Messiah University
| File:Messiahcollegelogo.gif | |
| Motto | Christ Preeminent |
|---|---|
| Type | Private Christian Liberal Arts |
| Established | 1909 |
| Endowment | US$127 million[1] |
| President | Dr. Kim S. Phipps |
Academic staff | 170 full-time, 127 part-time |
| Undergraduates | 2,900 |
| Location | , , |
| Campus | Suburban, 485 acres (1.96 km2) |
| Student Groups | 60+ |
| Colors | Navy and White |
| Affiliations | Christian College Consortium Middle Atlantic Corporation Council for Christian Colleges and Universities |
| Mascot | The Falcon |
| Website | www.messiah.edu/ |
Messiah College is a private Christian liberal arts college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences with approximately 3,000 undergraduate students in over 60 majors/courses of study, located in south central Pennsylvania in the United States. The campus is in the unincorporated village of Grantham in Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County, about 20 minutes south-west of Harrisburg. It was founded in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church as the Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home.
Messiah's mission is to "educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character, and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society." The college's motto is "Christ Preeminent."
History
Messiah College was founded in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church, and was originally called Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home. The school moved from Harrisburg to its current location in 1911. In 1921 it became a junior college and changed its name to Messiah Bible School. By the 1950s the school offered four year college programs, and changed its name to Messiah College. Messiah discontinued its high school program in 1959 and added liberal arts programs during this period. It was accredited in 1963, and continued to expand its liberal arts programs. In 1968 Messiah College opened its Philadelphia Campus in a unique partnership with Temple University.[2]
Messiah continues to be influenced by its traditions primarily in the Anabaptist, but also the pietist and Wesleyan holiness movements. President Kim S. Phipps is one of only two female Presidents at a Christian college or university.[citation needed]
In 2007, Messiah College's Harrisburg Institute was founded in downtown Harrisburg, PA. Its purpose is to serve as an academic and research center and connect students with the unique needs of an urban environment. The Institute also provides housing for up to 25 students.
Academics
Messiah College offers over 60 majors in five schools. The schools are Arts; Education and Social Sciences; Health and Natural Sciences; Humanities; and Mathematics, Engineering, and Business. In addition to major requirements, there is a general education curriculum, required for all students. General education requirements include but are not limited to Bible courses, a philosophy, a literature, a social science, an art course, a world views class, physical education courses, first year and senior seminars, and a newly added class called Created and Called for Community.
In 1963 the College was accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.[1] Academic programs in engineering, dietetics, nursing, athletic training, music, social work, and education are each accredited by the appropriate professional associations.
Messiah College uses the 4-1-3 academic calendar system where the academic year is divided into Fall, January and Spring terms. The January term, or J-term, is a three and a half week period where students can choose to take one or two courses intensively, participate in a cross cultural study program, sign up for the popular Skiing and Snowboarding class or simply stay home for an extended vacation.
Messiah College is named by the U.S. News and World Report as one of the top five best colleges for comprehensive bachelor's degrees in the North.[2]
External programs and affiliations
Messiah College maintains a small satellite campus, known to students as the Messiah College Philly Campus or MCPC, on Broad Street in North Philadelphia. The campus is an academic partnership with Temple University and, as a collaboration between a small liberal arts college and a large research university, is essentially unique in American higher education.[citation needed]
Messiah College is a member of the Christian College Consortium and Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
Athletics
The Messiah College Falcons compete in NCAA Division III athletics with 22 different intercollegiate athletic teams. Messiah is a member of the Middle Atlantic Corporation. Winning is nothing out of the ordinary for the men's and women's soccer teams, both of which won the NCAA Division III National Championship in 2005. The men's team won the National Championship in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006. The women's field hockey team[3] has appeared in the NCAA division III finals six times.
In 2008, the women's basketball team finished as national runner-ups in the NCAA title game. [3]
The college mascot is the Falcon, which was given the name Fandango in 2006.[4]
Spiritual life
The Community Covenant
Students at Messiah College are required to sign the community covenant upon entering. The document states that every person is created in the image of God, and that there are certain responsibilities of living in community that must also be assumed in relation to God, others, and his creation.
First and foremost, the Community Covenant affirms belief in God and the Bible. Specifically, the Community Covenant requires commitment to academic integrity, responsible decision making in light of Christian values, and balancing personal freedom with concern for others. Practically, the Covenant bans the usage of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. It also prescribes the avoidance of drunkenness, stealing, dishonesty, profanity, and sexual immorality. The Covenant also prohibits certain attitudes, such as greed, lust, and jealousy, but admits that these attributes are typically expressed less outwardly.
The text of the Covenant can be found on Messiah College's website.
Chapel
There is a wide variety in the content of chapel. Speakers often come from outside the college, and talk about theological, social, and cultural topics. The music varies greatly from service to service as well, from hymns to African praise songs. The mission of Chapel reads:
- "Chapel at Messiah College is a central expression of our identity as a community of Christians with a deep commitment to spiritual growth and academic excellence.
- In chapel we seek to nurture holistic Christian faith through:
- worship that expresses our faith with a full range of contemporary and traditional form
- teaching that connects God's Word and our world
- community building that affirms our common identity in Christ and celebrates our diversity"
Students are required to attend 24 chapel services each semester.
Each student is required to have twelve common chapels, however the rest of the necessary 24 can be fulfilled through alternate chapels on a variety of different topics ranging from discussion forums to videos to special speakers.
Student Activities
Students sometimes complain of lack of night life in Grantham and pass the time by joining intramural sports leagues, participating in various clubs, watching on-campus movies, and hanging out at local diners among other things. Underclassmen also participate in floor activities organized by their RAs. The Student Government Association funds 40+ organizations on campus that aim at providing for a co-curricular atmosphere conducive to a holistic education and enjoyable experience while enrolled at both Grantham and Philadelphia campuses. The S.G.A. also provides students with unique access towards influencing governance and overall institutional prerogatives.
Messiah College's Student Activities Board (SAB) is an executive organization that attempts to help students engage with popular culture by bringing different concerts, films, and other forms of entertainment to campus. In recent years, Messiah College has, through SAB, hosted such musicians and bands as Bob Dylan, Nickel Creek, The Decemberists, Regina Spektor, Iron & Wine, M. Ward, Mates of State, Exit Clov, Feist, Wilco, Rosie Thomas, Copeland, mewithoutYou, Phantom Planet, Erin McKeown, 4th Avenue Jones, as well as Christian artists Jeff Deyo, Jars of Clay, Cross Movement, Matt Wertz and Out of Eden, among others. They also plan dances, coffeehouses, and other special activities (like outings, Broadway trips, and festivals) for students. SAB hosts a free concert series every Wednesday night, known as "B-sides", which is held in the Larsen Student Union building. Local, indie and up-and-coming bands and artists play every Wednesday night throughout the school year. These concerts are free not only to students, but to the public as well.
Traditions
Messiah College has, over the years, accumulated a number of traditions. One of the oldest traditions is known as "creeking." This tradition started out as a way of congratulating male students who had recently gotten engaged. The student would be taken to the nearby Yellow Breeches Creek by his friends and thrown in. It is also common for a person to be "creeked" on their birthday. [5] The tradition has been extended to the female population.
The Compassion Forum
The Compassion Forum was a question-and-answer session in which CNN commentators Jon Meacham and Campbell Brown as well as select members of the audience posed questions about Faith and Politics to Democratic political candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.[6] The Forum took place at Messiah College, in Grantham, Pennsylvania on April 13, 2008 and was given live national coverage by CNN.[7] The event was organized by the religious organization Faith in Public Life. John McCain was offered an invitation to participate in the event, but declined the invitation.
Messiah College in Popular Culture
Jon Stewart referred to Messiah College as a school "where people have faith that they'll receive a quality education, but somehow it never arrives," on the July 30, 2008 episode of The Daily Show, in reference to the involvement of Messiah College alumus Monica Goodling in the US Justice Department Scandal.[8]
Alumni
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Messiah College |
|---|---|---|
| Ernest Boyer | Chancellor of the State University of New York (1970 to 1977)
Appointed to various national commissions under the administrations of Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush |
1948 graduate |
| Ray Crist | Chemist, Worked on the Manhattan Project. Still writing scientific papers at the time of his death at age 105. | 1916 graduate of "Messiah School" |
| Brennan Swain | Amazing Race Season 1 Winner/ Actor | 1993 graduate |
| Monica Goodling | Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Justice (2001 to March 2007 — resigned April 6, 2007), involved in Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy | 1995 graduate[9] |
| Chris Boyles | Internationally competitive decathlete [10] | 2002 marketing graduate |
| Brian Sell | Olympic-qualifying marathon runner.[11] | |
| David J. Steinberg | 3' 1" stage and film actor ; credits include Willow | Communications major ca.1988[12] |
References
- ^ 2007 NACUBO Endowment Study
- ^ "About Messiah: A Brief History." Messiah College. Retrieved 21 December 2006.
- ^ NCAA.com
- ^ Messiah College: The Bridge - Mascot
- ^ "The Bridge -- Yellow Breeches"
- ^ CNN.com - Transcripts
- ^ The Compassion Forum at Messiah College
- ^ "The Daily Show, July 30, 2008 via Hulu"
- ^ McClatchy Washington Bureau | Homepage
- ^ Chris Boyles Official Website
- ^ Brian Sell
- ^ Willow Press Kit The Performers
External links
- Messiah College official site