Western State College of Colorado is a four-year public liberal arts college located in Gunnison, Colorado. The enrollment stands at about 2400 students with a high percentage, one-fourth, from out of state. The far flung appeal for some students is found in the idyllic mountains and ski slopes. The most popular majors at Western are business, art, recreation, biology, environmental studies, and outdoor leadership. Within the advanced science department, 78% of the staff have a doctorate degree. Western also offers a state of the art petroleum geology program, founded and funded by Western State College alumni donations. The college's home town of Gunnison is located 30 minutes south of Crested Butte. The college also has one of the oldest collegiate radio stations in the state with 91.1 KWSB, which has been on the air since 1968.
[edit] History
The college was originally founded as The Colorado State Normal School for Children by a bill signed on April 16, 1901 by Governor James B. Orman. In 1923, the college's name was changed to Western State College because its role expanded from a teaching institution to a liberal arts college. Western State College was the first public college west of the Mississippi River to be designated a liberal arts college.
[edit] Athletics
Western State College competes in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division II level, and competes in 11 sports with football, volleyball, men's cross country, women's cross country, men's basketball, women's basketball, wrestling, men's indoor track and field, women's indoor track and field, men's outdoor track and field and women's outdoor track and field. The men's and women's indoor/outdoor track and field program in addition to the cross country program has been particularly successful, producing numerous team national championships including many individual national champions and All-Americans. The athletic department has combined for 15 national championships and 89 RMAC championships since 1911. The Mountaineers have had 88 individuals win national championships between skiing, swimming, track and field, cross country and wrestling.
Facilities include Mountaineer Bowl (elevation 7,769 feet) and Paul Wright Gym (elevation 7,723), which are both the highest collegiate facilities in the world.
[edit] Culture
In 1994, the school commissioned Santa Fe sculptors Gene and Rebecca Tobey to create a new work for the campus. The result was Pathfinder, a six-foot-tall bronze bull elk, which students had a custom of kissing for good luck during exams. [1]
[edit] References
- ^ McGarry, Susan Hallsten. Partners in Art: Gene and Rebecca Tobey, p. 260. Fresco Fine Art Publications, 2007. ISBN 978-1934491027
[edit] External links
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- † wrestling-only member
- ‡ non-football member
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