Converse University
| File:ConverseCollege-logo.jpg | |
| Type | Women's Undergraduate College. Co-Ed Graduate Programs |
|---|---|
| Established | 1889 |
| Endowment | $78.24 million[1] |
| President | Krista Newkirk |
| Provost | Jeffrey Barker |
| Students | 1,389 |
| Undergraduates | 822 |
| Postgraduates | 567 |
| Location | , , United States 34°57′16.59″N 81°55′01.51″W / 34.9546083°N 81.9170861°W |
| Campus | Urban 70 acres (0.3 km2) |
| Colors | Purple and Gold |
| Affiliations | Conference Carolinas |
| Mascot | Valkyries |
| Website | converse.edu |
Converse College is a liberal arts masters university in Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. Converse consists of an undergraduate women's college as well as co-ed graduate, online and summer programs. It was established by a group of Spartanburg residents and named after textile pioneer Dexter Edgar Converse.
History
Converse College Historic District | |
 | |
   | |
| Location | 580 E. Main St., Spartanburg, South Carolina |
|---|---|
| Area | 20 acres (8.1 ha) |
| Built | 1891-1915 |
| Architect | Hook, Charles |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival, Romanesque, Richardson Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001706[2] |
| Added to NRHP | November 12, 1975 |
Converse College opened on October 1, 1889, with a student body of 168 and 16 faculty members. The college operated as a "stock company" with the board of directors composed entirely of residents of Spartanburg. Dexter Edgar Converse, a native of Vermont who had settled in Spartanburg before the American Civil War and had become a successful pioneer in the cotton mill industry, served as the head of the first board of directors. On January 2, 1892, fire destroyed the college's main building. The building was enlarged during its reconstruction. In 1896, the college was incorporated in South Carolina and a self-perpetuating board of trustees was named. In 1964, the college introduced graduate programs.
The Converse College Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.[2] It encompasses eight contributing buildings dated between 1891 and 1915. They are the Main Building (Wilson Hall) (1892), Annex (Pell Hall, 1891), Twichell Auditorium (1898–1899), Carnegie Library (1905), Cleveland House (c. 1905), Judd Science Hall (1915), Dexter Hall (1899) and Towne House (1898). The buildings are representative of the Romanesque Revival, Gothic Revival, and Neo-Classical styles.[3][4]
Description
It has an undergraduate enrollment of about 800 women who come from throughout the United States, along with some international students. The graduate enrollment of about 550 students is made up of both men and women.
Departments
- Art and Design
- Biology, Chemistry and Physics
- Economics, Accounting and Business
- Education
- English/Creative and Professional Writing
- Languages, Cultures and Literature
- Health and Physical Education
- History and Politics
- Mathematics and Computer Science
- Psychology
- Religion and Philosophy
- Theater and Dance
- Music
Athletics
Converse College teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division II. The Valkyries are a member of the Conference Carolinas. Women's sports include acrobatics and tumbling, basketball, cross country, equestrian, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, track and field, golf, tennis, swimming and volleyball.
Presidents
| Name | Years served |
|---|---|
| Benjamin F. Wilson | 1890–1902 |
| Robert Paine Pell | 1902–1932 |
| Edward Moseley Gwathmey | 1933–1955 |
| Oliver Cromwell Carmichael, Jr. | 1956–1960 |
| Robert T. Coleman, Jr. | 1961–1989 |
| Ellen Wood Hall | 1989–1993 |
| Sandra C. Thomas | 1994–1998 |
| Nancy Oliver Gray | 1999–2005 |
| Elizabeth A. Fleming | 2006–2016 |
| Krista L. Newkirk | 2016 – Present |
Notable alumnae
- Kimilee Bryant, Broadway actress and Miss South Carolina 1989[5]
- Phyllis Harris '82, senior vice president and general counsel of legal administration for Walmart Stores.[6]
Notable faculty
- Julia Klumpke, concert violinist and composer
Notes
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- ^ As of June 30, 2013. "Converse College Best Colleges US News". US News and World Report. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Mary Ann Eaddy and Georgianna Graham (May 1975). "Converse Heights Historic District" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places – Nomination and Inventory. Retrieved 2014-07-01.
- ^ "Converse College Historic District, Spartanburg County (Spartanburg)". National Register Properties in South Carolina. South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Retrieved 2014-07-01. and accompanying map
- ^ "Broadway actress Kimilee Bryant returns to Greenville". The Greenville News. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
- ^ "Phyllis P. Harris". Retrieved 17 February 2016.
External links
- Official website
- Official athletics website
- History and Photos – Converse College, Spartanburg, S.C.
| Topics |   | |
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| Other lists | ||
- Universities and colleges in South Carolina
- Women's universities and colleges in the United States
- Educational institutions established in 1889
- Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Education in Spartanburg County, South Carolina
- Buildings and structures in Spartanburg, South Carolina
- 1889 establishments in South Carolina
- Conference Carolinas schools
- Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina
- University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina
- Romanesque Revival architecture in South Carolina
- Gothic Revival architecture in South Carolina
- Neoclassical architecture in South Carolina
- National Register of Historic Places in Spartanburg, South Carolina