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{{Short description|Private liberal arts college in Lynchburg, Virginia, US}}
{{ Infobox University |
name = Randolph College | {{distinguish|Randolph–Macon College|Randolph College for the Performing Arts}}
{{Infobox university
motto = ''Vita Abundantior''<br>(Life More Abundant) |
|name = Randolph College
established = ] |
|image = File:Randolph college seal 400.png
type = ] ] |
|image_size = 120px
head_label = Interim President <!-- change as needed; old template said President --> |
|motto = ''Vita Abundantior''
head = Virginia Worden |
|mottoeng = Life More Abundant
city = ] |
|established = {{start date and age|1891}}
state = ] |
|type = ] ]
country = ] |
|religious_affiliation = ]
undergrad = 730 |
|head_label =
postgrad = |
|head =
postgrad_label = |
|president = Sue Ott Rowlands
faculty = 72 |
|city = ]
free_label = Endowment |
|state = ]
free = $131 million (2005) |
|country = U.S.
campus = ]; 100 acres |
|coor = {{Coord|37.4368|-79.1718|type:edu_region:US-VA|display=title,inline}}
mascot = Wanda the WildCat |
|undergrad = 478
website =
|postgrad = 75
|postgrad_label =
|faculty = 128
|endowment = $197 million (2022)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/540505941/202311359349305771/full | title=Randolph College, Full Filing - Nonprofit Explorer | date=9 May 2013 }}</ref>
|campus = Suburban, ]; {{cvt|100|acres}}
|former_names = Randolph-Macon Woman's College (1891–2007)
|colors = {{Color box|#000000}}{{Color box|#ffd200}} Black & yellow
|athletics_affiliations = ] ] – ]
|sports_nickname = WildCats
|mascot = Wanda WildCat
|academic_affiliations = {{hlist|]|]|]}}
|website = {{URL|www.randolphcollege.edu}}
|logo = Randolph college logo horizontal 400.png
}} }}


'''Randolph College''' is a private ] located in ]. It was founded in ] as a ] and was known as ''Randolph-Macon Woman's College''. It will be re-named July 1, 2007 to ''Randolph College'' for fall 2007 when the college becomes ]. '''Randolph College''' is a ] ] in ]. Founded in 1891 as '''Randolph-Macon Woman's College''', it was renamed on July 1, 2007, when it became ].


The college offers 32 majors; 42 minors; ‘pre-professional’ programs in law, medicine, veterinary medicine, engineering physics, and teaching; and a dual degree program in engineering. Undergraduate degrees offered include the ], ], and Bachelor of Fine Arts. Randolph also offers four graduate degrees, the ], Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Master of Fine Arts in Theatre, and the Master of Arts in Coaching and Sport Leadership.

Randolph College is an ] school competing in the ] (ODAC). The college fields varsity teams in six men's and eight women's sports.

Randolph College is a member of ] of colleges in the United States, the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, and the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges.

]
==History== ==History==
The college was founded by William Waugh Smith, then-president of ], under Randolph-Macon's charter after failing to convince R-MC to become ]. Randolph-Macon Woman's College and R-MC have been governed by a separate board of trustees since ]. Randolph-Macon Woman's College has historic ties to the ]. After many attempts to find a location for Randolph-Macon Woman's College, the city of Lynchburg donated the property for the purpose of establishing a women's college. The college was founded by ], then-president of ], under Randolph-Macon's charter after he failed to convince R-MC to become ]al. '''Randolph-Macon Woman's College''' has historic ties to the current ] (and its predecessor bodies of ] in the former ], 1784-1939, and ], 1939-1968).{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}} After many attempts to find a location for Randolph-Macon Woman's College, the city of Lynchburg donated 50 acres<ref>{{cite news |title=Randolph-Macon Woman's College |url=https://archive.org/stream/independen79v80newy#page/n42/mode/1up |newspaper=The Independent |date=Jul 6, 1914 |access-date=August 1, 2012}}</ref> for the purpose of establishing a women's college. In 1916, it became the first women's college in the South to earn a ] charter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.randolphcollege.edu/about/history-and-legacy/ | title=Randolph College History and Legacy }}</ref> Beginning in 1953, the two colleges were governed by separate boards of trustees.


], built in 1891, was listed on the ] in 1979.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2009a}}</ref>
The school is well-respected as an academic institution and while a women's college was considered one of the "]." In 1916, it became the first women's college in the South to earn a ] charter.


In August 2006, only a few weeks into the academic year, Randolph-Macon Woman's College announced that it would adopt coeducation and change its name. Former Interim president Ginger H. Worden argued in a September 17, 2006 editorial for '']'' that,
Randolph-Macon Woman's College is in the top 10% of all colleges and universities in America in the percentage of women graduates who eventually earn a Ph.D.


<blockquote>Today, the college is embarking on a new future, one that will include men. Yet that original mission, that dedication to women's values and education, remains. The fact of the marketplace is that only 3 percent of college-age women say they will consider a women's college. The majority of our own students say they weren't looking for a single-sex college specifically. Most come despite the fact that we are a single-sex college. Our enrollment problems are not going away, and we compete with both coed and single-sex schools. Of the top 10 colleges to which our applicants also apply, seven are coed. Virtually all who transfer from R-MWC do so to a coed school. These market factors affect our financial realities.<ref>{{cite news | first=Virginia| last=Worden| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/15/AR2006091500939_pf.html| title=Why We Had No Choice but to Go Coed| publisher=washingtonpost.edu | date=2006-09-17| access-date=2006-10-20}}</ref></blockquote>
===Coeducation===
On 9 September, 2006, the school announced the adoption of a new strategic plan which included a platform for a global honors emphasis and ]. Men will be eligible for admission beginning in Fall 2007.


The decision to go co-ed was not welcomed by everyone. Alumnae and students organized protests which were covered by local and national media.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/21/education/21women.html|title=Women's colleges|website=New York Times|date=September 21, 2006}}</ref> Many students accused the school of having recruited them under false pretenses, as the administration did not warn new or current students that they were considering admitting men.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OQoqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jNAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7124%2C2327029|title=Students at women's college outraged about coed plans|newspaper=Spartanburg Herald-Journal|date=September 10, 2006|via=Google News Archive Search|access-date=20 December 2014}}</ref> Lawsuits were filed against the school by both students and alumnae.
There were numerous protests on campus including rallies, blocking administrative offices, mass requests for transfer transcripts, banners all over campus, striking from classes, participation in quiet protest to highlight lack of student voices in the board of trustee votes. This lead to the formation of a non-profit "Preserve Education Choice" http://www.preserveeducationalchoice.org/, which has ongoing legal efforts to restore RMWC on the basis that the college had a contract with existing students to remain a women's college until current students graduated and that the assets of the college were part of a charitable trust established for the purpose of educating primarily women. in the liberal arts with the name Randolph-Macon Woman's College. <ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA/MGArticle/LNA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149190292109&path= | title=R-MWC sends message to board of trustees|publisher=] |date = August 29, 2006| first= | last= | accessdate = 2007-02-18}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149190631615 | title=R-MWC protest blocks offices: Recent vote to accept men has prompted wide-ranging reaction|publisher=] |date = Sept 15, 2006| first= | last= | accessdate = 2007-02-18}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=RMWC | title=YouTube footage of campus protests and efforts to save RMWC|publisher=] |date = Dec 15, 2006| first= | last= | accessdate = 2007-02-18}}</ref>


It was renamed '''Randolph College''' on July 1, 2007, when it became ]. The ensuing period of integration was, perhaps unsurprisingly, difficult. The first full-time male students saw their mailboxes and doors vandalized, and were quickly polarized.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}} The last class to have the option to receive diplomas from Randolph-Macon Woman's College graduated on May 16, 2010.
A letter in the ] ] issue of the '']'' claims that the college decided to become coeducational because it felt that the market for women's colleges has decreased.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/15/AR2006091500939_pf.html | title=Why We Had No Choice but to Go Coed|publisher=] | date=September 17, 2006 | first= | last= | accessdate = 2006-11-24}}</ref> An ] article in '']'' stated that the controversial decision drew protests from current students, faculty, and alumnae. According to an ] ] article in '']'', two lawsuits were filed by ''Preserve Educational Choice'', a group opposed to the decision. . On ], ], both lawsuits were dismissed in Lynchburg Circuit Court.


Randolph College is named after ] of Roanoke, Virginia. Randolph (1773-1833) was an eccentric planter and politician who, in his will, released hundreds of slaves after his death and once fought a duel with Henry Clay.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/who-was-john-randolph/|title=Who Was John Randolph?|website=The American Conservative|date=11 October 2012 |access-date=13 March 2018}}</ref>
==Alumnae==
===Presidents===
* Sue Ott Rowlands, 2022–present
* Bradley Bateman, 2013–2022<ref>{{cite web|title=Dr. Bradley W. Bateman Announced as Randolph's 10th President|url=http://president.go.randolphcollege.edu/2013/02/14/dr-bradley-w-bateman-announced-as-randolphs-10th-president/|publisher=Randolph College|access-date=14 February 2013|archive-date=21 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221153238/http://president.go.randolphcollege.edu/2013/02/14/dr-bradley-w-bateman-announced-as-randolphs-10th-president/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* John E. Klein, 2007–2013
* Ginger H. Worden '69 (Interim President), 2006–2007
* Kathleen Gill Bowman, 1994–2006
* Lambuth M. Clarke, 1993–1994
* Linda Koch Lorimer, 1987–1993
* Robert A. Spivey, 1978–1987
* William F. Quillian, Jr., 1952–1978<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vlas.org/ProgramNewsArticle.cfm?articleID=247 |title= The Bill Quillian Celebration|website=www.vlas.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521014048/http://www.vlas.org/ProgramNewsArticle.cfm?articleID=247 |archive-date=May 21, 2008}}</ref>
* ], 1933–1952
* N. A. Pattillo, 1931–1933
* Dice Robins Anderson, 1920–1931
* William A. Webb, 1913–1919
* William Waugh Smith, 1891–1912<ref>{{cite journal|title=A Trip Through Time|journal=Randolph|date=April 2016|volume=7|issue=2|pages=2–3|url=http://web.randolphcollege.edu/multimedia/emags/randolph_2016_7_2/pubData/source/randolph_vol_7_no_2.pdf|access-date=28 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301180814/http://web.randolphcollege.edu/multimedia/emags/randolph_2016_7_2/pubData/source/randolph_vol_7_no_2.pdf|archive-date=2017-03-01|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Academics ==
Randolph College is primarily an undergraduate institution, offering a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The College also offers several Master's programs: a Master of Arts in Teaching, a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre, and a Master of Coaching and Sport Leadership.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Academic Programs - Academics at Randolph College |url=https://www.randolphcollege.edu/academics/majors/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=www.randolphcollege.edu}}</ref>

In the fall of 2021, Randolph launched a new curriculum model called TAKE2. This model breaks each semester up into seven-week "sessions," during which students take two courses at a time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TAKE2 |url=https://www.randolphcollege.edu/take2/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=www.randolphcollege.edu}}</ref> This is a break from the traditional curricular model where students take four or five courses through an entire semester.

==Maier Museum of Art==
{{main|Maier Museum of Art}}

Randolph College's Maier Museum of Art<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maiermuseum.org/|title=Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College|access-date=20 December 2014}}</ref> features works by American artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. The college has been collecting American art since 1920 and the Maier now houses a collection of several thousand paintings, prints, drawings, and photographs in the college's permanent collection.

The Maier hosts a schedule of special exhibitions and education programs throughout the year.

In 2007, there was some controversy when Randolph College announced that it would sell four paintings from its collection.<ref>{{cite web|title=Randolph College to Auction Four Paintings|url=http://web.randolphcollege.edu/newsevents/pressreleases/news_detail.asp?id=648|publisher=Randolph College|access-date=2 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511093432/http://web.randolphcollege.edu/newsevents/pressreleases/news_detail.asp?id=648|archive-date=2008-05-11|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Traditions==
{{unreferenced section|date=May 2022}}
The rivalry between 'odd' and 'even' graduating classes is the lynchpin of many traditions at Randolph College. The groups are distinguished based on whether their graduation year is an odd or even number, hence the names. As students spend four years earning their undergraduate degrees at Randolph, there are always two odd 'sister-classes' and two even 'sister-classes'. These groups participate in certain celebratory events together depending on the year.

==Special programs==
===Randolph College Abroad: The World in Britain===
Since 1968, the college has hosted a study abroad program at the ], England. Each year as many as 35 students are selected for the program. Commonly taken during the junior year, students may choose to enroll for the full academic year or for the fall or spring semester only. Students live in one of three Randolph-owned houses across the street from the University of Reading campus, and travel as a class to various cities and destinations in England.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.randolphcollege.edu/britain/|title=Randolph College|work=Randolph College Abroad: The World in Britain|access-date=20 December 2014}}</ref> In 2018, the Randolph College Board of Trustees made the decision to end The World in Britain program after the ensuing academic year.{{Citation needed|reason=Reliable source needed for the whole sentence|date=June 2024}}

===The American Culture program===
A minor in American Culture offers Randolph College students the opportunity to study American society and culture by drawing upon resources, techniques, and approaches from a variety of disciplines. The American Culture program also accepts visiting students from other American colleges and universities for a one-semester intensive study of a particular theme or region, including literature, art, history, and travel components.

==Notable people==
===Faculty===
* ], poet
* ] (1853–1918), notable psychologist and educator
* ] (1869-1928), painter
* ] (1980-1982), ], ], ] author and one of the founders of the ] literary movement
* ], actress
* ] (1910-1977), Psychology Department chair and exponent of ]

===Alumnae===
<!-- DO NOT ADD PEOPLE TO THIS LIST WITHOUT A VERIFIABLE CITATION. <!-- DO NOT ADD PEOPLE TO THIS LIST WITHOUT A VERIFIABLE CITATION.
Additions without a citation are subject to removal. Additions without a citation are subject to removal.
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{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Known for
!Relationship to college
|- |-
|align="left"|]
!bgcolor="#e5e5e5" width="30%" | Name !! bgcolor="#e5e5e5" width="42%" | Known for !! bgcolor="#e5e5e5" width="28%" | Relationship to Randolph College
|align="left"|First woman from the United States to win the ] in 1938 for "the body of her work". Her most famous work, '']'' won the 1932 ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Pearl S. Buck Collections |url=https://library.randolphcollege.edu/archives/Buck |access-date=March 13, 2023 |website=Lipscomb Library}}</ref>
|align="left"|class of 1914
|- |-
|align="left"|]
|]|| ]-winning author || (1914)||
|align="left"|Actress on ] and in ]<ref name="bde">{{cite news|title=Helen Claire Back North|newspaper=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4458462/the_brooklyn_daily_eagle/|agency=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|date=November 19, 1939|location=New York, Brooklyn|page=31|via = ]|access-date = February 27, 2016}} {{Open access}}</ref>
|align="left"|
|- |-
|align="left"|Dorothy (Park) Clark
|] || ] || ||
|align="left"|Author of historical novels, mainly under the pen name ]
|align="left"|ca. 1917
|- |-
| ] || ] senior political correspondent|| || |align="left"|]
|align="left"|] senior political correspondent whose career includes two awards for outstanding journalism, from the ] and the ].
|align="left"| class of 1970
|- |-
|align="left"|]
|Anne Tucker || Museum of Fine Arts, Houston photography curator (named "America's Best Curator" by Time Magazine, 2001)|| ||
|align="left"|] member of the ] from 1994 to 2006; first woman to chair the House Education Committee; school counselor by occupation; native of ], ]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=odilia-dank&pid=166531804#fbLoggedOut|title=Odilia Dank|newspaper=]|access-date=August 20, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24482/odilia-dank|title=Odilia Dank|publisher=votesmart.org|access-date=August 20, 2013}}</ref>
|align="left"|class of 1960
|- |-
|align="left"|]
| ] || US Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Industrial Policy || ||
|align="left"|Independent filmmaker, director of ''You Are Not I'' (1981), ''Sleepwalk'' (1986), and ''When Pigs Fly'' (1993); producer of two early ] films, '']'' and '']''.
|align="left"|class of 1977
|-
|align="left"|]
|align="left"|Dean of the ] of ], 2004 until 2010
|align="left"|attended 1973 until 1975
|-
|align="left"|]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/01/style/weddings-lee-hennessee-charles-gradante.html|title=WEDDINGS; Lee Hennessee, Charles Gradante|newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 1, 1992}}</ref>
|align="left"|Hedge fund pioneer and philanthropist. Campaign Finance chair for Elizabeth Dole.
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|]<ref>{{cite news|last = Saxon|first = Wolfgang|title = Lucy S. Howorth, 102, Dies; Lawyer, Politician, Suffragist|newspaper = ]|date = 1997-09-02|url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/02/us/lucy-s-howorth-102-dies-lawyer-politician-suffragist.html|access-date = 2016-11-28}}{{subscription required}}</ref>
|align="left"|American lawyer, feminist and politician.
|align="left"|class of 1916
|-
|align="left"|]
|align="left"|Current judge on the ].
|align="left"|class of 1970
|-
|align="left"|]
|align="left"|] member of the ] from ] since 2011
|align="left"|class of 1993
|-
|align="left"|]
|align="left"|Influential newspaper journalist and television commentator in ], ]; won a ] for her television reports
|align="left"|class of 1948
|-
|align="left"|]
|align="left"|Democratic ] from Arkansas from 1999 to 2011. She has previously served in the ] from ]. At the age of 38, Lincoln was the youngest woman to be elected to the Senate, in 1998.
|align="left"|class of 1982
|-
|align="left"|]
|align="left"|Founder of Kakenya Center for Excellence, a school for girls in Kenya, and women's education and health activist.
|align="left"|class of 2004
|-
|align="left"|]
|align="left"|US Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Industrial Policy
|align="left"|class of 1977
|-
|align="left"|]
|align="left"|Social-justice activist, civil rights leader.
|align="left"|class of 1946
|-
|align="left"|]
|align="left"|One of the twelve directors of ''Sesame Street''. She won 6 Daytime Emmys.
|align="left"|class of 1961
|-
|align="left"|]
|align="left"|Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; photography curator; (named "America's Best Curator" by '']'', in 2001)
|align="left"|class of 1967
|-
|align="left"|]
|align="left"|US district court judge in ]. She presided over ]'s sexual harassment lawsuit against former President ]. She was also involved with the investigation of the ] with ].
|align="left"|class of 1970
|} |}

==Traditions==
Tradition is at the heart of student life at Randolph-Macon.

===Odd/Even Rivalry===
One of the oldest traditions is the Even/Odd rivalry. The year the student graduates denotes if they are an Even (class of 2008, 2010, etc.) or an Odd (class of 2007, 2009, etc.). Evens use the set of stairs to the left when one enters Main Hall lobby, Odds use the right hand side set of stairs. Lore states that if an Even or Odd uses the wrong set of stairs they will not graduate.

The class of 1903 unwittingly established the Odd/Even tradition by adopting the class of 1905 as "little sisters." The Odd classes are lead in spirit by the Gamma 13. Legend has it that the class of 1914 ordered a coffin to be delivered to Main Hall to "bury Odd spirit." A sophomore, class of 1913 intercepted the coffin and with some friends hauled it into the woods behind campus. Later that night, fearing the Evens were on the prowl, the Odds carried the coffin across the street to Dr. Lipscomb's house. There it was hidden under his bed until they could burn it the next day. The Odds supposedly hold the ashes of the coffin, and its silver handles as trophies.

The Odds have the task of keeping the Odd Tree white and pristine. The original Odd Tree stood near the Crush Path until, according to lore, the Evens viciously burned it down. Now all that remains is a large cement replica of the trunk in the spot of where the original tree stood.

Odd Class symbols are the witch and the devil. Their colors are red, grey and blue, to be worn on the 13th of very month.

Even class spirit is lead by the Etas, founded in 1922. The Evens adopted Dr. William Waugh Smith's dog, Mr. Bones as a mascot. His horse, Mr. Buttons was tied to the the hitching post in front of Main every day; this post was later adopted as the Even Post. This post is to be kept clean and white by the Evens.

Symbols of the Even classes are bones, buttons, and the Even Post. Their colors are green, white and tan. Their trophies are the dog, the horse's ears, and tail, and a flag that depicts Bones and Buttons.

The Gamma 13 and the Etas lead stomps through the academic year. The school wakes to loud cheers, and class songs being sung as the spirit groups move across campus.

Skeller Sings are held throughout the year by the Etas and the Gammas. Together they lead in singing class songs. These lively exchanges can be heard throughout Main Hall.

Bury the Hatchet is celebrated in the spring. A senior passes down a hatchet to the most spirited junior to symbolize all the classes coming together to bond at the end of a spirited year.

===Ring Week===
First-years take part in Ring Week in November with with their sister class, the juniors. During this week first-years leave presents at the door of their selected junior. Ring Night is marked by the ringing of Conway Bell. After the junior class dinner a scavenger hunt begins to find her first-year who will present the junior her ring.

===Pumpkin Parade===
Pumpkin Parade is celebrated by sophomores and seniors. The sophomore picks a senior and decorates her door and leaves presents for a week. The sophomore at the end of the week presents a carved pumpkin to her senior. The seniors then parade their pumpkins in their robes and funny hats along the Crush Path and there is a serenade. This tradition takes place during Family Weekend in October.

===Other Traditions===
In addition to the Odd/Even rivalry R-MWC is host to a myriad of other traditions.

Never Ending Weekend is celebrated during the fall semester. The weekend kicks off on Friday with Tacky Party, a huge dance party where the attendents aim to dress in the most tacky outfit possible. Fall Formal is held on Saturday night in main hall lobby where there is more dancing. Simmer-down Sunday is a cooling off day before a return to studies and homework.

Holiday dinner is celebrated during the last week of the fall semester. Sister classes dine together for a delicious meal in the decorated dining hall. At the end of the meal students stand on their chairs and sing holiday songs. The evening is closed with the singing of the school song.

==Maier Museum of Art==
Located behind Main Hall, and across the athletic field, perched atop a hill is the Maier Museum of Art. Randolph-Macon Woman's College was chosen in 1951 to be the site of a confidential storage facility to be used by the National Gallery of Art in the event of a national emergency. The college signed a 50 year contract with the gallery and began work on "Project Y." The construction was finished in 1952, and the museum was dedicated later that year. The Maier Museum of Art specializes in solely American artwork. The collection includes:
* George Wesley Bellow's ''Men of the Docks'' was the first purchase made by the Randolph-Macon Art Association in 1920. It has been suggested that the college sell the Bellow's piece in order to generate funds for the college. This idea has been met much resistance.
* ''Red Umbrella'' by Colleen Browning is often cited as favorite among students and is subject of the Mayonnaise girl legend. The painting was given to the museum as a gift from the Cynthia L. Hellman Memorial Fund in 1973.
* ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' by Edward Hicks was given to the college by Phyllis Crawford, class of 1920 and author of The Last Semester.
* ''Mrs. Scott's House'' by Edward Hopper was purchased by the Louise Jordan Smith Fund in 1936. There is photographic evidence in the Helianthus that this painting used to hang in Main Hall lobby until the mid-1970s.
* ''Yellow Cactus'' by Georgia O'Keefe was also purchased by the Louise Jordan Smith Fund in 1944.
* Gilbert Stuart's portrait of Mrs. Robert Hooper, circa 1811 was purchased in part by the Fine Arts Fund, and Dr. and Mrs. Ben T. Bell in 1961.

The College currently has on loan ''Paris Courtyard'' by Winslow Homer at the Naples Museum of Art in Naples, Florida. ''Sun and Wind on Roof'' by John Sloan is also on loan and can be seen at the William's College Museum of Art in Williams, Massachusetts. Both works will return to the college in the summer of 2007.

The Maier Museum is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday during the academic year, and 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday during the summer months. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

==Special programs==
Since 1968, Randolph-Macon Woman's College has provided a junior year of study at the ], ]. Each year approximately 30 to 35 students are selected for the program from R-MWC and a variety of other American colleges and universities.

Additionally, a unique major in American Culture offers the opportunity to study American society and culture by drawing upon resources, techniques, and approaches from a variety of disciplines. The American Culture Program also accepts visiting students from other American colleges and universities for a one-semester intensive study of a particular theme and region, including literature, art, history, and travel components.

The administration of Randolph-Macon Woman's College has attempted to sell or terminate this program due to perceived financial problems at the college. See the link below to the announcement by President Kathleen G. Bowman why the Reading Program was "discontinued" in 2006, citing rising costs, increased interest in locations other than England, and preferences for semester-long or shorter study abroad programs. "http://www.rmwc.edu/alumnae/news_detail.asp?nid=47" The college paid for a study and it told them to discontinue the program. It was revived after protests and pledges of donations from alumnae. There is a related yahoo group called RMWC_Reading, which was established by alumnae to help make a case for keeping the program. Yahoo Description:
Group dedicated to maintaining R-MWC as a WOMAN'S College and to saving R-MWC's 38-year-old educational program at University of Reading. Without the persistent voices of these women, the program would already be terminated. Without ongoing alumnae support, which has been affected due to unilateral changes to the college name and curriculum, the future of this program is in doubt. "http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RMWC_Reading/" Another recent article from Dec 2006 refers to the possibility of selling off assets such as the Reading Program to stave off financial difficulties, highlighted by a recent ] <ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.sacscoc.org/disclosure/dec2006/Randolph%20Macon%20Womans%20College.pdf| title=Disclosure Statement Regarding the Status of RANDOLPH-MACON WOMAN’S COLLEGE|publisher=] | date=Jan 2, 2007 | first= | last= | accessdate = 2007-02-18}}</ref> warning to the college. Here is a link to recent statements that the program may be sold for financial reasons with quotes from current president. <ref>
{{cite news | url=http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA/MGArticle/LNA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149192282192&path | title=Warning: R-MWC in financial trouble|publisher=] |date = December 20, 2006| first= | last= | accessdate = 2007-02-18}}</ref>


==References== ==References==
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==External links== ==External links==
*{{Official|http://www.randolphcollege.edu}}
*http://www.preserveeducationalchoice.org/ Link to non-profit supporting legal fight to preserve Randolph-Macon Woman's College as single-sex institution
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Latest revision as of 18:55, 7 January 2025

Private liberal arts college in Lynchburg, Virginia, US Not to be confused with Randolph–Macon College or Randolph College for the Performing Arts.
Randolph College
Former namesRandolph-Macon Woman's College (1891–2007)
MottoVita Abundantior
Motto in EnglishLife More Abundant
TypePrivate liberal arts college
Established1891; 134 years ago (1891)
Religious affiliationUnited Methodist Church
Academic affiliations
Endowment$197 million (2022)
PresidentSue Ott Rowlands
Academic staff128
Undergraduates478
Postgraduates75
LocationLynchburg, Virginia, U.S.
37°26′12″N 79°10′18″W / 37.4368°N 79.1718°W / 37.4368; -79.1718
CampusSuburban, historic; 100 acres (40 ha)
Colors   Black & yellow
NicknameWildCats
Sporting affiliationsNCAA Division III – ODAC
MascotWanda WildCat
Websitewww.randolphcollege.edu

Randolph College is a private liberal arts and sciences college in Lynchburg, Virginia. Founded in 1891 as Randolph-Macon Woman's College, it was renamed on July 1, 2007, when it became coeducational.

The college offers 32 majors; 42 minors; ‘pre-professional’ programs in law, medicine, veterinary medicine, engineering physics, and teaching; and a dual degree program in engineering. Undergraduate degrees offered include the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Fine Arts. Randolph also offers four graduate degrees, the Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Master of Fine Arts in Theatre, and the Master of Arts in Coaching and Sport Leadership.

Randolph College is an NCAA Division III school competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). The college fields varsity teams in six men's and eight women's sports.

Randolph College is a member of The Annapolis Group of colleges in the United States, the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, and the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges.

Main Hall of Randolph College
The Main Hall of Randolph College

History

The college was founded by William Waugh Smith, then-president of Randolph-Macon College, under Randolph-Macon's charter after he failed to convince R-MC to become co-educational. Randolph-Macon Woman's College has historic ties to the current United Methodist Church (and its predecessor bodies of Methodism in the former Methodist Episcopal Church, 1784-1939, and The Methodist Church, 1939-1968). After many attempts to find a location for Randolph-Macon Woman's College, the city of Lynchburg donated 50 acres for the purpose of establishing a women's college. In 1916, it became the first women's college in the South to earn a Phi Beta Kappa charter. Beginning in 1953, the two colleges were governed by separate boards of trustees.

Main Hall, built in 1891, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

In August 2006, only a few weeks into the academic year, Randolph-Macon Woman's College announced that it would adopt coeducation and change its name. Former Interim president Ginger H. Worden argued in a September 17, 2006 editorial for The Washington Post that,

Today, the college is embarking on a new future, one that will include men. Yet that original mission, that dedication to women's values and education, remains. The fact of the marketplace is that only 3 percent of college-age women say they will consider a women's college. The majority of our own students say they weren't looking for a single-sex college specifically. Most come despite the fact that we are a single-sex college. Our enrollment problems are not going away, and we compete with both coed and single-sex schools. Of the top 10 colleges to which our applicants also apply, seven are coed. Virtually all who transfer from R-MWC do so to a coed school. These market factors affect our financial realities.

The decision to go co-ed was not welcomed by everyone. Alumnae and students organized protests which were covered by local and national media. Many students accused the school of having recruited them under false pretenses, as the administration did not warn new or current students that they were considering admitting men. Lawsuits were filed against the school by both students and alumnae.

It was renamed Randolph College on July 1, 2007, when it became coeducational. The ensuing period of integration was, perhaps unsurprisingly, difficult. The first full-time male students saw their mailboxes and doors vandalized, and were quickly polarized. The last class to have the option to receive diplomas from Randolph-Macon Woman's College graduated on May 16, 2010.

Randolph College is named after John Randolph of Roanoke, Virginia. Randolph (1773-1833) was an eccentric planter and politician who, in his will, released hundreds of slaves after his death and once fought a duel with Henry Clay.

Presidents

  • Sue Ott Rowlands, 2022–present
  • Bradley Bateman, 2013–2022
  • John E. Klein, 2007–2013
  • Ginger H. Worden '69 (Interim President), 2006–2007
  • Kathleen Gill Bowman, 1994–2006
  • Lambuth M. Clarke, 1993–1994
  • Linda Koch Lorimer, 1987–1993
  • Robert A. Spivey, 1978–1987
  • William F. Quillian, Jr., 1952–1978
  • Theodore Henley Jack, 1933–1952
  • N. A. Pattillo, 1931–1933
  • Dice Robins Anderson, 1920–1931
  • William A. Webb, 1913–1919
  • William Waugh Smith, 1891–1912

Academics

Randolph College is primarily an undergraduate institution, offering a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The College also offers several Master's programs: a Master of Arts in Teaching, a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre, and a Master of Coaching and Sport Leadership.

In the fall of 2021, Randolph launched a new curriculum model called TAKE2. This model breaks each semester up into seven-week "sessions," during which students take two courses at a time. This is a break from the traditional curricular model where students take four or five courses through an entire semester.

Maier Museum of Art

Main article: Maier Museum of Art

Randolph College's Maier Museum of Art features works by American artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. The college has been collecting American art since 1920 and the Maier now houses a collection of several thousand paintings, prints, drawings, and photographs in the college's permanent collection.

The Maier hosts a schedule of special exhibitions and education programs throughout the year.

In 2007, there was some controversy when Randolph College announced that it would sell four paintings from its collection.

Traditions

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The rivalry between 'odd' and 'even' graduating classes is the lynchpin of many traditions at Randolph College. The groups are distinguished based on whether their graduation year is an odd or even number, hence the names. As students spend four years earning their undergraduate degrees at Randolph, there are always two odd 'sister-classes' and two even 'sister-classes'. These groups participate in certain celebratory events together depending on the year.

Special programs

Randolph College Abroad: The World in Britain

Since 1968, the college has hosted a study abroad program at the University of Reading, England. Each year as many as 35 students are selected for the program. Commonly taken during the junior year, students may choose to enroll for the full academic year or for the fall or spring semester only. Students live in one of three Randolph-owned houses across the street from the University of Reading campus, and travel as a class to various cities and destinations in England. In 2018, the Randolph College Board of Trustees made the decision to end The World in Britain program after the ensuing academic year.

The American Culture program

A minor in American Culture offers Randolph College students the opportunity to study American society and culture by drawing upon resources, techniques, and approaches from a variety of disciplines. The American Culture program also accepts visiting students from other American colleges and universities for a one-semester intensive study of a particular theme or region, including literature, art, history, and travel components.

Notable people

Faculty

Alumnae

Name Known for Relationship to college
Pearl S. Buck First woman from the United States to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938 for "the body of her work". Her most famous work, The Good Earth won the 1932 Pulitzer Prize. class of 1914
Helen Claire Actress on Broadway and in old-time radio
Dorothy (Park) Clark Author of historical novels, mainly under the pen name Clark McMeekin ca. 1917
Candy Crowley CNN senior political correspondent whose career includes two awards for outstanding journalism, from the National Press Foundation and the Associated Press. class of 1970
Odilia Dank Republican member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1994 to 2006; first woman to chair the House Education Committee; school counselor by occupation; native of Cleveland, Ohio class of 1960
Sara Driver Independent filmmaker, director of You Are Not I (1981), Sleepwalk (1986), and When Pigs Fly (1993); producer of two early Jim Jarmusch films, Permanent Vacation and Stranger Than Paradise. class of 1977
Daisy Hurst Floyd Dean of the Walter F. George School of Law of Mercer University, 2004 until 2010 attended 1973 until 1975
E. Lee Hennessee Hedge fund pioneer and philanthropist. Campaign Finance chair for Elizabeth Dole.
Lucy Somerville Howorth American lawyer, feminist and politician. class of 1916
Frank M. Hull Current judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. class of 1970
Missy Irvin Republican member of the Arkansas State Senate from Mountain View since 2011 class of 1993
Iris Kelso Influential newspaper journalist and television commentator in New Orleans, Louisiana; won a Peabody Award for her television reports class of 1948
Blanche Lincoln Democratic U.S. Senator from Arkansas from 1999 to 2011. She has previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas's 1st congressional district. At the age of 38, Lincoln was the youngest woman to be elected to the Senate, in 1998. class of 1982
Kakenya Ntaiya Founder of Kakenya Center for Excellence, a school for girls in Kenya, and women's education and health activist. class of 2004
Suzanne Patrick US Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Industrial Policy class of 1977
Anne McCarty Braden Social-justice activist, civil rights leader. class of 1946
Emily Squires One of the twelve directors of Sesame Street. She won 6 Daytime Emmys. class of 1961
Anne Wilkes Tucker Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; photography curator; (named "America's Best Curator" by Time, in 2001) class of 1967
Susan Webber Wright US district court judge in Little Rock, Arkansas. She presided over Paula Jones's sexual harassment lawsuit against former President Bill Clinton. She was also involved with the investigation of the Whitewater Scandal with Kenneth Starr. class of 1970

References

  1. "Randolph College, Full Filing - Nonprofit Explorer". 9 May 2013.
  2. "Randolph-Macon Woman's College". The Independent. Jul 6, 1914. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  3. "Randolph College History and Legacy".
  4. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  5. Worden, Virginia (2006-09-17). "Why We Had No Choice but to Go Coed". washingtonpost.edu. Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  6. "Women's colleges". New York Times. September 21, 2006.
  7. "Students at women's college outraged about coed plans". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. September 10, 2006. Retrieved 20 December 2014 – via Google News Archive Search.
  8. "Who Was John Randolph?". The American Conservative. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  9. "Dr. Bradley W. Bateman Announced as Randolph's 10th President". Randolph College. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  10. "The Bill Quillian Celebration". www.vlas.org. Archived from the original on May 21, 2008.
  11. "A Trip Through Time" (PDF). Randolph. 7 (2): 2–3. April 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-01. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  12. "Academic Programs - Academics at Randolph College". www.randolphcollege.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
  13. "TAKE2". www.randolphcollege.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
  14. "Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College". Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  15. "Randolph College to Auction Four Paintings". Randolph College. Archived from the original on 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2 October 2007.
  16. "Randolph College". Randolph College Abroad: The World in Britain. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  17. "The Pearl S. Buck Collections". Lipscomb Library. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  18. "Helen Claire Back North". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 19, 1939. p. 31. Retrieved February 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  19. "Odilia Dank". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  20. "Odilia Dank". votesmart.org. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  21. "WEDDINGS; Lee Hennessee, Charles Gradante". The New York Times. November 1, 1992.
  22. Saxon, Wolfgang (1997-09-02). "Lucy S. Howorth, 102, Dies; Lawyer, Politician, Suffragist". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-11-28.(subscription required)

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