Bethany College (West Virginia) - Chapman University Webadvisor

Bethany College is a private, liberal arts college located in Bethany, West Virginia, United States. Founded in 1840 by Alexander Campbell of the Restoration Movement, who gained support by the Virginia legislature, Bethany College is the oldest institution of higher education in West Virginia.

Location

Bethany's 1,300-acre campus is located in the northern panhandle of West Virginia, situated on the hilly Allegheny Plateau. Wheeling, West Virginia; Washington, Pennsylvania; and Steubenville, Ohio, are each about half an hour away. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a 50-minute drive from campus.

History

A liberal arts college, Bethany was chartered on March 2, 1840, 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.

It was founded by Alexander Campbell, a minister in the Restoration Movement 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. An early center of coeducation, Bethany has admitted women since the 1880s.

The College's roots stem from the Buffalo Seminary, a center for advancement to further education, founded in 1818 by Campbell. Sessions were first held in his mansion in Bethany, home of Alexander Campbell and his father Thomas Campbell. It is 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.

During World War II, Bethany was one of 131 colleges nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program, which offered students a path to a Navy commission.

A number of campus buildings are contributing resources to the Bethany Historic District. The Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Pendleton Heights was listed in 1975 and the Delta Tau Delta Founders House in 1979.

Fields of study

Bethany College offers a wide selection of studies, awarding Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degrees in more than 25 fields. If a major does not appeal to a student, Bethany offers students the opportunity to design their own major through the Interdisciplinary program. Bethany also offers Dual Majors, which is a combination of two majors. If student should choose, there is also a wide variety of minors available.

Majors

• Accounting
• Biology
  • Options for emphasis in:
    • Biology
    • Biochemistry
    • Biology Education
• Chemistry
  • Options for emphasis on:
    • Chemistry Education (9-12)
    • Forensic Chemistry
    • Professional Chemistry
    • Biochemistry
• Communication and Media Arts
  • Options for emphasis on:
    • Integrated Media and Marketing
    • Digital Media and Productions
    • Graphics
    • Sports Communication
• Computer Science
• Economics
  • Options for Emphasis on:
    • Managerial Economics
    • International Economics
• Education
  • Elementary education
  • Middle Childhood (available through individual departments)
    • General Science
    • Language Arts
    • Mathematics
    • Physical Education
    • Social Studies
    • Spanish
  • Secondary Education (available through individual departments)
    • Art
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • English
    • Mathematics
    • Physical Education
    • Psychology
    • Social Science
    • Spanish( in a non-school setting)
• English
  • Options for emphasis on:
    • Creative Writing
    • Education
    • Literature
    • Writing and Language
• Equine Studies
  • Option for emphasis
    • Pre-Veterinary Medicine
    • Equine Management
• Finance
• History
• Management
• Mathematics
  • Options for emphasis on:
    • Mathematics
    • Mathematics-Economics
    • Mathematics-Physics
    • Mathematics-Computer Science
    • Mathematics-Actuarial Science
    • Mathematics Education
• Music
• Physical Education and Sports Studies
  • Options for emphasis on:
    • Sports Management
    • Recreational and Athletic Programming
    • Teaching Physical Education
• Pre-Engineering/Physical Science
• Political Science
• Psychology
  • options for emphasis on:
    • Scientific Psychology
    • Human Services
    • Pre-Physical Therapy
• Religious Studies
• Social Work
• Spanish
• Theater
  • Options for emphasis on:
    • Performance
    • Technical Theater
• Visual Art

Interdisciplinary Majors

• Environmental Science
• International Economics with Study Abroad
• International Relations
• Psychology and Education
• Social Studies

Dual Majors

• Computer Science and Accounting
• Economics and Mathematics
• Psychology and Social Work

Minors

• Accounting
• American Government and Politics
• American Literature
• Botany
• British Literature
• Business Administration
• Chemistry
• Communications and Media Arts
• Computer Science
• Creative Writing
• Criminal Justice
• Economics
• Environmental Biology
• Equine Studies
• Experimental Physics
• French
• German
• History
• International Relations
• Management
• Mathematics
• Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• Music
• Multi-Category Special Education K-Adult
• Nonprofit Management
• Nonprofit Marketing
• Philosophy
• Religious Studies
• Secondary Education
• Spanish
• Theater
• Theoretical Physics
• Visual Art
• Women's Studies
• Zoology

Student 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 green and white.

Bethany offers a variety of Men's sports including:

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Football
• Golf
• Lacrosse
• Soccer
• Swimming and Diving
• Tennis
• Track and Field

Bethany also offers the following Women's sports:

• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Field Hockey
• Golf
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swimming and Diving
• Tennis
• Track and Field
• Volleyball

The men's soccer team won the NCAA National Championship in 1994. The Bison defeated Johns Hopkins University 1-0 in double overtime for their first and only NCAA title. In doing so, Bethany College became the smallest college in the United States to win an NCAA championship. The winning goal was scored by Pat Ricci and was assisted by Steve Lindquist. Malleh Sallah was named the NCAA Goalkeeper of the Year and a 1st Team All-American. The team was coached by John Cunningham who led the team from 1968-2001 and never had a losing record.

Greek life

Fraternities and sororities constitute important social groups for upper-class men and women on campus. Members of the five social fraternities and three sororities 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 (which was founded at Bethany in 1858), Alpha Sigma Phi, Beta Theta Pi, Phi Kappa Tau and Sigma Nu. Sororities are Alpha Xi Delta, Phi Mu, and Zeta Tau Alpha.

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

• Joseph Baldwin (1852). Educator and founder of Truman State University.
• Thomas Buergenthal (1957). Retired U.S. judge on the International Court of Justice.
• James Beauchamp "Champ" Clark (1873). Democratic representative from Missouri and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
• Faith Daniels (1979). CBS and NBC news anchor.
• Shane Douglas (1986). Professional wrestler.
• William Ferrel (1844). Meteorologist.
• Bob Goin (1959). Athletic director at Florida State and Cincinnati.
• Sukhi Turner, Former Mayor of Dunedin, New Zealand from 1995-2004
• Caroline Gordon (1916). Novelist and critic. Author of Penhally.
• Edgar Odell Lovett (1890). Class valedictorian. First president of Rice University.
• Emmy Award-winning actor William H. Macy attended but did not graduate from Bethany College.
• 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.
• Oliver S. Marshall (1850-1934), President of the West Virginia Senate from Hancock County and served from 1899 to 1901.
• John O. Pendleton (1871). Member United States House of Representatives.
• Emmy Award-winning actor Tom Poston attended but did not graduate from Bethany College.
• Jeffrey L. Seglin (1978). Writer of the New York Times weekly column "The Right Thing"
• Emmy Award-winning sportscaster Dave Sims (1975)
• Robert J. McCann (1980). Chief Executive Officer of UBS Group Americas.
• George Tener Oliver (1868) . United States Senator from Pennsylvania from 1909 to 1917.
• Sid Gepford, NFL player

References

External links

• Official Bethany College website
• Official Bethany College athletics website
• Virtual Campus Tour

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