Lycoming College
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1812, Lycoming College is located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
. One of the 50 oldest colleges in America, Lycoming enrolls 1400 undergraduate students from over 28 states and 12 foreign countries. Eighty percent of the college's students live on campus. Lycoming College is affiliated with the United Methodist Church
but operates as an independent institution.
The Carnegie Foundation
has classified the College as a "Baccalaureate College – Arts & Sciences". However, using more detailed categories of the newly revised Carnegie Classification system, Lycoming is found to be one of only 44 colleges to confer over 80% of its degrees in the arts and sciences, to focus exclusively on undergraduate education, to be small in size, to be "selective" or "more selective" in admissions, and to have a majority of full-time students residing on campus. The College is recognized as a Tier 1 institution by U.S. News in its 2011 edition of "America's Best Colleges."
Special academic programs include a scholars program, internships opportunities, a Washington Semester, pre-law and health profession advising, a cooperative program with Duke University's Environmental Science & Forestry program, an accelerated MBA program with the College of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology, the Clean Water Institute, the Institute for Management Studies and the Center for the Study of Community and the Economy.
Working with the study abroad office and various academic departments, students have also recently traveled to Italy, Greece, Sweden, Cyprus, Israel, China, Egypt, Honduras, Belgium, Vietnam, Venezuela, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Travel abroad opportunities also exist during the college's optional month-long May Term.
Lycoming's campus consists of academic facilities that include Wendle Hall, Fine Arts, Communications, Heim Science Center, Clarke Music Building and Honors Hall. Unique facilities include Detwiler Planetarium, Mary L. Welch Theatre, Snowden Library, a digital media lab, an art gallery, an electronic music studio, HOPE Early Learning Center, a radio station and a greenhouse. Students reside in nine residence halls, the newest of which opened in 2007, and 20 apartment units. Athletic facilities include Lamade Gymnasium, a Recreation Center that opened in 2004, an outdoor intramural field and the Shangraw Athletic Complex with football, soccer, lacrosse and softball fields.
By 1847, Williamsport had a public school system in place. Rev. Benjamin H. Crever, a circuit-riding Methodist preacher based 30 miles (48.3 km) away in Milton
, heard that the Academy was for sale. Upon his recommendation, the Baltimore Conference purchased the school which opened in the fall of 1848 as the Williamsport Dickinson Seminary, a preparatory school for Dickinson College
, another Methodist school. Rev. Crever is considered to be the founder of Lycoming College. After turning the Williamsport Academy into an institution of higher learning, Crever moved on to serve as a chaplain in the Civil War
and to found a total of four schools. Only Lycoming College remains as his educational legacy.
In 1947, the institution, again under Dr. Long, became a four-year college of the liberal arts and sciences. In 1948, it officially changed its name to Lycoming College, taking the name from that of the local county. The name "Lycoming" comes from the Native American word lacomic meaning "great stream". In 1949, the College conferred its first baccalaureate degrees.
Dr. James E. Douthat became the fourteenth president in 1989. Under his leadership, the College's enrollment has grown by 27 percent, and its endowment and other funds under management have increased from 17 million to over 130 million. Since his arrival, the campus has been involved in strategic planning processes, the establishment and implementation of a new faculty governance structure, a major capital campaign, building program, and the adoption of a revised curriculum for the College.
In the 2004 motion picture "Enduring Love," actress Samantha Morton's character Claire wears a Lycoming College sweatshirt in two scenes that take place in her artist studio and at a foundry.
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
. One of the 50 oldest colleges in America, Lycoming enrolls 1400 undergraduate students from over 28 states and 12 foreign countries. Eighty percent of the college's students live on campus. Lycoming College is affiliated with the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
but operates as an independent institution.
The Carnegie Foundation
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York, which was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding," is one of the oldest, largest and most influential of American foundations...
has classified the College as a "Baccalaureate College – Arts & Sciences". However, using more detailed categories of the newly revised Carnegie Classification system, Lycoming is found to be one of only 44 colleges to confer over 80% of its degrees in the arts and sciences, to focus exclusively on undergraduate education, to be small in size, to be "selective" or "more selective" in admissions, and to have a majority of full-time students residing on campus. The College is recognized as a Tier 1 institution by U.S. News in its 2011 edition of "America's Best Colleges."
Majors and programs
Lycoming College confers both BA and BS degrees. Fields of Study offered include Accounting, Actuarial Mathematics, American Studies, Archeology and Culture of the Ancient Near East, Art History, Art (Studio), Astronomy, Biblical Languages, Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Corporate Communication, Computer Science, Creative Writing, Digital Communication, Economics, Education, English, Environmental Science, French, German, History, International Studies, Literature, Mathematics, Music, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Pre-Health, Pre-Law, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Ministry, Psychology, Religion, Sociology/Anthropology, Spanish, Theater, and Women's & Gender Studies. Students also have the opportunity to design their own programs of study. Lycoming College recently added Environmental Sustainability and Healthcare Administration as minors.Special academic programs include a scholars program, internships opportunities, a Washington Semester, pre-law and health profession advising, a cooperative program with Duke University's Environmental Science & Forestry program, an accelerated MBA program with the College of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology, the Clean Water Institute, the Institute for Management Studies and the Center for the Study of Community and the Economy.
Study abroad
Lycoming maintains study abroad programs with the following affiliates:- CUEF Grenoble - France (Grenoble)
- Estudio Sampere - Spain (Madrid, Salamanca, Alicante)
- Estudio Sampere - Ecuador (Cuenca)
- Estudio Sampere - Costa Rica (San José, Quepos)
- Regent's American College London - England (London)
- Westminster University - Westminster Business School - England (London)
- Otto-Friedrich-Universitat - Germany (Bamberg)
Working with the study abroad office and various academic departments, students have also recently traveled to Italy, Greece, Sweden, Cyprus, Israel, China, Egypt, Honduras, Belgium, Vietnam, Venezuela, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Travel abroad opportunities also exist during the college's optional month-long May Term.
Campus
Twenty-two buildings sit on Lycoming's 42-acre campus. Most buildings have been constructed since 1950. A 12-acre athletic field and football stadium lie a few blocks north of the main campus.Lycoming's campus consists of academic facilities that include Wendle Hall, Fine Arts, Communications, Heim Science Center, Clarke Music Building and Honors Hall. Unique facilities include Detwiler Planetarium, Mary L. Welch Theatre, Snowden Library, a digital media lab, an art gallery, an electronic music studio, HOPE Early Learning Center, a radio station and a greenhouse. Students reside in nine residence halls, the newest of which opened in 2007, and 20 apartment units. Athletic facilities include Lamade Gymnasium, a Recreation Center that opened in 2004, an outdoor intramural field and the Shangraw Athletic Complex with football, soccer, lacrosse and softball fields.
Athletics
Lycoming College's mascot is the Warrior. The school fields teams in basketball (Men and Women), cross country (M/W), lacrosse(M/W), soccer (M/W), swimming (M/W), tennis (M/W), football (M), golf (M), wrestling (M), softball (W), and volleyball (W). Lycoming participates in the Commonwealth Conference in all sports, except for football (M) and lacrosse (M/W), which participate in the Middle Atlantic Conference, and wrestling (M), which competes in the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference.Music
Lycoming College has a thriving music program. Students have the option of participating in the band, choir, jazz band, music lessons, and various small ensembles. The band has approximately 66 members and plays at events such as football games and graduation. The music department also boasts the Lycoming College Tour Choir. For their 2010 season, the tour choir will perform on two weekend tours, a spring break trip through Virginia and North Carolina, and an overseas tour in May to Argentina.History
The origins of Lycoming College date back to 1812 and the founding of the "Williamsport Academy for the Education of Youth in the English and other Languages, in the Useful Arts, Science and Literature". This was the name under which the school was incorporated. At the time, Williamsport's population was approximately 350 persons. Attendance was by subscription, although a state grant ensured that a number of poor children would be taught free of charge. The institution also has educated both sexes from its inception.By 1847, Williamsport had a public school system in place. Rev. Benjamin H. Crever, a circuit-riding Methodist preacher based 30 miles (48.3 km) away in Milton
Milton, Pennsylvania
Milton is a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, north of Harrisburg. Settled in 1770, it was incorporated in 1817, and is governed by a charter that was revised in 1890...
, heard that the Academy was for sale. Upon his recommendation, the Baltimore Conference purchased the school which opened in the fall of 1848 as the Williamsport Dickinson Seminary, a preparatory school for Dickinson College
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...
, another Methodist school. Rev. Crever is considered to be the founder of Lycoming College. After turning the Williamsport Academy into an institution of higher learning, Crever moved on to serve as a chaplain in the Civil War
American 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...
and to found a total of four schools. Only Lycoming College remains as his educational legacy.
Recent history
By 1921, the Seminary had gained a reputation for excellence, when Dr. John W. Long took office as its ninth president. Under Long, the institution added junior college courses and, in 1929, became the first accredited junior college in Pennsylvania.In 1947, the institution, again under Dr. Long, became a four-year college of the liberal arts and sciences. In 1948, it officially changed its name to Lycoming College, taking the name from that of the local county. The name "Lycoming" comes from the Native American word lacomic meaning "great stream". In 1949, the College conferred its first baccalaureate degrees.
Dr. James E. Douthat became the fourteenth president in 1989. Under his leadership, the College's enrollment has grown by 27 percent, and its endowment and other funds under management have increased from 17 million to over 130 million. Since his arrival, the campus has been involved in strategic planning processes, the establishment and implementation of a new faculty governance structure, a major capital campaign, building program, and the adoption of a revised curriculum for the College.
In the 2004 motion picture "Enduring Love," actress Samantha Morton's character Claire wears a Lycoming College sweatshirt in two scenes that take place in her artist studio and at a foundry.
Notable alumni
The following have attended Lycoming College or its predecessor institutions:- David G. Argall (1980) - Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesPennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
(1984 to 2009), Pennsylvania State SenatePennsylvania 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...
(2009 to present) - Joseph McCrum Belford (1868) United States House of RepresentativesUnited 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...
(1897-1899) from New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... - Deirdre Connelly (1983) Pharmaceuticals executive, Forbes 2009 list of World's 100 Most Powerful Women
- David Albaugh De Armond United States House of Representatives (1891-1909) from MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
- Thomas W. DempseyThomas W. DempseyThomas W. Dempsey is a former Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives....
(1952) - Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1987 to 2000); winner of 2001 Angela R. Kyte Outstanding Alumnus Award - Eugene Louis DodaroEugene Louis DodaroEugene Louis Dodaro is the Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office...
(1973) - Acting Comptroller General of the United StatesComptroller General of the United StatesThe Comptroller General of the United States is the director of the Government Accountability Office , a legislative branch agency established by Congress in 1921 to ensure the fiscal and managerial accountability of the federal government...
since 2008 - Robert W. EdgarRobert W. EdgarRev. Dr. Robert William Edgar is president and CEO of Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog organization, effective May 2007. He served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1987, representing the 7th district of Pennsylvania...
(1965) - is president and CEO of Common CauseCommon CauseCommon Cause is a self-described nonpartisan, nonprofit lobby and advocacy organization. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican former cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson, as a "citizens' lobby" with a mission focused on making U.S. political institutions more open and...
, a nonpartisan government watchdog organization - Milt GraffMilt GraffMilton Edward Graff was a Major League Baseball second baseman. He was born on Tuesday, December 30, 1930 in Jefferson Center, Pennsylvania. He was listed at a height of 5'7" and a weight of 158 pounds. Graff attended Butler Senior High School and then attended Pennsylvania State University and...
- 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 (1957 to 1958) for the Kansas City Athletics - James Hall HulingJames Hall HulingJames Hall Huling was a Republican businessman and politician from West Virginia who served as aUnited States Representative in the 54th United States Congress. Congressman Huling was born in Williamsport in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania on March 24, 1844. He died April 23, 1918.He went to school...
- United States House of Representatives (1895 to 1897) from West VirginiaWest VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east... - John JopsonJohn JopsonJohn Charles Jopson is a film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer best known for the jazz film “One Night with Blue Note” and his music videos from the 1980s.- Biography :...
- Film and music video director - Alexander Brown MackieAlexander Brown Mackie-External links:...
- Co-founder of Brown Mackie CollegeBrown Mackie CollegeBrown Mackie College is a collection of for-profit educational institutions for career preparation in the business, legal, health sciences, information technology, and creative fields. The system of schools has locations throughout the United States. The schools are owned by Education Management... - Henry Clay McCormickHenry Clay McCormickHenry Clay McCormick was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Henry C. McCormick was born in Washington Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. He attended the common schools and Dickinson Seminary in Williamsport, Pennsylvania...
- United States House of Representatives (1887 to 1891) from Pennsylvania - Alexander McDonaldAlexander McDonaldAlexander McDonald was a Republican politician who represented Arkansas in the U.S. Senate from 1868 to 1871.-Biography:...
- United States SenateUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
(1868 to 1871) from ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River... - James Monroe MillerJames Monroe MillerJames Monroe Miller was a U.S. Representative from Kansas.Born at Three Springs, Pennsylvania, Miller attended the district school and was graduated from Dickinson Seminary, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in 1875....
- United States House of Representatives (1899 to 1911) from KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south... - Rafael Moreno Valle Governor of the Mexican state of PueblaPueblaPuebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
- Peter OnoratiPeter Onorati-Biography:He was born and raised in Boonton, New Jersey and attended Boonton High School. He attended Lycoming College, where he received his B.A. degree in Business Administration. He was an NCAA all-conference wide receiver, and signed up to play in the World Football League...
(1975) - Veteran actor - James H. OsmerJames H. OsmerJames H. Osmer was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.James H. Osmer was born in Tenterden, Kent, England....
- United States House of Representatives (1879 to 1881) from Pennsylvania - Harry Perretta (1978) - Head Women's Basketball Coach at Villanova University, Inducted to Lycoming Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007
- Charles Emory PattonCharles Emory PattonCharles Emory Patton was a U.S. Representative from the state of Pennsylvania. He was the son of John Patton and the brother of John Patton, Jr.....
- United States House of Representatives (1911 to 1915) from Pennsylvania - Robert Fleming Rich - United States House of Representatives (1945 to 1951) from Pennsylvania
- David Schoch (1973) - CFO, Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
- Milton George Urner - United States House of Representatives (1879 to 1883) from 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...
- Thomas I. VanaskieThomas I. VanaskieThomas Ignatius Vanaskie is a United States circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. From February 10, 1994 to April 26, 2010, he served as a United States district judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania...
(1975) United States circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Third CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts for the following districts:* District of Delaware* District of New Jersey... - Dr. Marina Vernalis (1973) - first female chief of cardiology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and first female cardiovascular consultant of the Army Surgeon General
- Tom Woodruff, Jr. (1980) Academy Award-winning special effects designer