Bethany College (Bethany, West Virginia)

Infobox University
name = Bethany College
motto = Truth gives the bow to knowledge.
slogan = Permission To Dream


established = 1840
type = Private
president = Dr. Scott D. Miller
city = Bethany
state = West Virginia
country = USA
students = 900
faculty =
campus = Rural convert|1300|acre|km2
mascot = Bison

free_label = Athletics
free = 20 NCAA Division III Athletic Teams
affiliations website = [http://www.bethanywv.edu/ www.bethanywv.edu]

Bethany College, is a private liberal arts college nestled in the rolling foothills of Bethany, West Virginia. Founded in 1840, it remains West Virginia's oldest degree-granting institution.

History

Bethany, a small college of national distinction, was founded March 2, 1840. For nearly 170 years, Bethany College has been a highly contemporary institution based in the tradition of the liberal arts. On March 5, 1840, Bethany was chartered by the Virginia legislature and given "all degree-granting powers" of the University of Virginia. West Virginia's secession from Virginia on June 20, 1863 recognized existing Virginia charters; Bethany College continues to operate under the Virginia charter today.

Founded by Alexander Campbell, who provided the land and funds for the first building and served as the first president, Bethany has been a four-year private liberal arts college affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), since its inception. This religious body, of which Campbell was one of the principal founders, continues to support and encourage the College, but exercises no sectarian control. Students from virtually every religious community attend Bethany. An early center of coeducation, Bethany has admitted women since the 1880s.

The College's roots stem from the Buffalo Seminary founded in 1818 by Campbell and held in the Alexander Campbell Mansion, home of Alexander Campbell and Thomas Campbell, located less than a mile away from the College's present location.

The College is the birthplace of Delta Tau Delta, an international social fraternity founded in 1858.

Bethany's 1,300-acre campus is located in the northern panhandle of West Virginia in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. Pittsburgh, America's Most Livable City, is a 50-minute drive from campus. Wheeling, W.Va.; Washington, Pa.; and Steubenville, Ohio are less than a half-hour away.

Fields of study

Bethany College offers a wide array of studies, awarding bachelor of science and bachelor of arts degrees in more than 30 fields of study, many with options for emphasis in specializations. Students may also include one or more optional minors.

Major fields of study

Majors are offered in:
*Accounting
*Biology
*Biochemistry
*Chemistry
*Communication, with an option for emphasis in
**Advertising
**Electronic Media
**Graphics
**Print Media
**Public Relations
*Computer Science
*Economics, with options for emphasis in
**Managerial Economics
**International Economics
**Financial Economics
*Education
**Elementary Education
**Middle Childhood Education
**Secondary Education
*English
*Environmental Science
*Equine Studies
*History
*Interdisciplinary Studies (Major programs initiated and developed by individual students to fulfill their personal education goals)
*International Relations
*Mathematics
*Music
*Physical Education and Sports Studies, with options for emphasis on
**Sports Communication
**Sports Management
**Sports Services
**Teaching Physical Education
*Political Communication
*Political Science
*Psychology, with options for emphasis in
**Scientific Psychology
**Human Services
**Pre-Physical Therapy
*Psychology and Education
*Religious Studies
*Social Studies
*Social Work
*Spanish
*Theatre Arts
*Visual Art

Pre-professional fields of study

*Pre-Dentistry
*Pre-Engineering
*Pre-Law
*Pre-Medical
*Pre-Ministry
*Pre-Physical Therapy
*Pre-Veterinary

Minor fields of study

Minors are offered in:
*Accounting
*American Government and Politics
*American Literature
*Botany
*British Literature
*Chemistry
*Communication
*Computer Science
*Economics
*Environmental Biology
*Experimental Physics
*Film Studies
*French
*German
*History
*International Relations
*Management
*Mathematics
*Medieval and Renaissance Studies
*Music
*Multi-Category Special Education K-Adult
*Philosophy
*Public Policy
*Religious Studies
*Secondary Education
*Spanish
*Theatre
*Theoretical Physics
*Visual Art
*Women's Studies
*Writing and Language
*Zoology

tudent life

Athletics

Bethany is NCAA Division III recognized and is a member of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) as well as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). Its mascot is the Bison, and its colors are kelly green and white.

The men's soccer team won the NCAA National Championship in 1994.

Greek life

Fraternities and sororities constitute important social groups for upperclass men and women on campus. The six social fraternities and three sororities are nationally affiliated, and their members constitute approximately forty percent of the student body. Representatives from each serve on agencies which coordinate fraternal affairs and activities.

Social fraternities represented are Delta Tau Delta, Alpha Sigma Phi, Beta Theta Pi, Kappa Alpha Order, Phi Kappa Tau, and Sigma Nu. Sororities are Alpha Xi Delta, Phi Mu, and Zeta Tau Alpha and a local sorority, Delta Epsilon Pi, was founded at Bethany during the 2007-2008 academic year.

The co-ed national service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega was granted a charter at Bethany in 2004. Members of Alpha Phi Omega are permitted to join social fraternities or sororities.

Campus Buildings

Academics

Residence

Notable alumni

* John O. Pendleton (1871). Member United States House of Representatives.
* James Beauchamp "Champ" Clark (1873). Democratic representative from Missouri and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
* Edgar Odell Lovett (1890). Class valedictorian. First president of Rice University.
* Thomas Buergenthal (1957). Current sitting U.S. judge on the International Court of Justice.
* Bob Orr (1975). Justice Department correspondent for CBS News.
* Kurt Franck (1978). Managing editor of the Toledo Blade daily newspaper.
* Jeffrey L. Seglin (1978). Writer of the New York Times weekly column "The Right Thing."
* Frances McDormand (1979). Film, television, and stage actress and winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1996 for her work in the Coen Brothers film, Fargo.
* Bill Celler (1979). Well-known radio personality in Pittsburgh, PA and Atlanta, GA.
* Faith Daniels (1979). CBS and NBC news anchor.
* Shane Douglas (1986). Professional wrestler.

* Children's book authors Cheryl Ryan Harshman and Marc Harshman.
* Science fiction/fantasy writer Dale Bailey.
* Emmy Award-winning sportscaster Dave Sims
* Emmy Award-winning actors William H. Macy and Tom Poston attended but did not graduate from Bethany College.

External links

* [http://www.bethanywv.edu/ Official Bethany College Website]
* [http://www.bethanywv.edu/tools/map_window.php?startName=bethany-house Virtual Campus Tour]
* [http://server.iad.liveperson.net/hc/91118947/?cmd=file&file=visitorWantsToChat&site=91118947&imageUrl=http://www.bethanywv.edu/files/chat&referrer=http%3A//www.bethanywv.edu/index.php%3FcID%3D1326%23NET 'Live' Chat]