Muhlenberg College

Muhlenberg College is a private liberal arts college located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the United States.

Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg is historically affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, but maintains a religiously diverse student body. The college is named for Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America.

In 2008, the college was ranked #71 among liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report. In addition, Princeton Review included Muhlenberg in its 2008 "Best 366 Colleges" rankings, and included it on their "Homogeneous Student Population," "Best College Theater", and "Best in the Northeast" lists.

Muhlenberg College is one of two four-year colleges located in Allentown; Cedar Crest College is also located in the city.

History

Muhlenberg College was initially established in 1848 as the Allentown Seminary by Reverend Samuel K. Brobst, a Reformed Lutheran minister. Reverend Christian Rudolph Kessler was the school's first teacher and administrator. Between 1848 and 1867, the entity that is today Muhlenberg College operated as the Allentown Seminary, the Allentown Collegiate and Military Institute and the Allentown Collegiate Institute. In 1867, the college moved into Trout Hall, the former mansion of William Allen's son, James Allen, and was renamed after Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America. Muhlenberg's great-grandson, Reverend Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, served as president of the college from 1867 to 1876. In 1905, the college purchased and relocated to a tract located in Allentown's West End, the site of today's campus.

School Mission

According to a review in U.S. News & World Report, Muhlenberg College offers academically challenging programs in the liberal arts and sciences within the context of a warm, caring community and close student-faculty relationships. The campus is known for outstanding facilities and beauty, and the environment is one which students describe with words such as "home" and "family. " Muhlenberg faculty are unusually accessible, and the academic and co-curricular programs aim to prepare students for lives of leadership and service.

Campus

Muhlenberg's campus is located in a residential neighborhood in Allentown. The campus includes numerous buildings with distinctive red doors in traditional European/Protestant style. According to literature produced by the admissions department, the red doors are a Lutheran or German sign of welcome, but it is more commonly thought to be a traditional Protestant symbol to ward off evil or demonstrate the presence of the Holy Spirit. Cardinal red is also one of the school's colors.

The Library Building, now the Haas College Center, was built between 1926 and 1929. The Miller Tower, the distinctive dome and tower which sits on top of the Haas College Center, was inspired by Oxford University's Christopher Wren-designed Tom Tower. It is named for David A. Miller (Class of 1894), founder of Allentown's The Morning Call newspaper.

In 1988, the college opened the Harry C. Trexler library, named for local industrialist Harry Clay Trexler.

As of 2007, a new science building and an additional residence hall have been completed.

In addition to the main campus, Muhlenberg maintains the Lee and Virginia Graver Arboretum and a separate wildlife sanctuary.

Academics

The college offers an Accelerated Program, Cross-Registration, Double Major, Honors Program, Independent Study, Internships, Army ROTC (Off Campus through Lehigh), Student-Designed Major, Study Abroad, Teacher Certification, Visiting/Exchange Student Program and Washington Semester. Muhlenberg College offers Associate and Bachelor's degrees. Popular majors are business, social sciences, visual and performing arts, communications, psychology and biology.

Freshman profile

43% of the applicants are admitted each year. 42% in of the student body were in the top 10% of their graduating class, 82% in the top quarter of their graduating class, 98% in top half of their graduating class. 22% percent had high school GPA of 3.75 and higher, 34% percent had a GPA between 3.5 and 3.74, eighteen percent had a GPA between 3.25 and 3.49, twelve percent had a GPA between 3.0 and 3.24, twelve percent had a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99 and 2% had a GPA between 2.0 and 2.49.

Student life

There are more than 100 clubs and organizations on campus. In addition, the Muhlenberg Activity Council (MAC) is responsible for bringing events and activities to campus. The college arranges off-campus community service opportunities, as well as intramural and club sports for students. The performing arts are represented on-campus through various theatre, dance and music programs.

Muhlenberg College media

The college's official student-run print publication is The Muhlenberg Weekly. Established in 1883, the paper is published every week while school is in session. The Muhlenberg Advocate, a twice monthly publication, was established in 2000. The student-run radio station is WMUH, and is operated year-round by both students and volunteers from the surrounding Lehigh Valley community.

Muhlenberg College fraternities and sororities

16% of students are involved with Greek life on campus. There are four sororities affiliated with the college: Phi Sigma Sigma, Delta Zeta, Alpha Chi Omega and Phi Mu and three fraternities: Phi Kappa Tau, Delta Tau Delta, and Sigma Phi Epsilon. College rules stipulate that students may not pledge to join a Greek organization until their sophomore year.

Athletics

Muhlenberg, a NCAA Division III school, participates in 22 intercollegiate sports and competes in the Centennial Conference as well as the Eastern College Athletic Conference. The college also has club teams in both ice hockey and women's rugby union.

Both men's and women's teams exist for: basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and track and field. In addition, there are men's teams in baseball, football, and wrestling; women have teams for softball and volleyball.

Athletic facilities have been expanded in recent years; in 2004, a addition was built west of the field house. The tennis courts were built in 2003, as well as two fields in 1998 and 1997 respectively.

Notable alumni

• Richard Ben-Veniste, attorney, lead prosecutor in the Watergate case and Democratic counsel in the Whitewater scandal hearings.
• George O. Bierkoe, president and co-founder of Endicott College.
• Justis Bolding, actress on ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live, playing role of Sarah Roberts.
• Frederick Busch, author and literature professor, Colgate University.
• David Fricke, writer, senior editor of Rolling Stone magazine.
• O. Frederick Nolde, dean, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and first director of the World Council of Churches' Commission of the Churches on International Affairs.
• Darryl Ponicsan, author of the novels The Last Detail and Cinderella Liberty.

References

External links

• Muhlenberg College Official Web Site
• WMUH, Muhlenberg College's Radio Station
• The Muhlenberg Advocate, Muhlenberg College's Independent Online Newspaper
• The Muhlenberg Weekly, Muhlenberg College's Official Weekly Newspaper
• Muhlenberg College at NNDB