Bucknell University
President John C. Bravman[1] | | |
Academic staff | 423[3] | |
---|---|---|
Undergraduates | 3,747[3] | |
Postgraduates | 40[3] | |
Location | , , United States 40°57′17″N 76°53′01″W / 40.95472°N 76.88361°W | |
Campus | 450 acres (1.8 km2)[3] Small town | |
Colors | Bucknell blue and orange[4] | |
Nickname | Bison | |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division I, Patriot League, NCAA FCS, CWPA[3] | |
Mascot | Bucky the Bison[5] | |
Website | www | |
Bucknell University is a
Approximately 3,700 undergraduate students and 50 graduate students attend the university. The school is a member of the Patriot League in NCAA Division I athletics and its mascot is the Bucknell Bison.
History
Founding and early years
Founded in 1846 as the University at Lewisburg, Bucknell traces its origin to a group of Baptists from White Deer Valley Baptist Church who deemed it "desirable that a Literary Institution should be established in Central Pennsylvania, embracing a High School for male pupils, another for females, a College and also a Theological Institution."[6]
The group's efforts for the institution began to crystallize in 1845, when Stephen William Taylor, a professor at Madison University (now Colgate University) in Hamilton, New York, was asked to prepare a charter and act as general agent for the development of the university. The charter for the University at Lewisburg, granted by the Pennsylvania General Assembly and approved by the governor on February 5, 1846, carried one stipulation–that $100,000 ($3,400,000 today) be raised before the new institution would be granted full corporate status.
In 1846, the "school preparatory to the University" opened in the basement of the First Baptist Church in Lewisburg. Known originally as the Lewisburg High School, it became in 1848 the Academic and Primary Department of the University at Lewisburg.[7]
The school's first commencement was held on August 20, 1851, for a graduation class of seven men. Among the board members attending was James Buchanan, who would become the 15th President of the United States. Stephen Taylor officiated as his last act before assuming office as president of Madison University. One day earlier, the trustees had elected Howard Malcom as the first president of the university, a post he held for six years.[8]
Female Institute
Although the Female Institute began instruction in 1852, it wasn't until 1883 that college courses were opened to
Benefactor William Bucknell
In 1881, facing dire financial circumstances, the college turned to
Continued expansion
The 40 years from 1890 until 1930 saw a steady increase in the number of faculty members and students. When
The post-War period saw a dramatic increase in higher education enrollment across the United States, thanks first to the G.I. Bill and then to the baby boom. Like other institutions, Bucknell's campus grew to accommodate a growing student body, and the college broke ground on many of the academic buildings that comprise upper campus. Chief among these is the Ellen Clarke Bertrand Library, commissioned in 1946 under Bucknell President and former Governor of Maine Horace Hildreth and opened in 1951.[13] Other major additions from the building spree of the 1950s and 60s include the Olin Science Building and Coleman, Marts and Swartz Halls.
Building for the future
A growing reputation and changing expectations for undergraduate education in the United States called for improved facilities. The 1970s brought construction of the Elaine Langone Center, the Gerhard Fieldhouse and the Computer Center. In the 1980s, the capacity of Bertrand Library was doubled, facilities for engineering were substantially renovated, and the Weis Center for the Performing Arts was inaugurated.
Heading into the 21st century, new facilities for the sciences included the renovation of the Olin Science Building, the construction of the Rooke Chemistry Building in 1990 and a new Biology Building in 1991. The Weis Music Building was inaugurated in 2000, the O'Leary Building for Psychology and Geology opened in the fall of 2002, the new Kenneth Langone Recreational Athletic Center opened in 2003 and the Breakiron Engineering Building in 2004.[14]
Campus
Grounds
Bucknell's 450-acre (180 ha) campus comprises more than 100 buildings located over a gentle rise adjacent to the West Branch Susquehanna River. The campus is divided into Lower Campus and Upper Campus by Miller Run and the Grove, a stand of oak trees that ascends the slope. Lower campus consists primarily of student housing and the institution's sports facilities. Upper campus consists primarily of academic buildings. It offers views northwest across the Buffalo Valley toward Nittany Mountain and southeast across the Susquehanna River toward Montour Ridge. Bucknell's campus forms a cohesive architectural ensemble due to the sustained use of brick and the recurrent themes of Georgian style. The institution's first building, Taylor Hall, was constructed in 1848.[15] Its newest building, Holmes Hall, was inaugurated in 2021.
Non-academic facilities
Rooke Chapel is the non-denominational setting for campus worship, weddings and celebrations. The chapel was a gift of Robert L. Rooke (class of 1913), a member of the board of trustees. The chapel is named in memory of Mr. Rooke's parents and was inaugurated on October 25, 1953. The main portion of the chapel includes the narthex, sanctuary, chancel area, organ chamber, choir rooms and balconies that surround the sanctuary on three sides. The sanctuary can seat 850. Attached to the chapel is a one-story wing housing the Office of Religious Life, the Chaplain's office and a meditation space.[16]
Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium is a 13,100-seat multi-purpose stadium built in 1924 and renovated in 1989 when it was also renamed in honor of Christy Mathewson (class of 1902), a New York Giants Hall of Fame pitcher. [17][18]
The Bucknell Farm was established in 2018, building on the success of the Lewisburg Community garden, a partnership between the university and the Borough of Lewisburg.
Academics
Bucknell has a total enrollment of around 3,700 undergraduate and 30 graduate students. With around 400 faculty, the faculty to student ratio is 9:1 with the average class size of approximately 20 students. Bucknell has traditionally had strong engineering programs. With the addition for the Freeman College of Management in 2017, Bucknell offers a distinctive balance of foundational liberal arts study and pre-professional training, a balance reflected in the 25% of students who choose to double major.[22] In 2021, the largest majors were Accounting and Finance (79 graduates), Political Science and Government (76 graduates), and Economics (67 graduates).[23] For the years between 2015 and 2021, 18% of students reported pursuing post-graduate study within nine months of graduating.[24]
College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences anchors Bucknell University in the liberal arts tradition. Its three divisions—arts and humanities, social sciences and natural sciences and mathematics—host 275 faculty members in 34 departments and 66% percent of all students enrolled in 50 majors.[25] The college emphasizes intellectual community in diversity, transformative education for the common good, mentorship that encourages students to lead examined lives and leading-edge research and scholarship.[26]
College of Engineering
Among American colleges that do not offer a
Freeman College of Management
Students can choose from five tracks leading to the BSBA degree: managing for sustainability, markets innovation and design, global management, accounting & financial management or analytics and operations management. A five-year, dual degree in Engineering and Management is available for engineers with management career goals. In 2022, after four years as an independent college, The Freeman College of Management was ranked 17th among undergraduate business schools.[28]
Centers and institutes
The Bucknell Humanities Center opened in 2017 with the inauguration of Hildreth-Mirza Hall. The center is committed to the promoting and deepening Bucknell's tradition of humanistic inquiry through grants and fellowships to support faculty and student research; innovative pedagogy; and a sense of community among humanities faculty and students through the Humanities Council and Humanities Student Council; as well as space to gather, study, and research including offices for student thesis writers, a digital humanities lab, and a faculty-donated library. It also coordinates robust programming ranging from the student-organized Humanities Week to guest speakers and faculty colloquia as part of its annual themed programming. Recent themes include "Non/Humanity" (2021–22), "Pandemics" (2022–23), and "Colonial entanglements" (2023-24).[29]
The Geisinger-Bucknell Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute was formed in April, 2013 as a partnership between Bucknell and the Geisinger Health System, headquartered in nearby
Other centers and institutes include: the Bucknell Institute for Lifelong Learning, the Bucknell Institute for Public Policy, the Center for Social Science Research, the Center for the Study of Race Ethnicity and Gender, the China Institute, the Griot Institute for the Study of Black Lives and Cultures, the Stadler Center for Poetry and Literary Arts and the Weis Center for the Performing Arts.[31]
Study Away
Almost half of all Bucknell students study abroad through a large number of exchanges with partner institutions as well as Bucknell operated sites in Accra, Athens, Granada, London, Singapore, Sydney, and Tours. Bucknell also runs a semester-long program in Washington, D.C. to support students with an interest in government public service. [32]
Rankings
Forbes[35] | 89 | |
---|---|---|
WSJ / College Pulse[36] | 81 |
In the 2024 edition of
Admissions
U.S. News & World Report classifies Bucknell's selectivity as "more selective".
Athletics
Bucknell is a member of the
In
Traditions and symbols
On April 17, 1849, the trustees approved the current Bucknell seal. The seal shows the sun, an open book and waves. The sun symbolizes the light of knowledge while the book represents education surmounting the storms and "waves" of life.[44] Bucknell's colors are orange and blue, being approved by a committee of students in 1887.[45] The bison is the current mascot of Bucknell University. In 1923, Dr. William Bartol suggested the animal due to Bucknell's location in the Buffalo Valley.[46] The school cheer is "'ray Bucknell!"
Student life
Bucknell has over 150
Bucknell's student newspaper, The Bucknellian, is printed weekly. Its radio station is WVBU-FM.
Spratt House is the home of the institution's Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program.
Alumni
Alumni of Bucknell University include:
References
- ^ a b c "The Facts About Bucknell". Bucknell University. Bucknell University. n.d. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
- ^ "U.S. and Canadian 2022 NTSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2022 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY21 to FY22, and FY22 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student (Excel)". NACUBO. February 17, 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
- ^ a b c d e "Bucknell Facts 2022–23" (PDF). Bucknell University. Bucknell University Division of Communications. December 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "Direction, Defined. Our Brand Guidelines" (PDF). Bucknell University. Bucknell University Division of Communications. August 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
- ^ "History and Traditions". Bucknell University. Bucknell University. n.d. Archived from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
- ^ "The University's Founding". Bucknell University Bucknell University.
- ^ "History & Traditions of Bucknell University". www.bucknell.edu. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ James Orin Oliphant, The Rise of Bucknell University. Chapters 2 and 3.
- ^ "The Female Institute". Bucknell University Bucknell University.
- ISBN 978-0-88146-130-5. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ^ "Milestones – Benefactor William Bucknell". Bucknell University.
- ^ Bonan, Tom. "From the Special Collections/University Archives: Jens Larsen, Bucknell University's Architect". Bucknell University. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
- ^ Stodart, Haley. "From the Special Collections/University Archives: Who is Ellen Clark Bertrand?". Bucknell University. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
- ^ [1] Archived 2012-04-24 at the Wayback Machine "Continued Expansion Bucknell University."
- ^ "The Bucknell Campus" Archived 2017-01-13 at the Wayback Machine University website. Retrieved January 1, 2016
- ^ Charles M. and Olive S. Rooke Chapel Archived 2011-12-09 at the Wayback Machine Bucknell University.
- ^ Christy Mathewson Archived 2015-05-15 at the Wayback Machine Historic Baseball. Retrieved January 1, 2016
- ^ "Christy Mathewson Stats" Archived 2016-12-06 at the Wayback Machine Baseball Almanac. Retrieved January 1, 2016
- ^ "The Bucknell Farm". bucknell.edu. Bucknell University. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ "Bucknell Set to Celebrate Solar Project Completion". bucknell.edu. Bucknell University. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ "Sustainability at Bucknell". bucknell.edu. Bucknell University. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ "Majors & Minors". Bucknell University.
- ^ "Bucknell University". nces.ed.gov. U.S. Dept of Education. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
- ^ "Graduate Outcomes". bucknell.edu. Buckenll University. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ "About the College of Arts & Sciences". Bucknell University.
- ^ "About the College of Arts & Sciences". Bucknell University.
- ^ a b c d "Bucknell University Rankings".
- ^ "Freeman College of Management Ranks 17 in Poets&Quants (2022)". Poets&Quants. 27 January 2022.
- ^ "Bucknell Humanities Center". Bucknell University.
- ^ "Geisinger-Bucknell ADMI". Geisinger.
- ^ "Bucknell Academic Centers and Institutes". Bucknell University.
- ^ "Global and Off-Campus Education". Bucknell University Bucknell University.
- ^ "Best Colleges 2024: National Liberal Arts Colleges". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Liberal Arts Rankings". Washington Monthly. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
- ^ "Forbes America's Top Colleges List 2023". Forbes. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ "2024 Best Colleges in the U.S." The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Bucknell University". Times Higher Education (THE). Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- ^ "Forbes America's Top Colleges List 2022". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- ^ "2022 Liberal Arts Colleges Ranking". Washington Monthly. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- ^ "College Salary Report: Best Universities and Colleges by Salary Potential". Payscale.com. September 2022.
- ^ "College Salary Report: Best Liberal Arts Colleges by Salary Potential". Payscale.com. September 2022.
- ^ a b "Fast Facts". Bucknell University.
- ^ "2015 ESPYS – Past Award Winners". espn.com/espys. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ "University Seal". Bucknell University. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012.
- ^ "University Colors". Bucknell University. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012.
- ^ "University Mascot". Bucknell University. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012.
- ^ "Get Involved @ Bucknell". getinvolved.bucknell.edu. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
- ^ po, myo min (2020-10-01). "The Day When a US President Praised a Student From Myanmar". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
- ^ "Jane T. Elfers: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com.
Further reading
- Theiss, Lewis Edwin, Centennial history of Bucknell University: 1846–1946, Grit Publishing Co. Press (1946)
- The rise of Bucknell University Oliphant, James Orin, The Rise of Bucknell University] Appleton-Century-Crofts (1965)
- Krist, Robert, Bucknell University, Harmony House (1990), ISBN 9780916509293