Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Motto Seize the Opportunity
Established 1855
Type Public liberal arts
master's level
Doctoral level
Endowment $21,902,702[1]
President Dr. John M. Anderson
Academic staff
 299 full-time
Administrative staff
 540 staff and administration
Undergraduates 7,424
Postgraduates 1,081
Location Millersville, Pennsylvania, USA
Campus Suburban, 250 acres (1,011,714 m²)
Colors Black and Gold
         
Athletics NCAA Division II
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
Nickname Marauders
Mascot Millersville Marauder and Skully (Marauders)
Website www.millersville.edu

Millersville University is a public university located in Millersville, Pennsylvania, United States, offering programs embracing the liberal arts. Founded in 1855 as the first Normal School in Pennsylvania, Millersville University is one of 14 universities within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

History

Millersville University was established in 1855 as the Lancaster County Normal School, the first state normal school in Pennsylvania. It subsequently changed its name to the Millersville State Normal School in 1859 and Millersville later became a state teachers college in 1927. It was renamed Millersville State College in 1959 and officially became Millersville University of Pennsylvania in 1983.

In November 1852, the Lancaster County Educational Association met in Strasburg resolving to form an institute for teacher training. The first institute, which led to the Lancaster County Normal School and received major support from Thomas H. Burrowes, was held in January 1853. While the Association was working to organize, Lewis M. Hobbs, a popular teacher of the Manor district, lobbied heavily in Manor township for a more permanent training facility for teachers. Jacob Shenk, a local farmer, donated a tract of five acres (present-day site of Ganser Library, Biemesderfer Executive Center, and Dutcher Hall) with Hobbs collecting investments from local residents. On April 17, 1855, Lancaster County Normal School opened with James P. Wickersham as Principal and a peak of 147 teachers in attendance. President of the school was Thomas H. Burrowes and Vice President was Lewis M. Hobbs. November 5, 1855 marked the start of the first full session, with a new expansion off of the original Academy building that made 96 rooms available for nearly 200 students and their teachers.[2]

Completed in 1894, the Biemesderfer Executive Center, also known as the Old Library, is the centerpiece of Millersville University's campus. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees designated $27,500 for the construction of the library in 1891 with the contract awarded to Lancastrian D.H. Rapp, who submitted the lowest bid in a blind auction.[3]

Student Lodging, Inc. is in the process of building six new residence halls at Millersville University.[4] Once the new halls are complete, the University will only own and operate three residence halls, Bard, Gilbert and Gaige Halls. Other housing options include Shenks and Reighard halls, Brookwood Court and Healthy Living apartments.

The Millersville University Library is housed in Ganser Hall. In September 2011, the University closed Ganser Hall for two years in order to complete renovations.[5] On August 26, 2013, the Ganser Library reopened as the McNairy Library and Learning Forum at Ganser Hall.

Campus

Pond
Biemesderfer main entrance
The oculus of Biemesderfer
Residence Halls
Helen Ganser Library

Location

Housing

New Facilities

The grand opening of the new Charles R. and Anita B. Winter Visual and Performing Arts Center at Millersville University occurred on Friday, October 12, 2012

On Monday August 26, 2013 the new library finally opened its doors to the Millersville University student population after 2 years of renovations.[6]

Academics

Millersville University has 8,725 students with a student-faculty ratio of 19.6:1 and an average class size of 27.

Degree programs and certifications

According to the 2011-2012 undergraduate course catalog Millersville University offers:

According to the Graduate and Professional Studies catalog, Millersville University offers 62 graduate programs:

Schools

School of Humanities and Social Sciences: Degrees

Economics - Millersville University offers degrees in the field of economics. These fields include: the straight BA in economics, or specialties in financial economics, political economics, or quantitative economics. The requirements for the basic Bachelor of Arts in Economics are: Principles of Economics I and II, Money, Credit, and Banking, Applied Statistics I, Intermediate Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, and a Seminar on economics. Additional classes are required as part of the elective and required related areas. Required related would include a minimum of calculus I in mathematics.

International Studies - The international studies program at Millersville is a broad interdisciplinary program which takes courses from business, communications, economics, foreign languages, geography, government, history, and sociology. The program is designed to give students a comprehensive understanding of their environment, and also to provide them with the analytical framework to shape and improve the world in which they live. Students in this major must take the introductory course (INTL-201) and the senior seminar (INTL-488), in addition to introductory courses in anthropology, economics, geography, and government. The student must then choose two out of the following concentrations: comparative societies, economic interdependence, global environmental issues, or international relations. Finally, the student must choose a geographical area of concentration from: Africa, America, Asia, or Europe. The student must also minor in a foreign language to graduate from the program. Foreign language classes are offered by both Millersville University and within an "F&M" agreement with the Franklin & Marshall College. This opportunity to study at F&M (a much more expensive private school) will not cost the student any extra and should be viewed as an excellent chance to learn a language not offered at the Millersville campus; such as Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, or Russian.

Philosophy - The Millersville philosophy program attempts to provide students with a historical overview of the discipline. The initial required courses are in ancient (pre-Socrates, Socrates, Plato) and modern philosophy (Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Berkeley, Hume and Kant). Students majoring in philosophy must also take courses in philosophical or mathematical logic. Additionally, students must take at least one course which focuses on a particular philosopher (a classic work or group of works within philosophical literature) such as one of the recent examples: Ludwig Wittgenstein, Simone de Beauvoir, or Jean-Paul Sartre; finally a seminar based upon a topic of relevance to philosophical inquiry (these topics will vary based on the academic year and the professor). Individuals pursuing this major are required to be proficient in a foreign language or at minimum they should major/minor in another subject area at the university. Many students choose to explore other areas of academic study before graduation. One of the primary strengths of philosophy is that it encompasses many other disciplines and allows the student to gain an informed perspective about their world.

Sociology - This discipline studies the origin and development of social institutions, behaviors, and other aspects of human social organization. Knowledge is drawn from many areas of inquiry ranging from historical to philosophical. Sociology engages issues ranging from racial inequality and class conflict to emerging issues of sexuality and identity. Sociology is a broad discipline which seeks to understand human behavior in negative areas such as racism or sexism, or the human capacity to cooperate and achieve peace.

Athletics

19 intercollegiate varsity sports competing in NCAA Division II

Men's

(Cross Country, Only NCAA National Championship Team)

Women's

Plus a diverse range of intramural and club programs. including:

Millersville Athletics Fast Facts

Millersville University's nickname is the Marauders and competes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and NCAA Division II.

Millersville's first athletics team was baseball, which started in 1889.

Millersville has won 43 PSAC Championships in 14 sports and 43 PSAC Eastern Division titles baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, football, men's soccer and volleyball.

Men's basketball player John Parker was the school's first All-American in 1956-57 and since then, 198 Marauders have earned All-America recognition.

At the conclusion of the 2011 season, women's basketball coach Mary Fleig ranked 43rd among all active coaches regardless of division in career victories with 515. She ranked 27th among active Division II coaches in winning percentage (.669) and ninth in total victories. By victories, she ranked 15th in Division II history.

Former women's lacrosse coach Barb Waltman, who retired following the 2011 season, retired as the winningest coach in Division II lacrosse history with 218 victories.

Former football coach Dr. Gene A. Carpenter was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame on July 21, 2012. Carpenter posted a 212-89-6 record and won 10 PSAC East titles from 1970-2000.

The men's cross country team won a NCAA Division II Championship in 1981. The women's lacrosse team won the AIAW Division III Championship in 1982.

Student Involvement

The Center for Student Involvement and Leadership helps students bring the "out of classroom learning" into their lives. A balance between academics and extra-curricular activities is important in college success.

Millersville University has more than 90 organizations including service and leadership clubs, fraternities and sororities, campus musical groups, honor societies, religious organizations, special interest clubs, sports clubs and student media.

Greek Life

Kappa Delta Pi (Education), Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics), Phi Alpha Theta (History), Phi Eta Sigma (First-Year Students), Phi Kappa Phi (all-discipline)

Social Fraternities

Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Lambda Sigma Upsilon, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Sigma Tau Gamma, and Acacia

Social Sororities

Alpha Sigma Alpha, Alpha Sigma Tau, Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Sigma Theta, Delta Zeta, Mu Sigma Upsilon, Sigma Gamma Rho, Sigma Phi Delta, Zeta Phi Beta, Chi Upsilon Sigma

Honor Societies

Phi Sigma Pi (Honor Fraternity—mixed gender), Delta Phi Eta (Honor Sorority)

Notable alumni

External links

References

  1. ↑ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/millersville-university-of-pennsylvania-3325
  2. ↑ Graver, Lee. (1955). A History of the First Pennsylvania State Normal School.
  3. ↑ Slotter, Carole L. The Centerpiece of the Campus (Science Press, 1982) Library of Congress # 82-62395
  4. ↑ http://blogs.millersville.edu/exchange/2013/03/21/residence-halls-update-ready-to-roll-on-construction-two-new-halls-added/
  5. ↑ "Why Will it Take 2 Years". Millersville Library Renovation Information (blog). 2010-12-22. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  6. ↑ http://blogs.millersville.edu/newlibrary/
  7. ↑ Morrison, John F. (2013-08-08). "Lawrence J. Nowlan Jr., 48, sculptor who was working on Frazier statue". Philadelphia Daily News. Retrieved 2013-08-27.
  8. ↑ "Sculptor commissioned to complete Joe Frazier statue has died". Barre Montpelier Times Argus. 2013-08-02. Retrieved 2013-08-27.

Coordinates: 40°00′00″N 76°21′22″W / 40°N 76.356°W