Elizabethtown College

Founding and early years

Founded in 1899, Elizabethtown College is one of many higher learning institutions founded in the 19th century by churches or church members interested in the educational advancement of their denominational membership. The College was founded by interested members of the Church of the Brethren in response to an initiative by the Reverend Jacob G. Francis. Francis advocated for Elizabethtown because of the proximity to the railways (which holds true to this day as an Amtrak station is currently there). First classes for the new college were held on Nov. 13, 1900, in the Heisey Building in downtown Elizabethtown. During its first two decades, the College operated as an academy, offering a limited curriculum centering on four-year teaching degrees and high school type classes.

1920–1950

In 1921, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Instruction accredited the College, and authorized its first baccalaureate degrees in arts and sciences. Later, in 1928, the College was approved by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for pre-law education. In 1948, Elizabethtown College became accredited by the Middle States Association and in 1949 by the American Council of Education. Throughout this period, the college grew considerably as it built Fairview Hall, Gibble Science Building, the Alumni Auditorium and Zug Memorial Library.

Presidents of the College

The College's presidents were referred to as principals prior to 1902.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Alma mater

The Elizabethtown College alma mater was written by Jennie Via in 1921.

Academic buildings

Administrative/non-academic buildings

Athletic facilities

Residential living buildings

Other Living Opportunities

Former campus buildings

Academics

The College maintains 19 academic departments, offering 53 majors and 90+ minors and concentrations, with a core curriculum emphasizing the arts, humanities and sciences. Through this curriculum, it develops interpersonal communication, writing, creative thinking and problem-solving skills, which lead to degrees in liberal arts, fine and performing arts, science and engineering, business, health and social services, and education.

Continuing education

Over 50 years, the College’s adult program evolved into what is known today as the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS). The School offers accelerated, undergraduate degree programs in Accounting, Business Administration, Corporate Communication, Criminal Justice, Information Systems, Human Services and Human Services—Behavioral and Addictions Counseling.

The School’s main office is located in the Edward R. Murphy Center in the James B. Hoover Center for Business on the College’s main campus. SCPS offers programs at multiple Central Pennsylvania locations including: Elizabethtown, Harrisburg, Lancaster and York. Additionally, it offers online programs. The mission for the program is:

The Edward R. Murphy Center for Continuing Education and Distance Learning at Elizabethtown College seeks to extend the boundaries of the college's learning community to include a wider and more diverse population. The Center expresses the values of the college's mission through a commitment to and advocacy of degree and non-degree academic programs for adult learners. In particular, the Center embraces the values of human dignity and social justice by widening access to quality higher education for adults. In its programs and outreach, the Center fosters a learner-centered academic culture that expresses the college's belief that learning is life-long and most noble when used to benefit others. [5]

History

In 1951, the College partnered with Lebanon Valley College to provide afternoon and evening classes to adults at the Harrisburg Area College Center. Temple, Penn State and University of Pennsylvania joined the program in 1966 renaming the Center to University Center at Harrisburg. Later, in 1972, the School was known as the Center for Community Education and established itself as a separate unit of the College. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the School incorporated new academic programs. In 2001, the Center was renamed the Center for Continuing Education and Distance Learning (CCEDL) and began offering the accelerated course format. Partnering with Franklin and Marshall College, the School offered classes in downtown Lancaster, and in 2004, began to include weekend-intensive courses. Then, in 2009, the York Center opened and in 2010 the School offered complete online programs, providing more accessibility to adult learners. In 2011, the School received an Excellence in Innovation Award, and furthered its offerings by establishing a MBA program in 2012. In 2013, the School was renamed Elizabethtown College School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Honors program

Established in 1999, the Elizabethtown College Honors Program is a member of the National Collegiate Honors Council. The Honors Program was founded with an endowment gift from The Hershey Company and is supported in part through this endowment.

The Honors Program’s mission is to provide enhanced learning opportunities for students who have excellent academic records, superior academic abilities, intellectual promise, and demonstrated initiative. The Honors Program promotes high standards of scholarship, leadership, and service among those students selected for the program.

The program has continued to grow and maintains an enrollment of approximately 10 percent of the student body. In the spring of 2005, the Hershey Foods Company changed its name and subsequently, the program was renamed to the Elizabethtown College Honors Program, sponsored by The Hershey Company.

Student life

The Office of Student Activities (OSA) serves as a co-curricular educator and facilitator in creating environments that call for participation and involvement in the campus community. Through the programming of student traditions, such as T.G.I.S. and Student Involvement Fairs, students are engaged in social experiences. Additionally, the Office of Student Activities serves as the primary resource to student groups on campus striving to enhance their individual contributions to the college community through publicity and organizational support. It also oversees The Body Shop, the on-campus fitness center.

Students often go to Hersheypark and other attractions in Hershey, Lancaster or Harrisburg.

Elizabethtown offers student-run media that include a newspaper—The Etownian; a literary magazine—Fine Print; a television station—ECTV; a radio station—WWEC 88.3 FM; and a yearbook—the Conestogan.

The Etownian has been featured as a top-tier student newspaper for small schools, earning First Place with Special Merit recognition from the American Scholastic Press Association in 2010. It is entirely written and edited by students and is distributed weekly on Thursdays, throughout the academic year.

Elizabethtown is affiliated with the Brethren Colleges Abroad (BCA) program which allows students to study abroad for an academic semester. In addition to BCA, the college offers multiple internship and study abroad opportunities through other affiliates.

The students of Elizabethtown College can voice concerns through the Elizabethtown College Student Senate. The Student Senate is composed of an Executive Cabinet including: president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, judicial chair, marketing chair and elections chair. It also has four officers and eight representatives per class. The Dean of Student Life acts as advisor to the organization and general elections are held each year.

Athletics

Elizabethtown College is a member of NCAA Division III, and the Landmark Conference. Although Elizabethtown College was founded in 1899, it was not until 1928 that the first officially sanctioned intercollegiate athletic contest was held. [6] In April 2013, the College accepted the invitation to join the Landmark Conference effective July 1, 2014.

Men's teams

^* - (All years given are when the teams became varsity sports)

Women's teams

^* - (All years given are when the teams became varsity sports)

Former sports teams

Individual national champions

Service to Others

Elizabethtown's motto is "Educate for Service." Over 600 students, alumni, faculty and administrators participate annually in the Into the Streets service program every October in the Elizabethtown community.

Notable alumni

Notable faculty