Roanoke College
Encyclopedia
Roanoke 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
. Established in 1842, Roanoke is the second oldest Lutheran-affiliated college in the United States.
Roanoke has approximately 2,100 students (55% female, 45% male) who represent approximately 40 states and 25 countries. The college offers 35 majors, 30 minors, 23 concentrations, and pre-professional programs in law, medicine, dentistry, engineering, and ministry. Roanoke awards bachelor's degrees in arts, science, and business administration and is one of 280 colleges with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society.
Roanoke is an NCAA Division III school competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference
. The college fields varsity teams in nine men's and ten women's sports. Roanoke's athletic nickname
is Maroons and the mascot
is Rooney, a maroon-tailed hawk.
Roanoke is ranked 7th, tied with the University of Richmond
, on the 2011 U.S. News and World Report list of Up and Coming National Liberal Arts Colleges; overall Roanoke is ranked 158th, a Tier 1 national liberal arts college. Roanoke is also on the U.S. News and World Report list of colleges that award the most merit-based financial aid; 31% of Roanoke students receive merit-based assistance.
In March 2011, the Princeton Review announced Roanoke will be included in "The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 Edition", which will be available in bookstores in August 2011. The listing represents the top ten percent of all colleges and universities in the United States and recognizes Roanoke's advancement as a national liberal arts college. The Princeton Review previously listed Roanoke among the "Best in the Southeast".
by Lutheran pastors David F. Bittle and Christopher C. Baughmann. Originally located in Augusta County
near Staunton
, the school was named Virginia Institute until chartered on January 30, 1845 as Virginia Collegiate Institute. In 1847, the institute moved to Salem
which was developing into a center of commerce and transportation in the region; the school moved all of its possessions in a single covered wagon
. The Virginia General Assembly
granted a college charter on March 14, 1853 and approved the name Roanoke College, chosen in honor of the Roanoke Valley
. Bittle then served as the college's first president.
Roanoke was one of the few Southern
colleges that remained open throughout the American Civil War
. The student body was organized into a corps of cadets and fought with Confederate
forces near Salem in December 1863. The students were outmatched and quickly forced to surrender, but the Union
commander allowed them to return to their studies in exchange for a promise to put down their arms. The college company
was formally mustered into the Confederate Army, Virginia Reserves, on September 1, 1864, but the students did not see combat before the war ended. A monument honoring Salem's Confederate soldiers, dedicated in 1909 by the local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy
, is on the grounds of the former Roanoke County
courthouse, which is now a college academic building.
student in 1876 and the first Japan
ese student in 1888. The first Korea
n to graduate from an American college or university, Surh Beung Kiu, graduated in 1898.
. A small number of women were previously offered limited admission, but not as degree seeking students. Most were from Elizabeth College
, a sister Lutheran women's college
in Salem that burned in 1921; the students finished the 1921–1922 academic year at Roanoke. The first women's residence hall, Smith Hall, opened in 1941. Roanoke's student body is now more than fifty percent female.
Roanoke adopted the alumnae of Marion College
, a sister Lutheran women's college
in Marion, Virginia
, when it closed in 1967. Marion Hall, a large residence hall constructed in 1968, honors the college and its alumnae.
championship and the 1978 Division II men's lacrosse
championship. Roanoke's third national championship occurred in 2001 when student Casey Smith won an individual championship in the Division III women's 10,000m track and field
event. In 2009, student Robin Yerkes secured Roanoke's fourth national championship when she won an individual championship in the Division III women's 400m track and field
event.
Roanoke's tenth president, and first female president, Dr. Sabine O'Hara, took office in August 2004. O'Hara, an expert in sustainable economic development, was recruited to lead formulation of a new strategic plan, one that would advance the college into the next decade. In March 2006, Roanoke unveiled "The 2015 Plan", which calls for expanded academic offerings, an increase in enrollment from 1,900 to 2,100 students, renovation and construction of facilities to support increased enrollment, and growth in endowment resources to support financial aid for more students. Successful completion of the plan is ongoing; over 2,100 students were enrolled for the 2010-11 academic year, the most in college history, and four new residence halls have opened since 2005 with construction of another residence hall scheduled to begin in the summer of 2011.
Michael C. Maxey became Roanoke's eleventh president on July 1, 2007. Maxey previously served as Roanoke's vice president for college relations and dean of admissions and financial aid from 1992 until his selection as president. Roanoke received a record number of applications nine times during Maxey's tenure as vice president, and in May 2007, graduated 410 students, the largest class at that time in college history. In lieu of naming an interim president while a national search was conducted to replace O'Hara, the board of trustees unanimously elected Maxey to become Roanoke's eleventh president.
President Maxey presided over commencement
for the first time on May 3, 2008; Roanoke graduated 421 students, the largest class in college history up to that time.
On May 7, 2011, Roanoke graduated 472 students, the largest class in college history.
is the oldest) Lutheran-affiliated college in the United States and is associated with three synod
s of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
; the Virginia Synod, the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod, and the West Virginia–Western Maryland Synod. The Virginia Synod is headquartered on the Roanoke campus (in Bittle Hall; the college's first library now occupied by the Bishop of the Virginia Synod).
Historically, the state of Virginia has had a small Lutheran population. As a result, Roanoke has admitted many students from other religious denominations. Approximately 20 religious groups are now represented in the student body with Roman Catholic the most prevalent; Lutherans total less than 20% of the student body.
Roanoke has an active religious life program for students seeking that experience, however, religion is not prominent on the Roanoke campus; students are not required to attend religious services or to take classes in religion. Roanoke has an independent board of trustees and is not controlled by the church.
The dominant aspect of Roanoke's Lutheran heritage is the college's commitment to academic freedom
. Martin Luther
encouraged freedom from oppression along with freedom for learning and freedom for service in the community. Roanoke aims to produce resourceful and responsible citizens who are well-educated in the Lutheran tradition of intellectual freedom.
to award bachelor's degrees in arts, science, and business administration. In addition, the business administration program is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
; the chemistry program is accredited by the American Chemical Society
; the teacher licensure program is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council; and the athletic training program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
Roanoke offers 35 majors, 30 minors, and 23 concentrations. The college also offers dual degree programs with Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee
that lead to a Roanoke degree and an engineering degree from the other school. Each year, Roanoke accepts approximately 35 incoming freshmen and first-term sophomores to become members of the Honors Program. These students complete the Honors Curriculum in lieu of the Roanoke College Core Curriculum. Honors students are offered numerous special learning experiences including plays, lectures, concerts, and service projects.
Roanoke has 14 academic departments:
In 2010, Roanoke was recognized as one of the top 16 colleges or universities where it is hardest to receive an "A" grade. Roanoke students receive an "A" approximately 30 percent of the time. Other schools included in the top 16 were Princeton University
, Boston University
, and MIT.
; the majority of out-of-state students are from Maryland
, Massachusetts
, New Jersey
, New York
, and Pennsylvania
. In 2010, for the tenth consecutive year, Roanoke received a record number of freshman applications, over 4,400 for approximately 550 openings.
have a reciprocal borrowing agreement expanding the size of the library collection by another 300,000 items.
The Henry H. Fowler
Public Affairs Lecture Series brings respected world leaders to campus. Guest lecturers have included former presidents Gerald Ford
and Jimmy Carter
, former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger
and Lawrence Eagleburger
, former Polish president Lech Wałęsa
, former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt
, former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
, and numerous other diplomats and public officials. In addition, the Copenhaver Artist-in-Residence Program brings visiting artists to campus, including theatrical productions, while the Charles H. Fisher Lecture Series brings distinguished scientists to campus.
Upward Bound
The Roanoke College Upward Bound Program, one of the oldest TRIO
programs, has been in existence since 1966 and is a highly successful college bound program which provides high school students with academic and cultural enrichment opportunities. The Roanoke College Upward Bound Program has served hundreds of students in the Roanoke area including Bedford County, Roanoke City, Roanoke County, and Salem City. Target area high schools include: Glenvar, Liberty, Northside, Patrick Henry, Salem, Staunton River and William Fleming. A mentoring program is also offered in addition to the summer component and academic year component.
The Student Government Association at Roanoke exists to give students a voice in the administration. It is the highest level student organization. It is made up of an executive council (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer) and the Senate (21 members).
Student publications and media opportunities include the Brackety-Ack campus newspaper, a literary magazine titled On Concept's Edge, the Roanoke Review
literary journal, and the student-operated radio station named WRKE-LP
. Intramural sports are also offered.
Fraternities:
Sororities:
. The fraternity became inactive at Roanoke in 1879, but had expanded to include chapters at eight other colleges and universities, the last of which became inactive in 1882.
In addition to the Black Badge Society, Roanoke's inactive fraternities include:
Roanoke added sororities for the first time in 1955; the three organizations, Delta Gamma, Chi Omega, and Phi Mu, were housed in Bowman Hall for many years until they moved to Chesapeake Hall in 2006. In 2001, Alpha Sigma Alpha was added to the list of sororities on campus. Roanoke's newest Greek organization is Delta Sigma Theta, the college's first historically African-American sorority.
; the John R. Turbyfill Front Quad and the "Back Quad". Newer residence halls and athletic facilities form a partial outer ring around the traditional quads. The campus is lined with brick sidewalks and has been recognized for its landscaping and views of the surrounding mountains.
. The Fintel Library, the Colket Student Center, and most residence halls have the traditional style of the older structures. Other newer buildings are more modern. These include Antrim Chapel, the science complex comprising Trexler Hall, Massengill Auditorium, and the Life Science Building, the fine arts building named F. W. Olin Hall, and the C. Homer Bast Physical Education and Recreational Center.
. Roanoke's four oldest buildings, listed as the Main Campus Complex, are the Administration building, constructed in 1848, Miller Hall, constructed in 1857, Trout Hall, constructed in 1867, and Bittle Hall, constructed in 1879. Francis T. West Hall (the former Roanoke County courthouse now named after a Roanoke alumnus), constructed in 1910, and Monterey House, constructed in 1853, are also listed.
Wells Hall, Yonce Hall, and Fox Hall, known collectively as "The Sections", are Roanoke's most notable residence halls. Located on the Back Quad, the buildings were constructed in six stages from 1910 to 1958.
and a Roanoke alumnus, and was acquired by the college in 1968. Presidents Kendig, Fintel, Gring, O'Hara, and Maxey have lived in the house.
In April 2011, the President's House and its garden were opened to the public during Virginia's Historic Garden Week
. Selection of sites to participate is very competitive; only five Roanoke Valley
residences were featured in 2011.
, a Lutheran women's college that closed in 1922. The area, approximately two miles east of the main campus, is now referred to as Roanoke's "Elizabeth campus". Houses for Kappa Alpha Order
, Pi Kappa Alpha
, and Alpha Sigma Alpha
are on Elizabeth campus along with Elizabeth Hall, a large residence hall with apartments for non-freshman students.
Trout Hall and Miller Hall, two of Roanoke's oldest buildings, reopened in 2005 and 2006 after complete renovation and a new campus entrance, highlighted by a large colonnade, opened in 2005.
Donald J. Kerr Stadium, a 2,000 seat multi-sport artificial turf athletic complex, opened in 2007. The artificial surface complements the college's natural surface athletic fields. The field is used primarily as the home venue of the men's and women's lacrosse
teams, but is also suitable for soccer and field hockey
.
Roanoke opened the Market Street Complex in 2009; three existing residence halls, Blue Ridge Hall, Shenandoah Hall, and Tabor Hall, were renovated and enlarged to form the complex, which houses approximately 200 freshmen. Afton Hall, an apartment-style residence hall, was renovated in 2009 as well and is the home to approximately 50 upperclassmen.
Lucas Hall, an academic building constructed in 1941, reopened in 2010 after complete renovation and is Roanoke's first LEED
certified building.
Current projects (as of June 2011) include construction of a new 200-bed residence hall and continued planning for a new recreation and athletics center. An eight-court competition tennis complex on the Elizabeth campus (re-located from the main campus) and a large parking lot on the main campus (replacing another lot that is the site of the new residence hall) have opened making land available for the planned buildings. In addition, Roanoke has purchased a significant number of private homes on Market Street adjacent to campus, which will provide land for future college growth.
school competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference
. The college fields varsity teams (known as "Maroons"; the college's athletic colors are maroon and gray) in nine men's and ten women's sports. Roanoke is particularly noted for the strength of its men's lacrosse
program and women's track and field.
team. The men's basketball
program, added in 1911, received national recognition in 1939 when the team finished third in the National Invitational Tournament, the premiere postseason tournament of that era; and with more than 1,200 wins (almost 2,000 games played; better than 60% winning percentage over more than 90 years) is among the most successful in the nation. Frankie Allen, arguably the greatest men's basketball player in Virginia college history (2,780 points and 1,758 rebounds), graduated from Roanoke in 1971.
Roanoke teams have won two national championships: the 1972 NCAA Division II men's basketball championship
and the 1978 Division II men's lacrosse championship. In 2001, Roanoke student Casey Smith won an individual national championship in the Division III women's 10,000m track and field event. In 2009, student Robin Yerkes secured Roanoke's fourth national championship when she won an individual championship in the Division III women's 400m track and field
event. Yerkes is the most decorated athlete ever to graduate from Roanoke, earning 12 All-American honors in multiple events.
Roanoke teams have won 93 conference championships (as of May 2011; 44 in men's sports, 49 in women's sports) since the college joined the ODAC as a founding member in 1976. Roanoke has won more conference championships than any other ODAC school in men's lacrosse (17), women's basketball (13), women's lacrosse (10) and softball (7). Roanoke and Hampden-Sydney College
are tied for the most conference championships in men's basketball (10).
Roanoke completed the 2006–2007 academic year with three ODAC championships, women's indoor track and field, women's outdoor track and field, and men's lacrosse. Roanoke finished second in men's basketball, men's tennis, women's lacrosse, and women's cross country. In individual action, Roanoke students won the Virginia Division III golf tournament, the Virginia Division II/III women's cross country championship, and the ODAC men's cross country championship.
The men's and women's lacrosse teams advanced to the 2007 NCAA Division III tournament quarter-finals, both were defeated by the number #1 teams in the country. The men's team, after winning it fifteenth ODAC championship, ended the season with 15 wins, which for the third straight year, tied the college record for wins in a season. The women's team, after finishing second in the ODAC, ended its season with 15 wins as well, the second most in team history.
The women's outdoor track and field team finished second in the 4x100 relay event at the 2007 NCAA Division III tournament; the team set a new college and ODAC record with their NCAA second-place time.
2007–2008
Roanoke completed the 2007–2008 academic year with three ODAC championships, men's soccer, women's indoor track and field, and women's outdoor track and field. The track and field championships were Roanoke's third consecutive in each sport. Roanoke finished second in women's soccer and women's lacrosse.
The men's and women's soccer teams advanced to the 2007 NCAA Division III tournament. The men's team lost in the opening round; the women's team lost in the second round.
The women's outdoor track and field team finished second in the 4x100 relay event at the 2008 NCAA Division III tournament; the team finished second in 2007 as well. Overall, the team completed the tournament in fifth place with the highest point total and highest finish in Roanoke history.
Another significant achievement during the 2007–2008 academic year involved Susan Dunagan, head women's basketball coach who won her 500th game in November 2007. She is the ninth NCAA Division III head coach to win 500 games. Dunagan has coached at Roanoke since 1981 and has led the college to thirteen ODAC championships, the most by any school in conference history.
2008–2009
Roanoke completed the 2008–2009 academic year with a national championship and two ODAC championships. The national championship, Roanoke's fourth overall, was an individual championship by student Robin Yerkes in the Division III women's 400m track and field
event. The ODAC championships were in women's outdoor track and field and women's lacrosse. The track and field championship was Roanoke's fourth consecutive in the sport. Roanoke also won ODAC regular season championships in men's soccer, women's basketball, and men's lacrosse. The men's soccer team finished second in the ODAC losing to Virginia Wesleyan College
in the conference championship.
The men's and women's lacrosse teams advanced to the 2009 NCAA Division III tournament. Both lost in the second round. The men's team had a record-breaking season with a school record 17 wins and was ranked #1 in the country at the end of the regular season. The men lost the ODAC championship in overtime to rival Washington and Lee University
and then lost to Denison University
in the NCAA tournament.
2009-2010
Roanoke completed the 2009-2010 academic year with two ODAC championships: women's outdoor track and field and men's lacrosse. The track and field championship was Roanoke's fifth straight in the sport. Roanoke also won its second straight ODAC regular season championship in women's basketball; the team advanced to the 2010 NCAA Division III tournament second round losing to Christopher Newport University
. The men's soccer team advanced to the ODAC championship game for the third consecutive year losing to Lynchburg College
.
The men's lacrosse team advanced to the 2010 NCAA Division III tournament quarterfinals defeating Wittenberg University
and Gettysburg College
in the opening rounds before losing to Stevenson University. Roanoke was ranked fifth in the nation at the time of loss and was in the national quarterfinals for the nineteenth time in program history.
2010-2011
Roanoke completed the 2010-2011 academic year having won the ODAC championship in men's lacrosse; the college finished second in women's basketball, women's outdoor track and field, and women's lacrosse.
The men's lacrosse team advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament semifinals defeating Colorado College
, Gettysburg College
, and Stevenson University before losing to Salisbury University
, ranked first in the nation. Roanoke was ranked seventh in the nation at the time of the loss and was in the national semifinals for the ninth time in program history; the team ended the season with 17 wins for the third consecutive season.
program was discontinued during World War II
after more than 60 years of competition. Initially a club sport, the first varsity
game occurred in 1892 against Allegheny Institute. The final game was a 42–0 loss to Catawba College
on November 13, 1942.
In 1985, the Salem
city government constructed an 8,000 seat stadium adjacent to Roanoke's "Elizabeth campus", two miles from the main campus, location of athletic fields and residence halls. Constructed for Salem's public high school
, many hoped the college would revive its football program and that the team would play in the stadium, but the college declined. The stadium hosts the annual NCAA Division III football championship even though Roanoke does not compete in the sport.
have maintained a somewhat intense rivalry for more than a century. The rivalry, strongest in men's basketball and men's lacrosse, is fueled by a long history of athletic contests; the schools have competed since the 1870s. The rivalry is also influenced by conference affiliation and geography; the schools are charter members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference
and are located within an hour drive of each other on Interstate 81
. Both schools traditionally have nationally ranked men's lacrosse teams; Roanoke and Washington and Lee are usually ranked in the top ten when meeting late in the season.
In addition to Washington and Lee University, contests with Hampden-Sydney College
, and Randolph-Macon College
draw the most attention in men's sports. Bridgewater College
and Lynchburg College
draw attention in women's sports. All are members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference
.
Roanoke and Virginia Tech were rivals in the late 19th century and early 20th century when Virginia Tech was a small college. In 1877, the schools competed in Virginia Tech's first intercollegiate baseball game (Virginia Tech won 53-13); and in 1896, Virginia Tech first wore its current athletic colors—maroon and burnt orange—in a football game against Roanoke. In 1895, Roanoke and Virginia Tech were charter members of the now defunct Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Association along with Randolph-Macon College
, the University of Richmond
, and the College of William and Mary
; and in 1926, Roanoke and Virginia Tech played the inaugural football game at Virginia Tech's Miles Stadium
.
, blue and gold for academic use and maroon and gray for athletic use. This dates to 1907 when the baseball team needed new uniforms, but could not obtain any in blue and gold. Maroon and gray uniforms were purchased as a substitute. Within a few years, maroon and gray were adopted as Roanoke's official athletic colors. The college athletic nickname
became Maroons as well. In recent years, black has been added as an accent color so Roanoke athletic uniforms are often maroon, gray, and black.
is Maroons and the mascot
is Rooney, a maroon-tailed hawk. The mascot was revealed on April 17, 2009 during annual alumni weekend festivities. Roanoke has competed as the Maroons for over 100 years, but it was only a color without a mascot to represent the college.
U.S. News and World Report ranks Roanoke as an Up and Coming National Liberal Arts College (in 2011, ranked 7th tied with the University of Richmond
) while the Templeton Guide names Roanoke as a college that encourages character development. In 2006, Men's Fitness
magazine named Roanoke the 19th "fittest campus" in the United States.
In 2005, George Keller
, a noted American expert on higher education, authored Prologue to Prominence, A Half Century at Roanoke College. Published by Lutheran University Press, the book documents the college's academic and financial success over the past half century. Other books about Roanoke College include The First Hundred Years, Roanoke College 1842–1942 by William E. Eisenberg and Dear Ole Roanoke, a Sesquicentennial Portrait, 1842–1992 by Dr. Mark F. Miller. The books were written as a part of the college's centennial and sesquicentennial celebrations.
Campus Activities Magazine named Roanoke the "2009 Campus of the Year" in recognition of the college's social and academic programs. Roanoke was selected over four other finalists, Ohio State University
, Central Michigan University
, Boston University
, and Marshall University
.
, now Norfolk Southern Corporation, has provided career opportunities for many Roanoke alumni; the NWR was headquartered in Roanoke
until 1982 and is a major employer in western Virginia. Roanoke graduates who have advanced to leadership positions include Stuart T. Saunders
and John P. Fishwick, former presidents of the NWR; John R. Turbyfill, retired vice-chairman, NSC; John S. Shannon, retired executive vice president, NSC; and William T. Ross, Sr., retired assistant vice president, NWR.
Roanoke has strong historic ties to the railway due in part to its alumni connections. The NWR named a Pullman
car "Roanoke College" in honor of the college and Fishwick's Salem
residence is now the college President's House. Saunders and Turbyfill served as chairman of Roanoke's board of trustees. In 2007, David R. Goode
, retired chairman, NSC, endowed Roanoke's Center for Learning and Teaching in honor of his father, sister, and brother-in-law, all Roanoke graduates.
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
, coeducational, four-year liberal-arts college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
. The college is located in Salem, Virginia
Salem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,802 according to 2010 U.S. Census...
, a suburban independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
adjacent to Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
. Established in 1842, Roanoke is the second oldest Lutheran-affiliated college in the United States.
Roanoke has approximately 2,100 students (55% female, 45% male) who represent approximately 40 states and 25 countries. The college offers 35 majors, 30 minors, 23 concentrations, and pre-professional programs in law, medicine, dentistry, engineering, and ministry. Roanoke awards bachelor's degrees in arts, science, and business administration and is one of 280 colleges with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society.
Roanoke is an NCAA Division III school competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division III athletic conference. Its member schools are located primarily in Virginia, with other members in North Carolina and Washington, DC. Only the American Southwest Conference in Texas is larger in Division III. -History:The conference was...
. The college fields varsity teams in nine men's and ten women's sports. Roanoke's athletic nickname
Athletic nickname
The athletic nickname, or equivalently athletic moniker, of a university or college within the United States is the name officially adopted by that institution for at least the members of its athletic teams...
is Maroons and the mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is Rooney, a maroon-tailed hawk.
Roanoke is ranked 7th, tied with the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
, on the 2011 U.S. News and World Report list of Up and Coming National Liberal Arts Colleges; overall Roanoke is ranked 158th, a Tier 1 national liberal arts college. Roanoke is also on the U.S. News and World Report list of colleges that award the most merit-based financial aid; 31% of Roanoke students receive merit-based assistance.
In March 2011, the Princeton Review announced Roanoke will be included in "The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 Edition", which will be available in bookstores in August 2011. The listing represents the top ten percent of all colleges and universities in the United States and recognizes Roanoke's advancement as a national liberal arts college. The Princeton Review previously listed Roanoke among the "Best in the Southeast".
Early Years
Roanoke College was founded in 1842 as a boys' preparatory schoolUniversity-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
by Lutheran pastors David F. Bittle and Christopher C. Baughmann. Originally located in Augusta County
Augusta County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 65,615 people, 24,818 households, and 18,911 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 26,738 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
near Staunton
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
, the school was named Virginia Institute until chartered on January 30, 1845 as Virginia Collegiate Institute. In 1847, the institute moved to Salem
Salem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,802 according to 2010 U.S. Census...
which was developing into a center of commerce and transportation in the region; the school moved all of its possessions in a single covered wagon
Covered wagon
The covered wagon, also known as a Prairie schooner, is an icon of the American Old West.Although covered wagons were commonly used for shorter moves within the United States, in the mid-nineteenth century thousands of Americans took them across the Great Plains to Oregon and California...
. The Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
granted a college charter on March 14, 1853 and approved the name Roanoke College, chosen in honor of the Roanoke Valley
Roanoke Valley
The Roanoke Valley in southwest Virginia is an area adjacent to and including the Roanoke River between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Plateau to the west...
. Bittle then served as the college's first president.
Roanoke was one of the few Southern
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
colleges that remained open throughout the American 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...
. The student body was organized into a corps of cadets and fought with Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
forces near Salem in December 1863. The students were outmatched and quickly forced to surrender, but the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
commander allowed them to return to their studies in exchange for a promise to put down their arms. The college company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
was formally mustered into the Confederate Army, Virginia Reserves, on September 1, 1864, but the students did not see combat before the war ended. A monument honoring Salem's Confederate soldiers, dedicated in 1909 by the local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy
United Daughters of the Confederacy
The United Daughters of the Confederacy is a women's heritage association dedicated to honoring the memory of those who served in the military and died in service to the Confederate States of America . UDC began as the National Association of the Daughters of the Confederacy, organized in 1894 by...
, is on the grounds of the former Roanoke County
Roanoke County, Virginia
Roanoke County is a county located in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area and located within the Roanoke Region of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 85,778. As of 2010, the population was 92,376...
courthouse, which is now a college academic building.
International Students
Roanoke enrolled its first international students in the late 19th century; the first MexicanMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
student in 1876 and the first Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese student in 1888. The first Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n to graduate from an American college or university, Surh Beung Kiu, graduated in 1898.
Coeducation
Roanoke became coeducational in 1930 when women were admitted to counter a decline in male enrollment caused by the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. A small number of women were previously offered limited admission, but not as degree seeking students. Most were from Elizabeth College
Elizabeth College, Virginia
Elizabeth College was a private Lutheran women's college in Charlotte, North Carolina and Salem, Virginia that operated between 1896 and 1922.Elizabeth, named after the wife of the earliest sponsor, was originally located in Charlotte where it operated alongside the Gerard Conservatory of Music...
, a sister Lutheran women's college
Women's college
Women's colleges in higher education are undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations are composed exclusively or almost exclusively of women...
in Salem that burned in 1921; the students finished the 1921–1922 academic year at Roanoke. The first women's residence hall, Smith Hall, opened in 1941. Roanoke's student body is now more than fifty percent female.
Roanoke adopted the alumnae of Marion College
Marion College, Virginia
Marion College was a Lutheran junior women's college that operated in Marion, Virginia from 1873 to 1967.Roanoke College, a sister Lutheran college, adopted Marion's alumnae and maintains their records. Marion's alumnae have a reunion every other year on the Roanoke campus...
, a sister Lutheran women's college
Women's college
Women's colleges in higher education are undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations are composed exclusively or almost exclusively of women...
in Marion, Virginia
Marion, Virginia
Marion is a town in Smyth County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,968 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Smyth County. The town is named for American Revolutionary War officer Francis Marion.-Tourism:...
, when it closed in 1967. Marion Hall, a large residence hall constructed in 1968, honors the college and its alumnae.
National Championships
Roanoke athletic teams have won two national championships: the 1972 NCAA Division II men's basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
championship and the 1978 Division II men's lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
championship. Roanoke's third national championship occurred in 2001 when student Casey Smith won an individual championship in the Division III women's 10,000m track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
event. In 2009, student Robin Yerkes secured Roanoke's fourth national championship when she won an individual championship in the Division III women's 400m track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
event.
Recent Years
Roanoke experienced exceptional growth in the 1980s and 1990s. Two strategic plans, the 1992 Sesquicentennial Campaign and the 2002 Plan, also known as "The Difference", were successfully completed with well over $150 million raised. The campaigns financed the renovation and construction of numerous facilities including the library, the student center, and the arts and performance center.Roanoke's tenth president, and first female president, Dr. Sabine O'Hara, took office in August 2004. O'Hara, an expert in sustainable economic development, was recruited to lead formulation of a new strategic plan, one that would advance the college into the next decade. In March 2006, Roanoke unveiled "The 2015 Plan", which calls for expanded academic offerings, an increase in enrollment from 1,900 to 2,100 students, renovation and construction of facilities to support increased enrollment, and growth in endowment resources to support financial aid for more students. Successful completion of the plan is ongoing; over 2,100 students were enrolled for the 2010-11 academic year, the most in college history, and four new residence halls have opened since 2005 with construction of another residence hall scheduled to begin in the summer of 2011.
New Leadership
On March 16, 2007, Dr. Sabine O'Hara, Roanoke's tenth president, announced her resignation effective June 30, 2007. O'Hara told the college community that she had accomplished her primary objective at Roanoke by unveiling "The 2015 Plan", the college's current strategic plan, and that new leadership could better achieve the articulated goals. O'Hara's three-year tenure as president was short, but productive; four new residence halls were constructed, two academic buildings were renovated, a new sports stadium opened, records were set for applications and enrollment, and the tradition of balanced budgets was continued (as of O'Hara's departure, Roanoke had a balanced budget for 52 consecutive years).Michael C. Maxey became Roanoke's eleventh president on July 1, 2007. Maxey previously served as Roanoke's vice president for college relations and dean of admissions and financial aid from 1992 until his selection as president. Roanoke received a record number of applications nine times during Maxey's tenure as vice president, and in May 2007, graduated 410 students, the largest class at that time in college history. In lieu of naming an interim president while a national search was conducted to replace O'Hara, the board of trustees unanimously elected Maxey to become Roanoke's eleventh president.
President Maxey presided over commencement
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
for the first time on May 3, 2008; Roanoke graduated 421 students, the largest class in college history up to that time.
On May 7, 2011, Roanoke graduated 472 students, the largest class in college history.
Leaders
Principals of Virginia Institute, 1842 – 1853
- David F. Bittle, 1842–1845
- Christopher C. Baughman, 1845–1853
Presidents of Roanoke College, 1853 - Present
- David F. Bittle, 1853 – 1876
- Thomas W. Dosh, 1877 – 1878
- Julius D. Dreher, 1878 – 1903
- John A. Morehead, 1903 – 1920
- Charles J. Smith, 1920 – 1949
- H. Sherman Oberly, 1949 – 1963
- Perry F. Kendig, 1963 – 1975
- Norman D. Fintel, 1975 – 1989
- David M. Gring, 1989 – 2004
- Sabine U. O'Hara, 2004 – 2007
- Michael C. Maxey, 2007 - Present
Lutheran Heritage
Established in 1842, Roanoke is the second oldest (Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg College
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...
is the oldest) Lutheran-affiliated college in the United States and is associated with three synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
s of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
; the Virginia Synod, the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod, and the West Virginia–Western Maryland Synod. The Virginia Synod is headquartered on the Roanoke campus (in Bittle Hall; the college's first library now occupied by the Bishop of the Virginia Synod).
Historically, the state of Virginia has had a small Lutheran population. As a result, Roanoke has admitted many students from other religious denominations. Approximately 20 religious groups are now represented in the student body with Roman Catholic the most prevalent; Lutherans total less than 20% of the student body.
Roanoke has an active religious life program for students seeking that experience, however, religion is not prominent on the Roanoke campus; students are not required to attend religious services or to take classes in religion. Roanoke has an independent board of trustees and is not controlled by the church.
The dominant aspect of Roanoke's Lutheran heritage is the college's commitment to academic freedom
Academic freedom
Academic freedom is the belief that the freedom of inquiry by students and faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy, and that scholars should have freedom to teach or communicate ideas or facts without being targeted for repression, job loss, or imprisonment.Academic freedom is a...
. Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
encouraged freedom from oppression along with freedom for learning and freedom for service in the community. Roanoke aims to produce resourceful and responsible citizens who are well-educated in the Lutheran tradition of intellectual freedom.
Academics
Roanoke is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
to award bachelor's degrees in arts, science, and business administration. In addition, the business administration program is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs , formerly the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, is a U.S. organization offering accreditation services to business programs focused on teaching and learning....
; the chemistry program is accredited by the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
; the teacher licensure program is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council; and the athletic training program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
Roanoke offers 35 majors, 30 minors, and 23 concentrations. The college also offers dual degree programs with Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
that lead to a Roanoke degree and an engineering degree from the other school. Each year, Roanoke accepts approximately 35 incoming freshmen and first-term sophomores to become members of the Honors Program. These students complete the Honors Curriculum in lieu of the Roanoke College Core Curriculum. Honors students are offered numerous special learning experiences including plays, lectures, concerts, and service projects.
Roanoke has 14 academic departments:
- Biology
- Business Administration and Economics
- Chemistry
- Education
- English
- Fine Arts
- Foreign Language
- Health and Human Performance
- History
- Math, Computer Science, and Physics
- Public Affairs
- Religion and Philosophy
- Psychology
- Sociology
In 2010, Roanoke was recognized as one of the top 16 colleges or universities where it is hardest to receive an "A" grade. Roanoke students receive an "A" approximately 30 percent of the time. Other schools included in the top 16 were Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, and MIT.
Student Body
Roanoke has approximately 2,100 students (55% female, 45% male) who represent approximately 40 states and 25 countries. Approximately 60% of the student body is from VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
; the majority of out-of-state students are from Maryland
Maryland
Maryland 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...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, New York
New York
New 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...
, and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The 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...
. In 2010, for the tenth consecutive year, Roanoke received a record number of freshman applications, over 4,400 for approximately 550 openings.
Faculty
Roanoke has a tenure-track faculty of 125 (95% hold the highest degrees in their fields) plus a variety of adjunct professors selected from the business, political, and other communities for their subject matter expertise.Library
Roanoke's Fintel Library, named after Dr. Norman Fintel, eighth president of the college, has a collection of over half a million items. Roanoke and nearby Hollins UniversityHollins University
Hollins University is a four-year institution of higher education, a private university located on a campus on the border of Roanoke County, Virginia and Botetourt County, Virginia...
have a reciprocal borrowing agreement expanding the size of the library collection by another 300,000 items.
Special Programs
Roanoke has several special programs that bring distinguished visitors to the college.The Henry H. Fowler
Henry H. Fowler
Henry Hammill Fowler was an American lawyer and politician.Born in Roanoke, Virginia, he graduated from Roanoke College in 1929 and received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1932....
Public Affairs Lecture Series brings respected world leaders to campus. Guest lecturers have included former presidents Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
and Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
and Lawrence Eagleburger
Lawrence Eagleburger
Lawrence Sidney Eagleburger was an American statesman and former career diplomat, who served briefly as the United States Secretary of State under President George H. W. Bush. Previously, he had served in lesser capacities under Presidents Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H....
, former Polish president Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa is a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. A charismatic leader, he co-founded Solidarity , the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland between 1990 and 95.Wałęsa was an electrician...
, former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt
Helmut Schmidt
Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt is a German Social Democratic politician who served as Chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982. Prior to becoming chancellor, he had served as Minister of Defence and Minister of Finance. He had also served briefly as Minister of Economics and as acting...
, former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
, and numerous other diplomats and public officials. In addition, the Copenhaver Artist-in-Residence Program brings visiting artists to campus, including theatrical productions, while the Charles H. Fisher Lecture Series brings distinguished scientists to campus.
Upward BoundUpward BoundUpward Bound is a federally funded educational program within the United States. The program is one of a cluster of programs referred to as TRIO, all of which owe their existence to the federal Higher Education Act of 1965. Upward Bound programs are implemented and monitored by the United States...
The Roanoke College Upward Bound Program, one of the oldest TRIOTRIO (program)
The Federal TRIO Programs are federal outreach and student services programs in the United States designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. They are administered, funded, and implemented by the United States Department of Education...
programs, has been in existence since 1966 and is a highly successful college bound program which provides high school students with academic and cultural enrichment opportunities. The Roanoke College Upward Bound Program has served hundreds of students in the Roanoke area including Bedford County, Roanoke City, Roanoke County, and Salem City. Target area high schools include: Glenvar, Liberty, Northside, Patrick Henry, Salem, Staunton River and William Fleming. A mentoring program is also offered in addition to the summer component and academic year component.
Student Organizations
Roanoke has over 100 student organizations that provide learning experiences outside the classroom. Students may choose from academic, cultural, religious, service, and social organizations including nine Greek organizations.The Student Government Association at Roanoke exists to give students a voice in the administration. It is the highest level student organization. It is made up of an executive council (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer) and the Senate (21 members).
Student publications and media opportunities include the Brackety-Ack campus newspaper, a literary magazine titled On Concept's Edge, the Roanoke Review
Roanoke Review
Roanoke Review is an American literary journal based at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. It was founded in 1967 by Henry Taylor and Edward A. Tedeschi. Among the journal's original contributors were Malcolm Cowley, Lee Smith, and R.H.W. Dillard. Robert Walker is the current editor. Among the...
literary journal, and the student-operated radio station named WRKE-LP
WRKE-LP
WRKE-LP is an Variety formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Salem, Virginia, serving Salem and the westside of Roanoke, Virginia. WRKE-LP is owned and operated by Roanoke College.-History:...
. Intramural sports are also offered.
Organizations
Roanoke has recognized chapters of eight social Greek organizations.Fraternities:
- Kappa Alpha OrderKappa Alpha OrderKappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
(Beta Rho Chapter, established 1924, revived 1988) - Pi Kappa AlphaPi Kappa AlphaPi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
(Phi Chapter, established 1896, revived 2001) - Pi Kappa PhiPi Kappa PhiPi Kappa Phi is an American social fraternity. It was founded by Andrew Alexander Kroeg, Jr., Lawrence Harry Mixson, and Simon Fogarty, Jr. on December 10, 1904 at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina...
(Xi Chapter, established 1916, revived 2005) - Sigma ChiSigma ChiSigma 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...
(Tau Chapter, established 1872, revived 1923)
Sororities:
- Alpha Sigma AlphaAlpha Sigma AlphaAlpha Sigma Alpha is a US national sorority founded on November 15, 1901 at the Virginia State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia...
(Theta Beta Chapter, established 2002) - Chi OmegaChi OmegaChi 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....
(Pi Epsilon Chapter, established 1955) - Delta GammaDelta GammaDelta 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 Pi Chapter, established 1955) - Phi MuPhi MuPhi Mu is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States. It was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The organization was founded as the Philomathean Society on January 4, 1852, and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same year...
(Gamma Eta Chapter, established 1955)
Greek History
Roanoke has a long history of Greek organizations. The Black Badge Society, organized at Roanoke in 1859, was one of the earliest Greek organizations established in the SouthSouthern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. The fraternity became inactive at Roanoke in 1879, but had expanded to include chapters at eight other colleges and universities, the last of which became inactive in 1882.
In addition to the Black Badge Society, Roanoke's inactive fraternities include:
- Alpha Tau OmegaAlpha Tau OmegaAlpha 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...
(Epsilon Chapter, established 1869) - Phi Delta ThetaPhi Delta ThetaPhi 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...
(Virginia Alpha Chapter, established 1869) - Phi Gamma DeltaPhi Gamma DeltaThe 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...
(Beta Deuteron Chapter, established 1866) - Pi Lambda PhiPi Lambda PhiPi Lambda Phi International Fraternity Inc. is a college social fraternity with 35 active chapters and four colonies in the United States and Canada....
(Virginia Lambda Kappa Chapter, established 1959) - Sigma Phi EpsilonSigma Phi EpsilonSigma Phi Epsilon , commonly nicknamed SigEp or SPE, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College , and its national headquarters remains in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded on three principles: Virtue,...
(Virginia Gamma Chapter, established 1903)
Roanoke added sororities for the first time in 1955; the three organizations, Delta Gamma, Chi Omega, and Phi Mu, were housed in Bowman Hall for many years until they moved to Chesapeake Hall in 2006. In 2001, Alpha Sigma Alpha was added to the list of sororities on campus. Roanoke's newest Greek organization is Delta Sigma Theta, the college's first historically African-American sorority.
Housing
Roanoke's Greek organizations reside in college-owned housing. Roanoke's fraternity row, however, constructed in the 1960s, no longer houses the college's fraternities; the buildings have been converted into residence halls. The Greek organizations are now housed in various locations on the Roanoke campus. Kappa Alpha Order, Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Chi, and Alpha Sigma Alpha have houses. Delta Gamma, Chi Omega, Phi Mu, and Pi Kappa Phi occupy Chesapeake Hall, a new residence hall that opened in 2006; each organization has a floor in the four-story building.Student Participation
Roanoke's Greek organizations have a prominent role on campus, but are not dominant; approximately 25% of the Roanoke student body participates in Greek life. Freshmen students must wait until spring semester to join a fraternity or sorority. Roanoke has over 100 student organizations that provide many extracurricular opportunities other than Greek life.Quadrangles
Roanoke's campus is relatively self-contained with most academic buildings and residence halls built around two quadranglesQuadrangle (architecture)
In architecture, a quadrangle is a space or courtyard, usually rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building. The word is probably most closely associated with college or university campus architecture, but quadrangles may be found in other...
; the John R. Turbyfill Front Quad and the "Back Quad". Newer residence halls and athletic facilities form a partial outer ring around the traditional quads. The campus is lined with brick sidewalks and has been recognized for its landscaping and views of the surrounding mountains.
Architecture
The campus architecture is a blend of traditional and modern styles. The Administration Building, constructed in 1848 with bricks made on-site, and five other buildings, Miller Hall, Trout Hall, Bittle Hall, Francis T. West Hall, and Monterey House, are listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The Fintel Library, the Colket Student Center, and most residence halls have the traditional style of the older structures. Other newer buildings are more modern. These include Antrim Chapel, the science complex comprising Trexler Hall, Massengill Auditorium, and the Life Science Building, the fine arts building named F. W. Olin Hall, and the C. Homer Bast Physical Education and Recreational Center.
National Register of Historic Places
Six college buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Roanoke's four oldest buildings, listed as the Main Campus Complex, are the Administration building, constructed in 1848, Miller Hall, constructed in 1857, Trout Hall, constructed in 1867, and Bittle Hall, constructed in 1879. Francis T. West Hall (the former Roanoke County courthouse now named after a Roanoke alumnus), constructed in 1910, and Monterey House, constructed in 1853, are also listed.
Residence Halls
Approximately 70% of the student body resides on campus. Residence halls for freshman students include Bartlett Hall, Smith Hall, Crawford Hall, Marion Hall, Blue Ridge Hall, Shenandoah Hall, and Tabor Hall. Upperclass students reside in Afton Hall, Bowman Hall, Chalmers Hall, Wells Hall, Yonce Hall, Fox Hall, Catawba Hall, Augusta Hall, Caldwell Hall, Allegheny Hall, Ritter Hall, Chesapeake Hall, and Elizabeth Hall.Wells Hall, Yonce Hall, and Fox Hall, known collectively as "The Sections", are Roanoke's most notable residence halls. Located on the Back Quad, the buildings were constructed in six stages from 1910 to 1958.
President's House
The President's House is in a residential district approximately one-half mile north of the Roanoke campus on North Market Street. The colonial revival mansion, one of the largest private homes in the area, was constructed in the late 1930s. It was purchased in the mid-1950s by John P. Fishwick, president of the Norfolk and Western RailwayNorfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
and a Roanoke alumnus, and was acquired by the college in 1968. Presidents Kendig, Fintel, Gring, O'Hara, and Maxey have lived in the house.
In April 2011, the President's House and its garden were opened to the public during Virginia's Historic Garden Week
Historic Garden Week
A pioneering project of the Garden Club of Virginia, Historic Garden Week is a large house tour that runs for a week each April across the Commonwealth of Virginia. In its 78th year, the 2011 tour is of Virginia's most historic houses, as well as a sampling of other notable private residences...
. Selection of sites to participate is very competitive; only five Roanoke Valley
Roanoke Valley
The Roanoke Valley in southwest Virginia is an area adjacent to and including the Roanoke River between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Plateau to the west...
residences were featured in 2011.
Elizabeth Campus
Additional college facilities, mostly residence halls and athletic fields, are located on the site of the former Elizabeth CollegeElizabeth College, Virginia
Elizabeth College was a private Lutheran women's college in Charlotte, North Carolina and Salem, Virginia that operated between 1896 and 1922.Elizabeth, named after the wife of the earliest sponsor, was originally located in Charlotte where it operated alongside the Gerard Conservatory of Music...
, a Lutheran women's college that closed in 1922. The area, approximately two miles east of the main campus, is now referred to as Roanoke's "Elizabeth campus". Houses for Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
, Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
, and Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha is a US national sorority founded on November 15, 1901 at the Virginia State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia...
are on Elizabeth campus along with Elizabeth Hall, a large residence hall with apartments for non-freshman students.
College Avenue
Roanoke acquired three office buildings on College Avenue across from Francis T. West Hall in 2005 and 2006. The buildings have been renovated to provide classroom and office space for various college departments. With the acquisitions, the Roanoke campus occupies both sides of College Avenue from Main Street north to the traditional campus entrance.New Construction
With the opening of three new residence halls in 2005, Caldwell Hall, Allegheny Hall, and Ritter Hall, known collectively as "CAR", the Roanoke campus has more than 50 buildings. Chesapeake Hall, another new residence hall, opened in 2006.Trout Hall and Miller Hall, two of Roanoke's oldest buildings, reopened in 2005 and 2006 after complete renovation and a new campus entrance, highlighted by a large colonnade, opened in 2005.
Donald J. Kerr Stadium, a 2,000 seat multi-sport artificial turf athletic complex, opened in 2007. The artificial surface complements the college's natural surface athletic fields. The field is used primarily as the home venue of the men's and women's lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
teams, but is also suitable for soccer and field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
.
Roanoke opened the Market Street Complex in 2009; three existing residence halls, Blue Ridge Hall, Shenandoah Hall, and Tabor Hall, were renovated and enlarged to form the complex, which houses approximately 200 freshmen. Afton Hall, an apartment-style residence hall, was renovated in 2009 as well and is the home to approximately 50 upperclassmen.
Lucas Hall, an academic building constructed in 1941, reopened in 2010 after complete renovation and is Roanoke's first LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
certified building.
Current projects (as of June 2011) include construction of a new 200-bed residence hall and continued planning for a new recreation and athletics center. An eight-court competition tennis complex on the Elizabeth campus (re-located from the main campus) and a large parking lot on the main campus (replacing another lot that is the site of the new residence hall) have opened making land available for the planned buildings. In addition, Roanoke has purchased a significant number of private homes on Market Street adjacent to campus, which will provide land for future college growth.
Athletics
Roanoke is an NCAA Division IIINational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
school competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division III athletic conference. Its member schools are located primarily in Virginia, with other members in North Carolina and Washington, DC. Only the American Southwest Conference in Texas is larger in Division III. -History:The conference was...
. The college fields varsity teams (known as "Maroons"; the college's athletic colors are maroon and gray) in nine men's and ten women's sports. Roanoke is particularly noted for the strength of its men's lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
program and women's track and field.
History
Roanoke athletics began in 1870 when the college fielded its first baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team. The men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
program, added in 1911, received national recognition in 1939 when the team finished third in the National Invitational Tournament, the premiere postseason tournament of that era; and with more than 1,200 wins (almost 2,000 games played; better than 60% winning percentage over more than 90 years) is among the most successful in the nation. Frankie Allen, arguably the greatest men's basketball player in Virginia college history (2,780 points and 1,758 rebounds), graduated from Roanoke in 1971.
Roanoke teams have won two national championships: the 1972 NCAA Division II men's basketball championship
1972 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Tournament
The 1972 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Tournament involved 36 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college basketball as a culmination of the 1971-2 NCAA Division II men's basketball season...
and the 1978 Division II men's lacrosse championship. In 2001, Roanoke student Casey Smith won an individual national championship in the Division III women's 10,000m track and field event. In 2009, student Robin Yerkes secured Roanoke's fourth national championship when she won an individual championship in the Division III women's 400m track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
event. Yerkes is the most decorated athlete ever to graduate from Roanoke, earning 12 All-American honors in multiple events.
Roanoke teams have won 93 conference championships (as of May 2011; 44 in men's sports, 49 in women's sports) since the college joined the ODAC as a founding member in 1976. Roanoke has won more conference championships than any other ODAC school in men's lacrosse (17), women's basketball (13), women's lacrosse (10) and softball (7). Roanoke and Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden–Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1775, Hampden–Sydney is the oldest private charter college in the Southern U.S., the last college founded before the American Revolution, and one of only three four-year,...
are tied for the most conference championships in men's basketball (10).
Recent Achievements
2006–2007Roanoke completed the 2006–2007 academic year with three ODAC championships, women's indoor track and field, women's outdoor track and field, and men's lacrosse. Roanoke finished second in men's basketball, men's tennis, women's lacrosse, and women's cross country. In individual action, Roanoke students won the Virginia Division III golf tournament, the Virginia Division II/III women's cross country championship, and the ODAC men's cross country championship.
The men's and women's lacrosse teams advanced to the 2007 NCAA Division III tournament quarter-finals, both were defeated by the number #1 teams in the country. The men's team, after winning it fifteenth ODAC championship, ended the season with 15 wins, which for the third straight year, tied the college record for wins in a season. The women's team, after finishing second in the ODAC, ended its season with 15 wins as well, the second most in team history.
The women's outdoor track and field team finished second in the 4x100 relay event at the 2007 NCAA Division III tournament; the team set a new college and ODAC record with their NCAA second-place time.
2007–2008
Roanoke completed the 2007–2008 academic year with three ODAC championships, men's soccer, women's indoor track and field, and women's outdoor track and field. The track and field championships were Roanoke's third consecutive in each sport. Roanoke finished second in women's soccer and women's lacrosse.
The men's and women's soccer teams advanced to the 2007 NCAA Division III tournament. The men's team lost in the opening round; the women's team lost in the second round.
The women's outdoor track and field team finished second in the 4x100 relay event at the 2008 NCAA Division III tournament; the team finished second in 2007 as well. Overall, the team completed the tournament in fifth place with the highest point total and highest finish in Roanoke history.
Another significant achievement during the 2007–2008 academic year involved Susan Dunagan, head women's basketball coach who won her 500th game in November 2007. She is the ninth NCAA Division III head coach to win 500 games. Dunagan has coached at Roanoke since 1981 and has led the college to thirteen ODAC championships, the most by any school in conference history.
2008–2009
Roanoke completed the 2008–2009 academic year with a national championship and two ODAC championships. The national championship, Roanoke's fourth overall, was an individual championship by student Robin Yerkes in the Division III women's 400m track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
event. The ODAC championships were in women's outdoor track and field and women's lacrosse. The track and field championship was Roanoke's fourth consecutive in the sport. Roanoke also won ODAC regular season championships in men's soccer, women's basketball, and men's lacrosse. The men's soccer team finished second in the ODAC losing to Virginia Wesleyan College
Virginia Wesleyan College
Virginia Wesleyan College is a small Methodist liberal arts college on the border of Virginia Beach and Norfolk, Virginia offering a Bachelor of Arts in many disciplines and has added Bachelor of Science programs as well...
in the conference championship.
The men's and women's lacrosse teams advanced to the 2009 NCAA Division III tournament. Both lost in the second round. The men's team had a record-breaking season with a school record 17 wins and was ranked #1 in the country at the end of the regular season. The men lost the ODAC championship in overtime to rival Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
and then lost to Denison University
Denison University
Denison University is private, coeducational, and residential college of liberal arts and sciences founded in 1831. It is located in Granville, Ohio, United States, approximately 30 miles east of Columbus, the state capital...
in the NCAA tournament.
2009-2010
Roanoke completed the 2009-2010 academic year with two ODAC championships: women's outdoor track and field and men's lacrosse. The track and field championship was Roanoke's fifth straight in the sport. Roanoke also won its second straight ODAC regular season championship in women's basketball; the team advanced to the 2010 NCAA Division III tournament second round losing to Christopher Newport University
Christopher Newport University
Christopher Newport University, or CNU, is a public liberal arts university located in Newport News, Virginia, United States. CNU is the youngest comprehensive university in the Commonwealth of Virginia...
. The men's soccer team advanced to the ODAC championship game for the third consecutive year losing to Lynchburg College
Lynchburg College
Lynchburg College is a private college in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA, related by covenant to the Christian Church with approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The Princeton Review lists it as one of the 368 best colleges in the nation...
.
The men's lacrosse team advanced to the 2010 NCAA Division III tournament quarterfinals defeating Wittenberg University
Wittenberg University
Wittenberg University is a private four-year liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio serving 2,000 full-time students representing 37 states and approximately 30 foreign countries...
and Gettysburg College
Gettysburg College
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...
in the opening rounds before losing to Stevenson University. Roanoke was ranked fifth in the nation at the time of loss and was in the national quarterfinals for the nineteenth time in program history.
2010-2011
Roanoke completed the 2010-2011 academic year having won the ODAC championship in men's lacrosse; the college finished second in women's basketball, women's outdoor track and field, and women's lacrosse.
The men's lacrosse team advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament semifinals defeating Colorado College
Colorado College
The Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell...
, Gettysburg College
Gettysburg College
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...
, and Stevenson University before losing to Salisbury University
Salisbury University
Salisbury University is a public university in Salisbury, Maryland.According to U.S. News and World Report's 2009 America's Best Colleges index, "In guidebooks and surveys by U.S...
, ranked first in the nation. Roanoke was ranked seventh in the nation at the time of the loss and was in the national semifinals for the ninth time in program history; the team ended the season with 17 wins for the third consecutive season.
Teams
Roanoke teams compete in the following sports:- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, Men's - BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, Women's - Cross-Country, Men's
- Cross-Country, Women's
- Field HockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- LacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
, Men's - LacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
, Women's - Soccer, Men's
- Soccer, Women's
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, Men's - TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, Women's - Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
(Indoor), Men's - Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
(Indoor), Women's - Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
(Outdoor), Men's - Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
(Outdoor), Women's - VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
Football
Roanoke's footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
program was discontinued during World War II
World War II
World 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...
after more than 60 years of competition. Initially a club sport, the first varsity
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
game occurred in 1892 against Allegheny Institute. The final game was a 42–0 loss to Catawba College
Catawba College
Catawba College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in Salisbury, North Carolina, USA. Founded in 1851 by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in Newton, the college adopted its name from its county of origin, Catawba County, before moving to its current home of Salisbury...
on November 13, 1942.
In 1985, the Salem
Salem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,802 according to 2010 U.S. Census...
city government constructed an 8,000 seat stadium adjacent to Roanoke's "Elizabeth campus", two miles from the main campus, location of athletic fields and residence halls. Constructed for Salem's public high school
Secondary education in the United States
In most jurisdictions, secondary education in the United States refers to the last six or seven years of statutory formal education. Secondary education is generally split between junior high school or middle school, usually beginning with sixth or seventh grade , and high school, beginning with...
, many hoped the college would revive its football program and that the team would play in the stadium, but the college declined. The stadium hosts the annual NCAA Division III football championship even though Roanoke does not compete in the sport.
Rivalries
Roanoke and Washington and Lee UniversityWashington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
have maintained a somewhat intense rivalry for more than a century. The rivalry, strongest in men's basketball and men's lacrosse, is fueled by a long history of athletic contests; the schools have competed since the 1870s. The rivalry is also influenced by conference affiliation and geography; the schools are charter members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division III athletic conference. Its member schools are located primarily in Virginia, with other members in North Carolina and Washington, DC. Only the American Southwest Conference in Texas is larger in Division III. -History:The conference was...
and are located within an hour drive of each other on Interstate 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
. Both schools traditionally have nationally ranked men's lacrosse teams; Roanoke and Washington and Lee are usually ranked in the top ten when meeting late in the season.
In addition to Washington and Lee University, contests with Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden–Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1775, Hampden–Sydney is the oldest private charter college in the Southern U.S., the last college founded before the American Revolution, and one of only three four-year,...
, and Randolph-Macon College
Randolph-Macon College
Randolph–Macon College is a private, co-educational liberal arts college located in Ashland, Virginia, United States, near the capital city of Richmond. Founded in 1830, the school has an enrollment of over 1,200 students...
draw the most attention in men's sports. Bridgewater College
Bridgewater College
Bridgewater College, is a private, coeducational, four-year liberal-arts college located in Bridgewater, Virginia, a town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States...
and Lynchburg College
Lynchburg College
Lynchburg College is a private college in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA, related by covenant to the Christian Church with approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The Princeton Review lists it as one of the 368 best colleges in the nation...
draw attention in women's sports. All are members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division III athletic conference. Its member schools are located primarily in Virginia, with other members in North Carolina and Washington, DC. Only the American Southwest Conference in Texas is larger in Division III. -History:The conference was...
.
Roanoke and Virginia Tech were rivals in the late 19th century and early 20th century when Virginia Tech was a small college. In 1877, the schools competed in Virginia Tech's first intercollegiate baseball game (Virginia Tech won 53-13); and in 1896, Virginia Tech first wore its current athletic colors—maroon and burnt orange—in a football game against Roanoke. In 1895, Roanoke and Virginia Tech were charter members of the now defunct Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Association along with Randolph-Macon College
Randolph-Macon College
Randolph–Macon College is a private, co-educational liberal arts college located in Ashland, Virginia, United States, near the capital city of Richmond. Founded in 1830, the school has an enrollment of over 1,200 students...
, the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
, and the College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
; and in 1926, Roanoke and Virginia Tech played the inaugural football game at Virginia Tech's Miles Stadium
Miles Stadium
Miles Stadium was a stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. It was primarily used for American football, and was the home field of Virginia Tech's football team from 1926 to 1964. The team moved to Lane Stadium in 1965. Miles Stadium...
.
School Colors
Roanoke has two sets of school colorsSchool colors
School colors are the colors chosen by a school to represent it on uniforms and other items of identification. Most schools have two colors, which are usually chosen to avoid conflicts with other schools with which the school competes in sports and other activities...
, blue and gold for academic use and maroon and gray for athletic use. This dates to 1907 when the baseball team needed new uniforms, but could not obtain any in blue and gold. Maroon and gray uniforms were purchased as a substitute. Within a few years, maroon and gray were adopted as Roanoke's official athletic colors. The college athletic nickname
Athletic nickname
The athletic nickname, or equivalently athletic moniker, of a university or college within the United States is the name officially adopted by that institution for at least the members of its athletic teams...
became Maroons as well. In recent years, black has been added as an accent color so Roanoke athletic uniforms are often maroon, gray, and black.
Nickname and Mascot
Roanoke's athletic nicknameAthletic nickname
The athletic nickname, or equivalently athletic moniker, of a university or college within the United States is the name officially adopted by that institution for at least the members of its athletic teams...
is Maroons and the mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is Rooney, a maroon-tailed hawk. The mascot was revealed on April 17, 2009 during annual alumni weekend festivities. Roanoke has competed as the Maroons for over 100 years, but it was only a color without a mascot to represent the college.
In the press
In March 2011, the Princeton Review announced Roanoke will be included in "The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 Edition", which will be available in bookstores in August 2011. The listing represents the top ten percent of all colleges and universities in the United States and recognizes Roanoke's advancement as a national liberal arts college. The Princeton Review previously listed Roanoke among the "Best in the Southeast".U.S. News and World Report ranks Roanoke as an Up and Coming National Liberal Arts College (in 2011, ranked 7th tied with the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
) while the Templeton Guide names Roanoke as a college that encourages character development. In 2006, Men's Fitness
Men's Fitness
Men's Fitness is a men's magazine published by American Media, Inc and founded in the United States in 1987. The premier issue featured Michael Pare from the television series The Greatest American Hero....
magazine named Roanoke the 19th "fittest campus" in the United States.
In 2005, George Keller
George Keller (academic)
George Keller was an American scholar of higher education, Professor of Higher-Education Studies at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, from which he retired in 1994....
, a noted American expert on higher education, authored Prologue to Prominence, A Half Century at Roanoke College. Published by Lutheran University Press, the book documents the college's academic and financial success over the past half century. Other books about Roanoke College include The First Hundred Years, Roanoke College 1842–1942 by William E. Eisenberg and Dear Ole Roanoke, a Sesquicentennial Portrait, 1842–1992 by Dr. Mark F. Miller. The books were written as a part of the college's centennial and sesquicentennial celebrations.
Campus Activities Magazine named Roanoke the "2009 Campus of the Year" in recognition of the college's social and academic programs. Roanoke was selected over four other finalists, Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
, Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, and Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
.
Business
- D. R. "Dee" Carpenter - vice president, Landmark PublishingLandmark CommunicationsLandmark Media Enterprises LLC is a privately held media company headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia specializing in cable television, broadcast television, print publishing, and internet publishing...
; past president and publisher of The Virginian Pilot - Warner N. Dalhouse - vice chairman (ret), First Union National Bank
- Frank W. DeFriece, Jr. - president (ret), S.E. Massengill Company
- John P. Fishwick - president (ret), Norfolk and Western RailwayNorfolk and Western RailwayThe Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
- John T. Lupton - one of three partners who obtained exclusive bottling rights for Coca-ColaCoca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
; a founder of the first Coca-Cola Bottling Company - John McAfeeJohn McAfeeJohn McAfee is a computer programmer and founder of McAfee. He was one of the first people to design anti-virus software and to develop a virus scanner. He was born in England and raised in Salem, Virginia...
- software entrepreneur; founder of McAfeeMcAfeeMcAfee, Inc. is a computer security company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA. It markets software and services to home users, businesses and the public sector. On August 19, 2010, electronics company Intel agreed to purchase McAfee for $7.68 billion... - John A. MulherenJohn A. MulherenJohn A. Mulheren, Jr. was an American financier and philanthropist.-Biography:...
- Wall StreetWall StreetWall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
trader and philanthropist; provided funding for the construction of several Roanoke College buildings - Jay Piccola - president, PUMA AGPUMA AGPuma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
North America - Albert L. Prillaman - chairman (ret), Stanley Furniture Corporation
- David C. RobinsonDavid C. RobinsonDavid C. Robinson is an American film producer. He is vice president of Morgan Creek Productions, a Los Angeles studio founded and owned by his father, James G. Robinson, chairman and CEO....
- movie producer; vice president, Morgan Creek ProductionsMorgan Creek ProductionsMorgan Creek Productions is an American film studio that has released box-office hits like Young Guns, Dead Ringers, Major League, True Romance, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The King and I, The Crush, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and others. The studio was co-founded in 1987 by James G... - William T. Ross, Sr. - assistant vice president (ret), Norfolk and Western RailwayNorfolk and Western RailwayThe Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
- Stuart T. SaundersStuart T. SaundersStuart Thomas Saunders was an American railroad executive.Saunders served as president of the Norfolk and Western Railway, one of the nation's most profitable, from 1958 to 1963...
- founding chairman, Penn Central Railroad; appeared on the cover of TimeTime (magazine)Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
in 1968 - John S. Shannon - executive vice president (ret), Norfolk Southern Corporation
- John R. Turbyfill - vice chairman (ret), Norfolk Southern Corporation; long-time chairman of Roanoke's board of trustees and namesake of the college's John R. Turbyfill Front Quad
Education
- Frankie Allen - arguably the greatest men's basketball player in VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
college history; head men's basketball coach, University of Maryland Eastern ShoreUniversity of Maryland Eastern ShoreUniversity of Maryland Eastern Shore located on 776 acres in Princess Anne, Maryland, United States, is part of the University System of Maryland...
; former head men's basketball coach, Virginia Tech, Tennessee State UniversityTennessee State UniversityTennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
, and Howard UniversityHoward UniversityHoward University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
; 1993 NCAA Division I national coach of the year - Donald Armentrout - author and long-time professor of religion, University of the South
- Denvy A. Bowman - president, Capital UniversityCapital UniversityCapital University is a private liberal arts university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Bexley, Ohio, founded in 1830. In addition to its rigorous liberal arts program, the university also offers a reputable adult degree program in Columbus, Ohio. It is one of the oldest...
- M. Paul Capp - professor emeritus of radiology, University of ArizonaUniversity of ArizonaThe University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
; executive director (ret), The American Board of RadiologyRadiologyRadiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases... - Eldridge H. Copenhaver - past president, Marion CollegeMarion College, VirginiaMarion College was a Lutheran junior women's college that operated in Marion, Virginia from 1873 to 1967.Roanoke College, a sister Lutheran college, adopted Marion's alumnae and maintains their records. Marion's alumnae have a reunion every other year on the Roanoke campus...
- R. H. W. DillardR. H. W. DillardRichard Henry Wilde Dillard is an American poet, author, critic, and translator.Born in Roanoke, Virginia, Dillard is best known as a poet. He is also highly-regarded as a writer of fiction and critical essays, as well as one of the screenwriters for the cult classic Frankenstein Meets the Space...
- award-winning poet and author; long-time professor of English and creative writing at Hollins UniversityHollins UniversityHollins University is a four-year institution of higher education, a private university located on a campus on the border of Roanoke County, Virginia and Botetourt County, Virginia... - Charles H. Fisher - author of more than 200 publications and holder of 72 patentPatentA patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
s in the fields of organicOrganic chemistryOrganic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
and polymerPolymer chemistryPolymer chemistry or macromolecular chemistry is a multidisciplinary science that deals with the chemical synthesis and chemical properties of polymers or macromolecules. According to IUPAC recommendations, macromolecules refer to the individual molecular chains and are the domain of chemistry...
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.... - Kenneth R. Garren - president, Lynchburg CollegeLynchburg CollegeLynchburg College is a private college in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA, related by covenant to the Christian Church with approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The Princeton Review lists it as one of the 368 best colleges in the nation...
- Carl W. GottschalkCarl W. GottschalkCarl William Gottschalk was the Kenan Professor and Distinguished Research Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill...
- professor of medicine, University of North CarolinaUniversity of North CarolinaChartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
; notable kidneyKidneyThe kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
researcher - Dolphus E. Henry - past president, Tusculum CollegeTusculum CollegeTusculum College is a coeducational private college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church , with its main campus in Tusculum, Tennessee, United States, a suburb of Greeneville...
- Cornelius T. Jordan - past president, New Mexico State UniversityNew Mexico State UniversityNew Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
- Charles B. King - past president, Elizabeth CollegeElizabeth College, VirginiaElizabeth College was a private Lutheran women's college in Charlotte, North Carolina and Salem, Virginia that operated between 1896 and 1922.Elizabeth, named after the wife of the earliest sponsor, was originally located in Charlotte where it operated alongside the Gerard Conservatory of Music...
- Lewis R. Lancaster - BuddhistBuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
scholar; professor emeritus, University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
; past president, University of the WestUniversity of the WestThe University of the West is a university in Rosemead, California. It was founded in 1991 by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, founder of the Taiwan-based Buddhist order Fo Guang Shan and Hsi Lai Temple, the North American order headquarters... - Robert Lineburg - athletic director, Radford UniversityRadford UniversityRadford University is one of Virginia's eight doctoral-degree granting public universities. Originally founded in 1910, Radford offers comprehensive curricula for undergraduates in more than 100 fields, and graduate programs including the M.F.A., M.B.A...
; former interim head men's basketball coach, Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church... - Vernon MountcastleVernon MountcastleVernon Benjamin Mountcastle is Professor Emeritus of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University.He discovered and characterized the columnar organization of the cerebral cortex in the 1950s...
- neuroscientistNeuroscientistA neuroscientist is an individual who studies the scientific field of neuroscience or any of its related sub-fields...
who discovered and characterized the columnar organizationCortical columnA cortical column, also called hypercolumn or sometimes cortical module, is a group of neurons in the brain cortex which can be successively penetrated by a probe inserted perpendicularly to the cortical surface, and which have nearly identical receptive fields...
of the cerebral cortexCerebral cortexThe cerebral cortex is a sheet of neural tissue that is outermost to the cerebrum of the mammalian brain. It plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness. It is constituted of up to six horizontal layers, each of which has a different... - David W. Peters - past president, Radford UniversityRadford UniversityRadford University is one of Virginia's eight doctoral-degree granting public universities. Originally founded in 1910, Radford offers comprehensive curricula for undergraduates in more than 100 fields, and graduate programs including the M.F.A., M.B.A...
- Miller A. F. Ritchie - past president, Hartwick CollegeHartwick CollegeHartwick College is a non-denominational, private, four-year liberal arts and sciences college located in Oneonta, New York, in the United States. The institution was founded as Hartwick Seminary in 1797 through the will of John Christopher Hartwick, and is now known as Hartwick College...
and Pacific UniversityPacific UniversityPacific University is a private university located in Oregon, United States. The first campus began more than 160 years ago and is located about 38 km west of Portland in Forest Grove... - James A. B. Scherer - past president, Newberry CollegeNewberry CollegeNewberry College is a liberal-arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located on a historic campus in Newberry, South Carolina.The college has 1,025 students and a 19:1 student-teacher ratio...
and Throop College of TechnologyCalifornia Institute of TechnologyThe California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
now named California Institute of TechnologyCalifornia Institute of TechnologyThe California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering... - Hillary Scott - head men's basketball coach, Lynchburg CollegeLynchburg CollegeLynchburg College is a private college in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA, related by covenant to the Christian Church with approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The Princeton Review lists it as one of the 368 best colleges in the nation...
; former assistant head men's basketball coach, East Tennessee State UniversityEast Tennessee State UniversityEast Tennessee State University is an accredited American university located in Johnson City, Tennessee. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents system of colleges and universities, the nation's sixth largest system of public education, and is the fourth largest university in the state...
and Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvania State UniversityThe Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service... - Surh Beung Kiu - the first KoreaKoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n to graduate from an American college; Roanoke class of 1898 - Carol Miller SwainCarol Miller SwainCarol M. Swain is an American political scientist and Professor of Law and Political Science at Vanderbilt University. She is an expert on race relations, immigration, black leadership, representation, evangelical politics and the Constitution. Her most recent book is Be the People: A Call to...
- African-American author; 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...
nominee in 2002; professor at Vanderbilt UniversityVanderbilt UniversityVanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
and board member of the National Endowment for the HumanitiesNational Endowment for the HumanitiesThe National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent federal agency of the United States established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The NEH is located at... - David F. Thornton - senior development officer, Harvard Law SchoolHarvard Law SchoolHarvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
- Munsey S. Wheby - professor of internal medicine, University of VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
; past president, American College of PhysiciansAmerican College of PhysiciansThe American College of Physicians is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine —physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illnesses in adults. With 130,000 members, ACP is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in...
Government
- Frederick C. BoucherRick BoucherFrederick Carlyle "Rick" Boucher is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
- United States RepresentativeUnited 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...
, Virginia's 9th congressional districtVirginia's 9th congressional districtVirginia's ninth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia, covering much of the southwestern part of the state. The 9th is Virginia's second-largest district in area, covering 8800.24 square miles . The current representative is Morgan Griffith...
, 1983-2011 - Walter M. DennyWalter M. DennyWalter McKennon Denny was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi.Born in Moss Point, Mississippi, Denny attended the common schools and Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia....
- United States Representative, Mississippi's 6th congressional districtMississippi's 6th congressional districtMississippi's 6th congressional district existed from 1873 to 1963. It was created after the 1870 census and abolished following the 1960 census.-List of representatives:-References:*...
, 1895-1897 - Henry H. FowlerHenry H. FowlerHenry Hammill Fowler was an American lawyer and politician.Born in Roanoke, Virginia, he graduated from Roanoke College in 1929 and received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1932....
- United States Treasury Secretary, 1965-1968 - Donald H. Kent, Jr. - Assistant Secretary, United States Department of Homeland SecurityUnited States Department of Homeland SecurityThe United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
, 2006-2008 - Kim Kyu-shik - KoreaKoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n independence leader; represented Korea at the Paris peace conference at the end of World War I - James W. MarshallJames William Marshall (politician)James William Marshall served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia.Marshall was born near Staunton, Virginia, in Augusta County....
- United States Representative, Virginia's 9th congressional districtVirginia's 9th congressional districtVirginia's ninth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia, covering much of the southwestern part of the state. The 9th is Virginia's second-largest district in area, covering 8800.24 square miles . The current representative is Morgan Griffith...
, 1893-1895 - George Warwick McClinticGeorge Warwick McClinticGeorge Warwick McClintic was a United States federal judge.Born in Pocohontas County, West Virginia, McClintic received an A.B. from Roanoke College in 1883 and an LL.B. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1886. He was in private practice in Charleston, West Virginia from 1888 to 1921...
- Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of West VirginiaUnited States District Court for the Southern District of West VirginiaThe United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia is a trial-level federal court. Decisions from the Court may be appealed to the Fourth Circuit Fourth Circuit, except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to...
, 1921-1942 - Park Hee ByungPark Hee ByungPark Hee Byung was a Korean independence activist and one of the first Korean immigrants to the U.S. state of Colorado.-Life and death:...
- KoreaKoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n independence leader; worked to end the Japanese annexation of Korea - E. J. Pipkin - member, Maryland State SenateMaryland State SenateThe Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland...
; 2004 candidate for 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... - Richard Harding PoffRichard Harding PoffRichard Harding Poff was an American politician and judge. He was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1952, representing Virginia's Sixth District...
- United States Representative, Virginia's 6th congressional districtVirginia's 6th congressional districtVirginia's sixth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It covers all or part of Shenandoah, Rockingham, Highland, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Rockbridge, Botetourt, Roanoke and Amherst Counties. The current representative is Bob Goodlatte...
, 1953-1972; Justice, Supreme Court of Virginia, 1972-1988 - Gilbert A. Robinson - career diplomat; awarded personal Ambassador rank by President Ronald Reagan; coordinated the Nixon-Khrushchev Kitchen DebateKitchen DebateThe Kitchen Debate was a series of impromptu exchanges between then U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev at the opening of the American National Exhibition at Sokolniki Park in Moscow on July 24, 1959. For the exhibition, an entire house was built that the...
- Robert P. Spellane - member, Massachusetts House of RepresentativesMassachusetts House of RepresentativesThe Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
- Frank S. Tavenner, Jr.Frank S. Tavenner, Jr.Frank S. Tavenner, Jr. was born in Woodstock, Virginia in 1895. He took an A.B. degree at Roanoke College in 1916, an A.M. at Princeton University in 1917, and an LL.B at the University of Virginia Law School in 1927, after which he began the practice of law in his home town. His father, F.S...
- United States AttorneyUnited States AttorneyUnited States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
, United States District Court for the Western District of VirginiaUnited States District Court for the Western District of VirginiaThe United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia is a United States district court.Appeals from the Western District of Virginia are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit The United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia (in...
, 1940-1945 - James C. TurkJames Clinton TurkJames Clinton Turk is a United States federal judge.Born in Roanoke County, Virginia, Turk was a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army during World War II, from 1943 to 1946. He received an A.B. from Roanoke College in 1949. He received an LL.B. from Washington and Lee University School of Law...
- Judge, United States District Court for the Western District of VirginiaUnited States District Court for the Western District of VirginiaThe United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia is a United States district court.Appeals from the Western District of Virginia are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit The United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia (in... - James P. WoodsJames P. WoodsJames Pleasant Woods was a U.S. Representative from Virginia.Born near Roanoke, Virginia, Woods attended the common schools.He graduated from Roanoke College in 1892....
- United States Representative, Virginia's 6th congressional districtVirginia's 6th congressional districtVirginia's sixth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It covers all or part of Shenandoah, Rockingham, Highland, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Rockbridge, Botetourt, Roanoke and Amherst Counties. The current representative is Bob Goodlatte...
, 1918-1923
Other
- Jay AlaimoJay AlaimoJay Alaimo is an American film director, writer and producer.He graduated from Roanoke College where he was a member of Alpha Psi Omega.-Career:...
- film directorFilm directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and producerFilm producerA film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The... - Rob BalderRob BalderRobert T. Balder is a professional cartoonist, singer/songwriter, game designer and web entrepreneur. He graduated from Roanoke College with a major in English in 1993, and after a variety of jobs, entered a seven year career in IT, starting as a Manager of Database Development, which he left for...
- professional cartoonist, singer/songwriter, game designer and web entrepreneur, creator of ErfworldErfworldErfworld is a story-driven fantasy/comedy webcomic about a master strategy gamer stuck in a wargame. The first book, The Battle for Gobwin Knob was written by Rob Balder and illustrated by Jamie Noguchi. It was recognized as one of the top 10 graphic novels of 2007 by Time Magazine. The second... - Sean Burch - the first Virginian to summit Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
(2003); set world records for the fastest ascents of Mount KilimanjaroMount KilimanjaroKilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
(2005) and Mount FujiMount Fujiis the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
(2009) - Charles E. Davis, Jr. - surgeonSurgeonIn medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
, past president of the Medical Society of Virginia - W. A. R. Goodwin - rector of Bruton Parish ChurchBruton Parish ChurchBruton Parish Church is located in the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. It was established in 1674 in the Virginia Colony, and remains an active Episcopal parish.-History of Bruton Parish Church:...
who assisted John D. Rockefeller, Jr.John D. Rockefeller, Jr.John Davison Rockefeller, Jr. was a major philanthropist and a pivotal member of the prominent Rockefeller family. He was the sole son among the five children of businessman and Standard Oil industrialist John D. Rockefeller and the father of the five famous Rockefeller brothers...
with the restoration of Colonial WilliamsburgColonial WilliamsburgColonial Williamsburg is the private foundation representing the historic district of the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. The district includes buildings dating from 1699 to 1780 which made colonial Virginia's capital. The capital straddled the boundary of the original shires of Virginia —...
; known as the "Father of Colonial Williamsburg" - John PayneJohn Payne (actor)John Payne was an American film actor who is mainly remembered as a singer in 20th Century Fox musical films, and for his leading roles in Miracle on 34th Street and the NBC western television series The Restless Gun.-Background:Payne was born in Roanoke, Virginia...
- actor, star of the NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
series The Restless GunThe Restless GunThe Restless Gun is a western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is an idealistic person who prefers peaceful resolutions of conflict...
(1957-1959) - Theodore SchneiderTheodore SchneiderTheodore F. Schneider was the second bishop of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He was elected bishop by the 1995 Synod Assembly, and was reelected by the 2001 Synod Assembly. His term ended in 2007....
- BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. SynodMetropolitan Washington, D.C. SynodThe Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod is a synod, or diocese, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . The synod consists of all ELCA congregations in Washington, D.C...
, Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaEvangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
, 1995–2007 - Frank Vest, Jr. - BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern VirginiaEpiscopal Diocese of Southern Virginia-General information:Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America located in the southeast area of Virginia. It is in Province III...
, 1991–1998
Roanoke and the Railway
The Norfolk and Western RailwayNorfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
, now Norfolk Southern Corporation, has provided career opportunities for many Roanoke alumni; the NWR was headquartered in Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
until 1982 and is a major employer in western Virginia. Roanoke graduates who have advanced to leadership positions include Stuart T. Saunders
Stuart T. Saunders
Stuart Thomas Saunders was an American railroad executive.Saunders served as president of the Norfolk and Western Railway, one of the nation's most profitable, from 1958 to 1963...
and John P. Fishwick, former presidents of the NWR; John R. Turbyfill, retired vice-chairman, NSC; John S. Shannon, retired executive vice president, NSC; and William T. Ross, Sr., retired assistant vice president, NWR.
Roanoke has strong historic ties to the railway due in part to its alumni connections. The NWR named a Pullman
Pullman (car or coach)
In the United States, Pullman was used to refer to railroad sleeping cars which were built and operated on most U.S. railroads by the Pullman Company from 1867 to December 31, 1968....
car "Roanoke College" in honor of the college and Fishwick's Salem
Salem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,802 according to 2010 U.S. Census...
residence is now the college President's House. Saunders and Turbyfill served as chairman of Roanoke's board of trustees. In 2007, David R. Goode
David R. Goode
David R. Goode is the retired Chairman, President, and CEO of Norfolk Southern Corporation . Other directorships: Caterpillar Inc.; Delta Air Lines, Inc.; Georgia-Pacific Corporation; Norfolk Southern Railway, and Texas Instruments Incorporated. Goode has been a director of Caterpillar since 1993...
, retired chairman, NSC, endowed Roanoke's Center for Learning and Teaching in honor of his father, sister, and brother-in-law, all Roanoke graduates.