| Lawrence University | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Light More Light! Veritas est lux |
| Motto in English | Truth is Light |
| Established | 1847 |
| Type | Private - Liberal Arts |
| Endowment | $180.2 million[1] |
| President | Jill Beck |
| Admin. staff | 156 faculty[1] |
| Students | 1,566 undergraduates (fall 2010)[1] |
| Location | Appleton, Wisconsin, United States |
| Campus | Urban - 84 acres (34 ha) Björklunden - 425 acres (172 ha) |
| Former names | Lawrence College - (1913-64) Lawrence Institute - (1847-49) |
| Athletics | Division III (NCAA) 23 varsity teams |
| Affiliations | Associated Colleges of the Midwest |
| Website | Lawrence.edu |
Lawrence University is a selective, private liberal arts college with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, in Appleton, Wisconsin. Lawrence University is known for its rigorous academic environment. Founded in 1847, the first classes were held on November 12, 1849. Lawrence was the second college in the United States to be founded as a coeducational institution. Lawrence University is a member of the Colleges That Change Lives and one of the Great Books Colleges. In addition to music, Lawrence University is renowned for its tremendous science departments, especially in physics and biology.
The 84-acre (34 ha) campus is located in downtown Appleton, divided into two parts by the Fox River. The academic campus is on the north shore of Fox River, and the major athletic facilities (including the 5000-seat Banta Bowl) are on the northeast shore. Lawrence University also has a 425-acre (172 ha) northern estate called Björklunden (full name: Björklunden vid sjön), which serves as a site for retreats, seminars, concerts, and theatrical performances. It also contains a chapel for weddings. Donald and Winifred Boynton of Highland Park, Illinois, donated the property in Door County to Lawrence in 1963.
The student newspaper, The Lawrentian, has a history of over a century of publications. Lawrence University hosts the Great Midwest Trivia Contest, webcast every January over the college radio station, WLFM.
Lawrence University is part of the Oberlin Group, a consortium of liberal arts college libraries. In 2011 Newsweek named Lawrence University the 18th most rigorous U.S. college, this placed it above the well know institutions of Princeton University 20th, Yale University 23rd and Stanford University 25th in academic rigor. It has been consistently ranked by Forbes as the top college in Wisconsin.[2]
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Lawrence's first president, William Harkness Sampson, founded the school with Henry R. Colman, using $10,000 provided by philanthropist Amos Adams Lawrence, and matched by the Methodist church. Both founders were ordained Methodist ministers, but Lawrence was Episcopalian. The school was originally named Lawrence Institute in its 1847 charter from the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature, but was changed to Lawrence University before classes began in November 1849.[3] Its oldest extant building, Main Hall, was built in 1853.[4] Lawrence University was Wisconsin’s first co-educational university.
Lawrence's first period of major growth came during the tenure of alumnus Samuel G. Plantz as president. From 1894 to 1924, when Plantz presided over the school, its student body grew from 200 to 800.
During World War II, Lawrence College was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission.[5]
From 1913 until 1964, the school was named Lawrence College, to emphasize its small size and liberal arts education focus. The name was changed to Lawrence University when it merged with Milwaukee-Downer College. The state of Wisconsin then purchased the Milwaukee-Downer property and buildings to expand the campus of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Initially, the university designated two entities: Lawrence College for Men and Downer College for Women. This separation has not lasted in any material form, though degrees are still conferred "on the recommendation of the Faculty of Lawrence and Downer Colleges" and the university by-laws still make the distinction. The Lawrence Dean of Women was referred to as the "Dean of Downer", but when the offices of Dean of Men and Dean of Women were merged to form the Dean of Students, the substantive duties of the "Dean of Downer" came to an end; the title is still borne by a senior female professor, but her only duty is to carry the Downer Mace in academic processions.
The Lawrence Conservatory of Music, usually referred to as "the Con", was founded in 1874. The university confers a Bachelor of Music degree and offers a five-year program leading to a Bachelor of Arts in addition to the music degree.
Lawrence University originated the idea of freshman studies. Freshman Studies at Lawrence is a mandatory two-term class, in which all students study the same selected 11 classic works of literature, art, and music. President Nathan M. Pusey is credited with initiating the program in 1945, although Professor Waples chaired the Freshman Studies Committee and was responsible for implementing the program. The program continues to this day, despite being temporarily suspended in 1974, and has been adapted by many liberal arts colleges.
In 2010, Forbes ranked Lawrence 50th on the list of America's (600) Best Colleges, which combined national research universities, liberal arts colleges, and military academies in a single survey[6] Lawrence is ranked 60th on the U.S. News: List of Best U.S. National Liberal Arts Colleges (the rank was 40 in 2000, 53 in 2006, 59 in 2009, 67 in 2010). Lawrence is included in Loren Pope's, Colleges That Change Lives.
In 2005 Lawrence University initiated a capital campaign called "More Light!", which aimed at raising $150 million. By October 2011 the college has raised $160,272,839, with the conclusion event held on October 28, 2011.[7]
The traditions and heritage of Milwaukee-Downer are woven into the Appleton campus, from the grove of hawthorn trees (called Hawthornden) between Brokaw and Colman halls, to the sundial on the back of Main Hall, to the bestowing upon each class a class color and banner.
When the University had separate offices for a "Dean of Women" and a "Dean of Men", the officer overseeing women students was called the "Dean of Downer." That title is still borne by the senior woman on the faculty, but her only duty now is carrying the Downer mace in academic processions. For many years the women's choir was called the Downer Chorus. At one time the BA was conferred upon women in the name of "Downer College of Lawrence University" and upon men in the name of "Lawrence College of Lawrence University"; now all B.A. degrees are conferred in the name of "Lawrence & Downer Colleges of Lawrence University." (The B.Mus. degree is from "the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music.)
Lawrence University operates on a trimester calendar. The academic year runs from mid-September to mid-June.
The student/faculty ratio at Lawrence is 9:1.[8]
Lawrence grants Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees, with a double degree possible. Lawrence offers a number of cooperative degree programs in areas such as engineering, health sciences and environmental studies.
The college has major programs in most of the liberal arts. The school also offers the option of interdisciplinary areas of study and allows students to design their own majors. All students are required to take Freshman Studies, which introduces students to broad areas of study and provides a common academic experience for the college. Lawrence’s freshman studies program focuses on the Great Books. InsideCollege lists Lawrence University as a college of distinction, with engaged students, great teaching, a vibrant community and successful outcomes.
The school has an independent study option that allows students to design their own courses. This allows students to explore academic interests not covered by Lawrence’s classes or to explore topics more deeply. Over 90% of the students take advantage of the independent study program.
In 2005, Lawrence University began the Lawrence Fellows Program, initially selecting eight recent Ph.D.s to teach and carry out research at Lawrence for a period of two to three years. This program seeks to develop the liberal arts faculty of the future.
In the mid-1980s the physics department built a $330,000 small laser laboratory (known as the "laser palace"), which includes 800 5 mW small lasers and more than 500 mirrors.
The Lawrence Conservatory of Music was founded in 1874 and has been a vital part of Lawrence University ever since. The Conservatory offers Bachelor of Music degrees in Performance, Theory/Composition, Music Education, and a five year double degree option that grants both a BM degree from the Conservatory and a BA degree from the College. Approximately 25% of the Lawrence student body, or 350 students, is in the Conservatory. The Conservatory has three choirs, two bands, two jazz ensembles, a symphony orchestra, an improvisation collective, as well as five world music ensembles, and numerous chamber music groups.
The Lawrence Conservatory regularly receives national recongnition for the excellence of its student ensembles and individual musicians.
The college has a long history of razing buildings on its campus, because of the limited land available for constructing new buildings. Many buildings on campus are built on the site of former buildings. Some razed buildings include: Peabody Hall of Music (20th century), Hamar Union (1960) Underwood Observatory (1962), Alexander Gym I (1962), Carnegie Library (1964), Worcester Art Center (1987), Stephenson Hall of Science (1998), Hulbert House (2004),
Lawrence enrolls about 1,500 students who hail from nearly every U.S. state. The total enrollment in academic year 2010-2011 was 1,566 students,[1] the largest student body in Lawrence University's history. Over 75% of the students identify as white.[1] About 12% of the students are international students. About 25% of students study in the conservatory of music.
| Lawrence Vikings | |
| University | Lawrence University |
|---|---|
| Conference(s) | Midwest Conference |
| NCAA | Division III |
| Athletics director | Mike Szkodzinski |
| Location | Appleton, WI |
| Varsity teams | 23 |
| Football stadium | Banta Bowl - (5,255) natural grass |
| Basketball arena | Alexander Gymnasium |
| Baseball stadium | Whiting Field[9] |
| Nickname | Vikings - (1926)[10] |
| Fight song | "Go, Lawrence, Go"[11] |
| Colors | Blue and White
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| Homepage | LU athletics |
In 2005-06, the Lawrence men's basketball team was ranked number one in NCAA Division III for much of the season, after starting the season unranked. The team was the only undefeated team in all divisions of college basketball for the last six weeks of the season, ending with a record of 25-1. Star forward Chris Braier won the Josten's Award as the top player in the country for both playing ability and community service. Coach John Tharp was named Division III Midwest Coach of the Year. Attendance increased to capacity for home games, causing local fire officials to demand that Lawrence cap attendance for the NCAA tournament games that Lawrence would host. The university decided to issue passes to attendees. Following their win of the Midwest Conference Tournament in 2009, the Vikings have qualified for the NCAA Division III National Tournament in five of the last six years. Their best finish was in 2004 when they lost in the Elite 8 to eventual national champion University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point 82-81 in overtime at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash.
In 2011 Lawremces men's cross country team won the Midwest Conference Championships for the first time since 1985, beating Grinell college and ending their 14 year winning streak.
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