Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Edinboro University
Established 1857
Type Public
Endowment $11.2 million[1]
President James D. Moran (interim)
Provost Philip E. Ginnetti
Academic staff 346
Admin. staff 392
Students 9,106
Undergraduates 7,161
Postgraduates 1,945
Location Edinboro, PA, USA
Campus 585 acres (2.37 km²)
Colors Red and White            
Athletics NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II
Nickname Fighting Scots
Website www.edinboro.edu

Edinboro University is a public liberal arts university located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, USA and one of 14 schools associated with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The town is named after Edinburgh, Scotland. It is also not to be confused with the University of Edinburgh. Edinboro University is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS). It has more than 8,000 enrolled students spread between the 585 acre (2.4 km²) main campus as well as the Porreco Center in Erie and the Buba Center in Meadville facility.

Contents

Campuses

The main campus is located only 18 miles (29 km) from Erie, Pennsylvania and within 100 miles (160 km) of the educational and major population centers of Buffalo, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. The main campus has 42 buildings on a spacious 585-acre (2.37 km2) campus which includes a 5-acre (20,000 m2) lake, open fields and woods, eleven on-campus residence halls (Highlands 1~8, Earp Hall, Dearborn Hall and Lawrence Towers) for approximately 5,000 students, and the modern seven-story Baron-Forness Library with more than 490,000 bound volumes and 1.4 million microform units. Edinboro University offers 100 degree programs and 57 minors. More than one-half of the faculty members at Edinboro University have earned doctorates or the highest degree attainable in their field. Many of them have been recognized nationally and internationally for their outstanding research and scholarly accomplishments. In addition, a number of faculty members have held state and national leadership roles in their professional organizations. The student-faculty ratio is 18:1.

Many facilities on Edinboro's campus are new, recently renovated, or have plans for renovation. In fall 2007, Academy Hall, the first building on Edinboro's campus, was reopened after a complete renovation in honor of the university's 150th Anniversary. Major renovations to Sox Harrison Stadium were completed by a gift from the Student Government Association, giving the football and track facilities Sportexe artificial turf, a new scoreboard, and lighting. A new state-of-the-art facility for the music program, the William Alexander Music Center, and a major renovation to the Frank G. Pogue Student Center were completed in early 2008. The Mike S. Zafirovski Sports and Recreation Center, a large domed indoor recreation and event facility, was completed in 2009. The university is in the second phase of a $115 million partnership between American Campus Communities and the Edinboro University Foundation to construct eight new suite-style residence halls. Additional plans include the $30 million complete renovation and expansion of Cooper Science Hall and the construction of a human services building (nursing and speech & hearing sciences), an addition onto Baron-Forness Library to host student services and health services, and a graduate studies center in the current location of Centennial Hall.

Edinboro students may also choose to attend classes in two regional learning centers, The Porreco Center in Erie and The Buba Center at the Bessemer Complex in Meadville. The Porreco Center sits on the former Louis Porreco horse farm and estate in Millcreek Township, PA and allows students to complete undergraduate coursework toward the completion of an Associate's Degree without leaving the Erie area. The Porreco Center consists of 10 buildings and a small pond. The Buba Center in Meadville allows students to complete university coursework while also partnering with building neighbor the Precision Manufacturing Institute.

Notable programs

Students with exceptionally high academic aptitude scores and excellent high school records are eligible to participate in the University’s Robert C. Weber Honors Program.

Edinboro University has the largest liberal arts undergraduate degree program in Art[2] in the Northeast. It is continually recognized for providing conservatory quality at an affordable cost. The Art Department has approximately 1,000 students in four undergraduate programs (Art History, Applied Media Arts, Fine Arts/Crafts, and Art Education) as well as two graduate programs (Master of Arts and Master of Fine Arts). The department encompasses four buildings, and houses two on-campus galleries, the Bates and Bruce Galleries.[3] The undergraduate program allows for specialization in art education, art history, cinema (Animation and Film), graphic design, photography, ceramics, drawing, jewelry/metalsmithing, painting, print making, sculpture, textile design, weaving/fibers, and wood/furniture design.

The Office for Students with Disabilities provides support services dedicated to enhance the university’s commitment to equal opportunity for all students with disabilities. The campus maintains the largest community of resident students with severe disabilities attending higher education in Pennsylvania as well as one of the largest in the United States.. Visitors and all members of the campus community benefit from these services that provide high levels of accessibility for persons with disabilities. Edinboro also serves as the beta chapter of Delta Alpha Pi, a relatively new national honors society for students with disabilities.

An international education program provides educational opportunities for students from 37 other countries. Visiting scholars from around the world serve as resource individuals for area schools, businesses and industries, in addition to providing special lectures, seminars and workshops for Edinboro students and faculty.

History

Edinboro University was founded as the Edinboro Academy, a private training school for Pennsylvania teachers in 1857, by the region's original Scottish settlers. It is the oldest training institution west of the Allegheny Mountains and the second oldest in all of Pennsylvania. As a people, the Scots were both hearty and hardy. Their commitment to teaching and learning, their work ethic, and their strength of family tempered by upbringing in the great Highland Clans have brought a unique perspective and commitment to all they do at Edinboro University today. In the beginning, Edinboro modestly consisted of one two-story building, six classrooms, three instructors, 110 students and a principal. That original building still stands—Academy Hall—the home of the undergraduate admissions office. In 1861, the Edinboro Academy affiliated with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to become the second State Normal School in Pennsylvania, occasionally known as the Northwest State Normal School. In 1914, the state purchased the school from the original stockholders and renamed the Edinboro State Normal School. By 1927, the advancement of academic programs to include liberal arts study requires the school to rename itself Edinboro State Teachers College. Further development of the liberal arts to include degree programs outside the field of education result in Edinboro becoming Edinboro State College in 1960. Continued development of undergraduate liberal arts programs and advanced graduate degrees earned Edinboro university status in 1983.[4]

Edinboro now has more than 40 buildings on 585 acres (2.37 km2) and locations in Erie and Meadville. Edinboro University celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2006-07. Today, the academic focus at Edinboro goes well beyond the training of teachers. It has been transformed into what is now northwestern Pennsylvania's largest and most comprehensive university, recognized as a leader in academic programs.

Scottish heritage and traditions

As of Spring 2011, Edinboro is the first school in the world to offer a music education degree (BAME) that is open to students with a focus in bagpiping. The university and town that share the Edinboro name were founded by Scottish immigrants. Holding to its tradition, Edinboro University has a pipe band (a band that consists of bagpipes, snare drums and a bass drum) that performs alone and also with the 'Spirit of the Scots' marching band for school related functions. Each year, Edinboro hosts a three-day highland games festival complete with Scottish games, dancing, and bagpipe band and solo competitions. The University's fight song is a unique version of Scotland the Brave.

Athletics

Edinboro University offers 14 intercollegiate sports: football, women's soccer, men's & women's cross country, women's volleyball, men's & women's basketball, men's & women's swimming, men's wrestling, women's softball, and men's & women's track. All but wrestling are NCAA Division II programs and members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Wrestling competes on the NCAA Division I level, and is not only a member of the PSAC, but also competes in the prestigious Eastern Wrestling League. Edinboro was the first college in Pennsylvania to offer women's athletics when it formed the Girl's Athletic Association in 1897. Edinboro also had programs in men's soccer, men's golf, women's field hockey, men's & women's tennis, women's synchronized swimming, and men's baseball. The Fighting Scots athletic teams are perennial conference, regional, and national championship winners. The men's and women's cross country and track programs are legendary in NAIA (winning the NAIA men's national championship in 1975 and 1976) and NCAA Division II circles, as is the Fighting Scots football team. Edinboro added women's lacrosse for the 2008 season.

Edinboro has one of the premier Division I wrestling programs. Prior to moving to the Division I level in 1986, Edinboro was already a national power in the NAIA and NCAA Division II levels. Edinboro has been fortunate to be home of one of the greatest Olympic and amateur wrestlers in the world, Bruce Baumgartner. Baumgartner came to Edinboro in 1984 as an assistant coach, and was promoted to head coach in 1991. He guided the Fighting Scots to three top 15 finishes in the National Championship tournament. The team is currently coached by Tim Flynn and continues to excel as a top program. Baumgartner became the Director of Athletics in 1997. All in all, Edinboro's wrestling program has produced over 60 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champions, 40 Eastern Wrestling League champions, more than 40 NCAA All-Americans, 3 NCAA Division I champions, 9 national champions, 2 USA Olympic team members, 10 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament team championships, and 9 Eastern Wrestling League tournament team championships.

In accordance with Edinboro University's commitment to serving students with physical disabilities, it has one of the nation's best wheelchair basketball teams, the Rolling Scots. The team hosts an annual tournament, the Boro Shootout. In recent years, a club power wheelchair soccer team has been developed as well. Edinboro also has an ACHA-Division III men's ice hockey club and men's golf team, as well as a women's equestrian team, and a men's and women's ultimate team.

Student life

Edinboro University has more than 100 student organizations encompassing academic clubs and honor societies, professional organizations, general student interests, music and theater organizations, and a dynamic and historic Greek Life community. Edinboro's Student Government Association provides a student voice on campus, manages a budget of over $1 million, and provides many student services. The student activity fee provides funding for student organizations, athletic programs, and campus programming. The University Programming Board plans and contracts for student activities such as sightseeing and shopping trips, free movies, owling at Presque Isle, concerts and comedians, notable guest speakers, Tooth Club, and relaxing activities in the University Center.

Sororities and fraternities

For over 80 years, fraternity and sorority life has been a popular option for Edinboro students looking to stimulate and develop themselves academically, socially, and civically. Edinboro's Greek organizations contribute more service and charitable donations to Northwestern Pennsylvania than any other student groups. Some of Edinboro's most successful alumni have been members of social Greek organizations while a student at Edinboro. Edinboro is home to ten social fraternities and seven social sororities:

Edinboro is also home to many Greek honors, service, and professional organizations. All of these organizations, with the exception of Sigma Alpha Iota, are co-ed. Edinboro's academic honorary and professional Greek letter organizations and clubs include:

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ As of December 31, 2010. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2010 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2009 to FY 2010" (PDF). 2010 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments. National Association of College and University Business Officers. http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/research/2010NCSE_Public_Tables_Endowment_Market_Values_Final.pdf. Retrieved January 31, 2011. 
  2. ^ Edinboro.edu
  3. ^ Brucegallery.org
  4. ^ Edinboro.edu
  5. ^ "Tracy Seyfert (Republican)". Official Pennsylvania House of Representatives Profile. Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 2000-03-03. http://web.archive.org/web/20000303122325/www.house.state.pa.us/members/districts/005/005.htm. 

External links