Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Five traits of a college that makes you think deeply and act boldly
With so many colleges to choose from (nearly 250 in Pennsylvania alone), it’s important to look for a community of active learners — somewhere you can think deeply and act boldly. Here are five traits of a college that can help you do so:
A 21st century academic offering
Eighty-five percent of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t been invented yet. To succeed, you need to be creative, adaptable and well informed. Lycoming College prepares students to lead the next generation with customized, crossdisciplinary programs.
Additionally, Lycoming has made investments in programs exploring the century’s most important questions and technologies: neuroscience, biochemistry, entrepreneurship, astrophysics and 3D animation.
High-impact experiences
Students who participate in internships, research or global study are more likely to be accepted into graduate programs and find jobs. Lycoming’s Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences fosters partnerships with faculty, alumni and organizations to connect students with hands-on experiences locally, nationally and internationally.
Through individualized guidance from a career advisor in their academic area, students have studied reliable drinking water and sustainable coffee farming in the Dominican Republic; translated poetry with faculty; interned at the Museum of Natural History; and explored the history of mathematics in Greece. The CEAE also provides professional and graduate school guidance, ensuring students leave with a clear path to their future.
Big resources
A college’s endowment, when stacked against its student population, can give you a good idea of the resources available. Lycoming’s endowment ranks among the highest per student in the country, enabling them to award more than $32 million in financial aid annually, invite world-renowned
scholars to visit/teach and invest in premier facilities/ technology.
A new science center, planetarium, biochemistry suite, biology field station, gateway center and renovated academic center put advanced learning at every student’s fingertips. Additionally, a 14,000-square-foot music facility is slated to open in the fall of 2022.
Extraordinary outcomes
When considering the return on your college investment, it’s important to look at graduate outcomes. Look no further than Lycoming’s 16,000 alumni, who have found success across all industries: executives of Fortune 500 companies; public servants of local, national and international government; Pulitzer, Oscar and Emmy Award winners; doctors; lawyers; teachers; and more.
But Lycoming graduates don’t need to wait years to find that success. In
fact, 95% of the Class of 2020 was employed or in a graduate program within 6-12 months after graduation.
An active, supportive community
One of the most important traits of a college that cannot be overlooked is campus culture. As a solely undergraduate institution serving 1,200, Lycoming is an active, supportive community that feels like home.
With a 12:1 student to faculty ratio, professors are more than just scholars — they’re mentors for life. They include students on their personal research and invite them to their homes for dinner.
On campus, the community is strengthened through more than 80 clubs and organizations, 19 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports teams, an Outdoor Leadership & Education program, plentiful opportunities for service and affinity housing communities.
Find a place that makes you confident in your pursuit of knowledge and bold in its application — a college that prepares you not only for your first job, but for a lifetime of professional growth and personal fulfillment. Visit Lycoming College: www. lycoming.edu.