work of the year on the Civil War.
- Starting in 2005, the Michael ShaaraMichael ShaaraMichael Shaara was an American writer of science fiction, sports fiction, and historical fiction. He was born to Italian immigrant parents in Jersey City, New Jersey, graduated from Rutgers University in 1951, and served as a sergeant in the 82nd Airborne division...
Prize has been awarded for excellence in Civil War fiction. (Shaara was the author of the Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning novel about the Battle of Gettysburg, The Killer AngelsThe Killer AngelsThe Killer Angels is a historical novel by Michael Shaara that was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1975. The book tells the story of four days of the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War: June 30, 1863, as the troops of both the Union and the Confederacy move into battle around...
.)