Stonehill College

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[edit] Location

Situated in North Easton, Massachusetts, a suburban community of 23,329 people, Stonehill is located just 22 miles south of Boston on a 375 acre campus, the original estate of Frederick Lothrop Ames. The campus map highlights 29 buildings that complement the original Georgian-style Ames mansion.

The Stonehill shuttle service provides transportation to the Boston T and surrounding shopping.

[edit] History

Stonehill College was founded in 1948 by the Congregation of Holy Cross whose members established the University of Notre Dame (1842). In the Catholic tradition, the Holy Cross Community seeks to broaden and enrich the horizons of students. This spirit is reflected in the mission statement of Stonehill College:

"It is the mission of the College to provide education of the highest caliber, grounded in the liberal arts, comprehensive in nature, nurtured by Catholic intellectual and moral ideals and committed to the creation of a just and compassionate world…"

Education in the Holy Cross tradition is education both of the mind and the heart. The founder, Father Basil Anthony Moreau, C.S.C., wrote in 1849 that “we shall always place development of the whole person side by side with the acquisition of knowledge; the mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart.”

As a College in the Holy Cross tradition, Stonehill seeks to help students to develop their abilities and to cultivate concern for the dignity of every person and care for the victims of every prejudice. In fulfillment of its motto, Lux et Spes or "[[]] and [[]]", the College fosters the competence to see and the courage to act. Stonehill fosters a quality of life on campus that forges strong bonds of community and a tradition of service off campus.

Between being owned by the Ames Family of Easton and the inception of Stonehill College, the grounds were used as a grass landing strip for planes. An urban myth has been spread across the campus as well as the town of Easton that the campus is haunted and a ghost can be seen in the evening fog over Ames Pond, represented by a blue light or glow. Another myth is that the daughter of Frederick Lothrop Ames, Sally Ames drowned in the family indoor swimming pool, which is now Alumni Hall, leading to the reasoning as to why Stonehill does not have an on-campus swimming pool. In truth, the proposal was raised a number of times in the mid 90's (and most likely prior to that as well), but was shot down due to lack of student interest in having an on-campus pool. This is most likely due to the location of the college in New England, and the observation of "in-session" terms occurring during the colder seasons of the year.

[edit] Degrees and academic programs

As a College of Arts and Sciences and pre-professional studies, Stonehill awards on the undergraduate level the B.A., B.S., and B.S.B.A. degrees and confers a Masters of Science in Accountancy (M.S.A.).

Stonehill offers 29 major programs, the opportunity to double major or participate in one of the College’s 37 minor programs. On average, more than 330 academic courses are offered each semester.

The academic program at Stonehill consists of a minimum of forty courses embracing the following three areas:

  • The Cornerstone Program (core curriculum)
  • Concentrations (Major and, typically, Minor)
  • Electives

Students develop knowledge and skills through general education, master at least one major area of study, and have the flexibility to explore other coursework, study abroad, internships, independent research, and other experiences unique to their own educational plans.

[edit] Co-curricular programs

The College has an enviable location: 22 miles south of downtown Boston, 40 miles north of Providence, and approximately 50 miles from Newport, Rhode Island. Stonehill sponsors a shuttle service to the Quincy Adams T station as well as to area shopping and a local cinema megaplex. The Student Government Association also manages a van that can be reserved for group activity.

Stonehill offers more than 60 student clubs and organizations sponsored by a very active Student Government Association. The Athletic Department fields 20 competitive NCAA Division II intercollegiate varsity sports. The College’s combination of academic and athletic success has garnered Stonehill the #1 ranking in the country among NCAA Division II schools in the Collegiate Power Rankings that are published by the National College Scouting Association. Furthermore, Stonehill finished 11th in the overall NCSA Top 50 Power Rankings across all three NCAA divisions. Stonehill is the only Division II institution to appear in the top 25 of the NCSA Top 50 Power Rankings.

The Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex is home to the College staff that sponsors 8 intercollegiate club teams including rugby and golf as well as an extensive intramural sports program offering racquetball, basketball, soccer, floor hockey, flag football and walleyball.

Over 70% of students enrolled at Stonehill performed community service while in high school. To advance both the mission of the College and to heighten our graduates commitment to community outreach, Stonehill sponsors the Into The Streets Program, the H.O.P.E. Program and the Center for Non-Profit Management. The Campus Ministry Office welcomes students of all faiths and extends to everyone the opportunity to get involved as liturgical ministers, Chapel Choir members, and to participate in student-run retreats.

[edit] Admission

Like many colleges and universities in the Boston area, Stonehill has grown increasingly competitive in the past decade. For the sixth consecutive year, Stonehill has been named first in the U.S. News & World Report category of Best Comprehensive Colleges – Bachelor’s (North). On average, 4,928 high school students apply for 610 first-year openings with an acceptance rate of 49%.

The College offers the Early Decision Plan (application deadline of November 1st) and the Regular Decision Plan (application deadline of January 15th). The review process for each candidate is comprehensive. Generally speaking, the admissions indicators are:

  • Strong performance in a rigorous secondary school program including 4 units of English, 3 units of foreign language, 4 combined units of history, political science, social sciences, 3 units of science, and 3 units of math.
  • Results from the SAT or ACT
  • Weighted positioning in class (for example, class rank, scattergram, or histogram)
  • GPA
  • Recommendations (guidance counselor, teachers)
  • Essay
  • Co-curricular résumé
  • Work experience

[edit] Noteworthy Alumni

[edit] Stonehill Skyhawks

After years of student urgings and building pressure for "politically correct" ethics, the college's Strategic Planning Committee voted in the spring of the 2003 academic year that the moniker of the "Stonehill Chieftain" was undesirable for its athletic identity. In the following year the college held open forums in which students, alumni, and faculty were asked to submit ideas for the new identity, as well as vote on suggestions and gauge popularity. Among popular choices were The Stonehill Summit, The Stonehill Skyhawks, The Stonehill Saints, The Stonehill Crusaders, The Stonehill Mission, The Stonehill Shovelmakers, and The Stonehill Blizzard. During the fall semester of the 2005 academic year Stonehill College officially changed the name of its athletic teams to the "Stonehill Skyhawks," with a brand new mascot known as 'Ace', an anthropomorphic purple hawk wearing a scarf, goggles, bomber jacket, and an aviator cap. In contrast, the actual name 'Skyhawks' is not in reference to a bird or animal. It is instead an homage to a type of plane that Frederick Ames was accustomed to flying in the eary 1900s, maintaining a historical reference to the college's past.

[edit] Fun Facts

[edit] Campus Changes

The college property is currently undergoing a major overhaul, in which the access road coming onto campus from Rt. 123 is being diverted. Instead of crossing in front of O'Hara Hall and The Martin Institute, the road will now go behind Skyhawk Stadium (formerly Chieftan Stadium); go through the wooded area in the direction of The Sem; go behind Martin, The Merkert Center, and the Sports Complex; then re-emerge in front of the SpoCo and the new W.B. Mason Stadium. The change is in order to make room for a new science facility on the Rt. 123 side of the Martin Institute, which is scheduled to be completed and opened in 2009.

The old road from Martin to the Ames Sports Complex, including the circular drive in front of O'Hara Hall, will be converted into walking paths/grassland. The brick pathway that starts at the Martin Institute and draws a straight line through campus up to the road in front of Donahue Hall, which was previously breeched by the access road in front of St. Mary's Chapel/health and wellness center, will now be completed at that location. An access road will still lead to parking lots in the rear of O'Hara Hall and to the side/rear of Martin.

Along with those changes, future plans to create a much-desired footbridge over the Ames Pond (to be located and accessed behind O'Hara Hall), as well as plans to break ground on a new dormitory next to Notre Dame Du Lac Residence Hall, are a part of the college master plan over the next 5 years.

The re-routing project was completed in late summer of 2006. The pathway project is expected to be completed by spring of 2007, with the other phases completed incrementily over the next 3 years.

[edit] External links