| Macalester College | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Natura et Revelatio Coeli Gemini |
| Motto in English | Nature and Revelation are twin sisters of heaven |
| Established | 1874 |
| Type | Private liberal arts college |
| Religious affiliation | Losely: Presbyterian |
| Endowment | $640 million (2/10/2010)[1] |
| President | Brian Rosenberg, PhD |
| Provost | Kathleen Murray |
| Dean | Jim Hoppe |
| Academic staff | 216 |
| Undergraduates | 1,996 |
| Postgraduates | 0 |
| Doctoral students | 0 |
| Location | Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA |
| Campus | Urban (residential), 53 acres (21 ha) |
| Colors | Blue and Orange |
| Athletics | Division III (NCAA) |
| Sports | Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| Nickname | Mac |
| Mascot | The Scots |
| Website | macalester.edu |
Macalester College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was founded in 1874 as a Presbyterian-affiliated but nonsectarian college. Its first class entered September 15, 1885. The college is located on a 53-acre (21 ha) campus in a historic residential neighborhood and includes seven academic buildings, ten residences, a library and a technology center. Notable alumni include Kofi Annan, Walter Mondale, Marlene Johnson, DeWitt Wallace, Alexander Wendt, Ari Emanuel, Peter Berg, Tim O'Brien, Bob Mould, and Charles Baxter. Macalester enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduate students. The school is known for its large international enrollment and has one of the highest percentages of foreign students in the United States.[2] Macalester is one of the Hidden Ivies and considered one of the most prestigious liberal arts colleges in the nation. The 2011 U.S. News and World Report ranked Macalester 25th in the nation among National Liberal Arts Colleges.[3]
Contents |
Macalester had its beginnings in the mid-to-late 19th century due to the efforts of the Rev. Dr. Edward Duffield Neill, who had founded two schools in Saint Paul and nearby Minneapolis which were named after M.W. Baldwin, a locomotive builder and friend of Neill's. With the intention of turning his Saint Paul Baldwin School into a college, Neill turned to Charles Macalester, a businessman from Philadelphia, for sponsorship. Macalester donated a building near Saint Anthony Falls, and the college was chartered in 1874. The college moved to its present location in 1885 after building an endowment and seeking the help of the Presbyterian Church. The College first admitted women in 1893,[4] and despite being affiliated with a religious institution, remained open to students of other faiths.[5]
Macalester was largely carried through financial hardship and brought to prominence by Dr. James Wallace, father of DeWitt Wallace. Wallace was acting president of the college from 1894 to 1900, president from 1900 to 1906, and professor until just before his death in 1939. After World War II, the college developed a reputation for internationalism under the presidency of Charles Turck (later the namesake of Turck Hall), who recruited overseas and created a more diverse student body.[4] Macalester's positive reputation grew during the 1960s, when it consistently drew many National Merit Scholars, enough to come in at the country's top ten; during this time the college also benefitted heavily from DeWitt Wallace's success with Reader's Digest.[6] Macalester continued to develop into the 1990s, building its endowment and adding new facilities and equipment.
Macalester's reputation has grown within the last 20 years with the addition of newer facilities, such as the DeWitt Wallace Library, among the largest among liberal arts colleges in the United States.[4] The college has also extensively developed its ties to the Twin Cities, with an extensive focus on community service and involvement.[7] Recent years have brought much new development as well as controversy. Many buildings have been extensively renovated and a new athletic facility (The Leonard Center) opened in the fall of 2008. In addition, Macalester has recently created the Institute for Global Citizenship.[8]
Macalester's stated mission is to be a preeminent liberal arts college with high standards for scholarship, and with special emphasis on internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society.[9]
In the past 10 years, Macalester students have earned honors including Rhodes Scholarships, British Marshall Scholarships, Fulbright Scholarships, Foreign Government Grants, National Science Foundation Fellowships, Truman Scholarships, Watson Fellowships, Mellon Fellowships and Goldwater Scholarships.[10]
Currently Macalester's admittance rate is 32%. [2] It is considered "Most Selective" by the U.S. News & World Report Rankings. For the class of 2015, 6,109 applications resulted in one of the lowest acceptance rates ever for the college. [3]
Macalester is the primary financial contributor and sponsor of the Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth, which was founded in 1967 and has its main facilities in the Lampert Building (which is across from Macalester's North Quad on Snelling Avenue). MITY provides three different gifted education programs during the summer months.[11] Macalester also participates in Project Pericles.
As a member of the Cooperating Libraries in Consortium (CLIC), the Macalester library provides students with academic resources outside of the College's library. Through the consortium, students have access to books, articles, and other media available from liberal arts colleges in the Twin Cities. Students also have access to the University of Minnesota libraries, and can obtain copies of papers and articles there from on campus.
The average total tuition and fees at Macalester total around $51,417 per year. This does not include books and supplies, personal expenses, or the health insurance. Macalester gives an average financial aid package of $33,991, with 72% of students receiving financial aid.[12] Receiving an outside scholarship reduces the amount of financial aid awarded to a student that applies for aid from Macalester.[13]
International students represent 94 different countries and comprise 18% of the student body. In 2005, 4% of students were dual citizens or permanent residents of foreign countries. U.S. students, 20% of whom are of color, come from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.[14]
The main campus newspaper is the student-run The Mac Weekly, which has a circulation of up to 1,600 and was established in 1914. Almost all the newspaper staff works on a volunteer basis. The paper publishes 12 or 13 volumes, ranging from 12 to 24 pages, each semester. A satirical section, The Mock Weekly, is added to the last issue of each semester. The paper has published a magazine three times, in April 2006 and March and November 2007.
There are over 100 student clubs and organizations on campus, including the college radio station WMCN, the Macalester Peace and Justice Committee, the Experimental College, Student Labor Action Coalition, African Music Ensemble, Macalester Gaming Society, Macalester Mock Trial, Mac Dems, Mac GOP, Mac Greens, Bad Comedy, Fresh Concepts, The Macalester Review: A Political Magazine, The Hegemonocle Humor Magazine, The Trads and other a cappella groups, Cheeba, MacBrews, MacBike, the Macalester Outing Club, the Macalester Climbing Club, Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG), Macalester Conservation and Renewable Energy Society (MacCARES), Macalester International Organization (MIO), MacPlayers, NARAL Pro-Choice Macalester, Queer Union, Macalester for Justice in Palestine, Macalester Young Artists for Revolutionary Needlework (MacYARN), Mac Rugby, and Medicinal Melodies.
On July 6, 1974, the first live broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion was broadcast from the Janet Wallace Auditorium of Macalester College.
Macalester College is a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). The college's team nickname is the Scots. The football team, after many years of poor performance in the MIAC, has competed independently since 2002. The college actually dissolved the football program in 1906, pronouncing, according to the Mac Weekly: "Thoroughly aroused to the evils, real or imaginary, of this game, the public is clamoring for the entire abolition or reform on this 'relic of barbarism.'"
Soccer has always been a popular sport. Both men and women's teams remain competitive, appearing in multiple NCAA playoffs since 1995. The women's team won the NCAA championship in 1998.[15] The 2010 men's team won the MIAC regular-season championship and both the men and women's teams received at-large bids for the 2010 NCAA Division III tournament. Both teams are well-supported by students, parents and alumni. One of Macalester sports fans' most (in)famous cheers – "Drink Blood, Smoke Crack, Worship Satan, Go Mac!" – was cited by as one of "7 Memorable Sports Chants" by Mental Floss.[16]
The Cross Country Ski team became a club team in 2004, when skiing was eliminated as an MIAC sanctioned sport. It was the first team to be dismantled since hockey was cut (and turned club) in the 1970s. A women's hockey team formed in 2000 and continues to play at the club level.
Macalester Athletics compete in a new athletic facility, the Leonard Center, which opened in August 2008. The $45 million dollar facility is the largest NCAA Division III athletic facility in the country with its 175,000 square feet. The Leonard Center includes a 200-meter track, a natatorium, a fitness center, several multipurpose rooms, and a health and wellness center for the college community. Materials from the former facility were disposed of in environmentally friendly ways, and some materials were incorporated into the new structure.
|
Old Main, Macalester College
|
|
|
Old Main
|
|
| Location: | 1600 Grand Ave. Saint Paul, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Architect: | William H. Willcox |
| Architectural style: | Romanesque |
| NRHP Reference#: | 77000765 |
| Added to NRHP: | August 16, 1977 |
As at many small liberal arts colleges, students at Macalester are required to live on campus for their first two years.
Recently, Macalester has made news by offering limited all-gender housing options for juniors and seniors. George Draper Dayton Hall, the Grand-Cambridge Apartments, Kirk Hall, and the six cottages all offer all-gender housing options. These housing options still do not provide the opportunity for students of opposite sexes to share a bedroom. Hence, all-gender housing is only available in suites and cottage type living situations and has not been integrated into the other residence halls. Student-led groups are working to increase these options and make all-gender bathrooms available. Starting in the 2011-2012 academic year, there will be a specified section of the first-year residence hall, Doty, for all-gender housing for first-year students.
Food services on campus are provided by Bon Appétit, a national company. The cafeteria, located in the Ruth Stricker Dayton Campus Center, is named "Café Mac". There are three meal plans for students who live on campus (except those in theme houses or co-ops). The standard option (and the mandatory one for new students) is 19 all-you-can-eat meals per week (3 per week day, and brunch and dinner on the weekends). For the same price, 10 or 14 meal plans are available that offer additional flexible "dining dollars" for a la cart meals. Café Mac has includes several different stations, all of which provide vegan and Gluten-free options. Vegetarian, vegan, Gluten-free, and food with nuts or peanuts are flagged so all students can manage their dietary concerns. For those students who live off-campus, there is a 75 meals per semester plan available for Café Mac.
Macalester is a signatory to the Talloires Declaration and the American College and University President's Climate Commitment, the latter obligating the college to work toward carbon neutrality.[17] In April 2003, Macalester was able to install a 10 kW Urban Wind Turbine on-campus thanks to that year's senior class gift donating the installation cost and Xcel Energy donating the tower and turbine.[18] The student organization MacCARES is currently developing a proposal for Macalester to invest in a Utility-Scale Wind Turbine in the range of 2MW.[18] Other projects include the Eco-House, a student residence with a range of green features and research opportunities; a rain garden which prevents storm water from running-off into ground water, a bike share program, and a veggie co-op.[17] Recently, the Class of 2008 designated its senior class gift to a Sustainability Fund to support initiatives to improve environmental sustainability on campus and in the greater community.[17]
In the 2009 College Sustainability Report Card published by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, Macalester earned an overall grade of "B+".[19] Only 15 schools earned a higher grade.[20] In the 2010 College Sustainability Report Card, published by the same group, the school received an overall grade of "A−", the top grade received by any institution across the nation.[21] In addition, the college declared a goal in September 2009 to become carbon neutral by 2025 and Zero-Waste by 2020.[22]
Also in 2009, the school opened Markim Hall, a LEED Platinum building that houses the school's Institute for Global Citizenship.[23] The building uses 45% less water and 75% less energy than a typical building in Minnesota. Macalester is currently planning on remodeling its Music, Theater, and Art buildings and is designing them to Minnesota B3 Guidelines.
In 2011, The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) awarded Macalester College a Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) Silver Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements.[24]
Some of the notable alumni and faculty of Macalester college include architect Cass Gilbert, political figures Kofi Annan '61 and Walter Mondale '50, businessman and philanthropist DeWitt Wallace '11, writers Tim O'Brien '68, Rebecca Otto '85, Walter Kirn (transferred to Princeton University after his first year) and Christina French Houghton '06, a co-founder of Guy French. Musicians Bob Mould '82 and Will Sheff '98, Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut president and 2010 candidate for Connecticut governor Juan A. Figueroa '77, talent agent Ari Emanuel '83 (upon whom Ari Gold from "Entourage" is based), and actors Peter Berg '84 and Carl Lumbly '73. Grammy Award-winning Sounds of Blackness got their start at Macalester as did 80's pop group Information Society who charted with their hit "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)." Past and present faculty include Hubert Humphrey, Jack Weatherford, Wang Ping and George Latimer. In 1993, Mac alum Sharon Sayles Belton '73 was elected as the first African American and first female mayor in the 140-year history of the city of Minneapolis. In Jonathan Franzen's 2010 best-selling novel "Freedom", the two male protagonists, Richard and Walter, attended Macalester College.
|
|||||||||||
|
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|||||
|
|||||