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Lawrence University, located in Appleton, Wisconsin, is a private undergraduate college founded in 1847. The first classes were held on November 12, 1849. Lawrence was the sixth college in the United States to be founded coeducational.

Lawrence University has a 425-acre northern campus, Björklunden, in Door County, Wisconsin. Björklunden serves as a site for retreats, seminars, concerts, and theatrical performances. Donald and Winifred Boynton of Highland Park, Illinois, donated the property to Lawrence in 1963.

Although the names are similar, Lawrence University is not related to Sarah Lawrence College or St. Lawrence University. Nor should it be confused with the University of Kansas, located in Lawrence, Kansas, though the university and the city take their name from the same person, Amos Adams Lawrence.

Lawrence University is known by many for the Great Midwest Trivia Contest broadcast every January over the college radio station WLFM.

History

Lawrence's first president, William Harkness Sampson founded the school with Henry R. Colman, using $10,000 provided by famed philanthropist Amos Adams Lawrence, and matched by the Methodist church. Both founders were ordained Methodist ministers, although Lawrence was Episcopalian. Originally the school was named Lawrence Institute, documented in its 1847 charter from the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature.

Lawrence's first period of major growth came during the tenure of alumnus Samuel G. Plantz as president. From 1894 until 1924, Plantz presided over the school and led its student body to grow from 200 to 800.

From 1913 until 1964, the school was named Lawrence College, to emphasize its small size and liberal arts education focus. The name was changed back to Lawrence University when it joined with Milwaukee-Downer College for Women, symbolizing the two schools united as one. Initially, the university designated two entities: Lawrence College for Men and Downer College for Women. This separation has not lasted in any material form, though degrees are still conferred "on the recommendation of the Faculty of Lawrence and Downer Colleges" and the university by-laws still make the distinction.

The Lawrence Conservatory of Music, affectionately referred to as "the Con," was founded in 1894. The university confers a Bachelor of Music degree and also offers a five-year program leading to a Bachelor of Arts in addition to the music degree.

Lawrence University is distinguished by originating the idea of freshman studies. Freshman Studies at Lawrence is a mandatory two trimester class that panoptically exposes students to notable literature from many fields. President Nathan M. Pusey is credited with initiating the program in 1945, although Professor Waples chaired the Freshman Studies Committee and was responsible for actually getting the program off the ground. The program has continued to this today, despite being suspended in 1974, and has been adapted by many liberal arts colleges.

Milwaukee-Downer

The traditions and heritage of Milwaukee-Downer are woven into the Appleton campus, from the grove of hawthorn trees (called Hawthornden) between Brokaw and Colman halls, to the sundial on the back of Main Hall, to the bestowing upon each class year a class color and banner. Milwaukee-Downer alumnae are generous both financially and spiritually to Lawrence University, attending yearly reunions and other events there, and contributing to the school's endowment. The State of Wisconsin purchased the Milwaukee-Downer property and buildings to expand the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Ranking and Reputation

Lawrence University is regarded as one of the finest liberal arts colleges in the midwest and in the United States. It has consistently ranked favorably on the U.S. News and World Report Rankings and is this year ranked #53, tied with the Pitzer College in California. The college is known for its small classes and the emphasis on undergraduate education--Lawrence's is the only music conservatory devoted solely to the education of undergraduates.

Lawrence is also regarded as a "Best Value" by the Princeton Review; other sources also point out the college's value when compared to other colleges of its kind. Tuition and room and board fees at Lawrence are far lower than at comparable schools (the comprehensive fee is $34,362, which is not much more than tuition alone at many similar schools). Also, the school has a strong financial aid program: it is one of the few colleges in America having need-blind admissions, and the college awards both need and merit-based financial aid to over 80% of its students.

The College is less selective than most institutions of its kind, admitting over 60% of its applicants. Thus, it is included in Loren Pope's, Colleges that Change Lives, a book highlighting schools that are comparable to the most selective colleges in the country in quality, but far less selective. Whitman College, Reed College, Beloit College, St. John's College and Clark University are just a few of the others included.

Academics

Unlike most colleges, Lawrence University operates on a trimester calendar. A complete academic year runs from late September to early June.

The student/faculty ratio at Lawrence is 9:1, much lower than the national average, this allows for small class sizes and individual attention from professors.

Lawrence awards Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees. A double degree is possible and double degree students are common. Lawrence offers a number of cooperative degree programs such as engineering and environmental studies.

Lawrence has major programs in most areas of study found at liberal arts colleges in the United States. The school also offers the option of interdisciplinary majors and allows students to create their own majors. All students are required to take Freshman Studies, which introduces students to broad areas of knowledge and provides a common academic experience for the entire school.

The school has an independent study option that allows students to design their own courses. The option allows students to explore academic interests not covered by Lawrence’s classes or to explore topics more deeply. Over 90% of the students take advantage of this option.

Academic integrity is maintained by the college’s honor code. The Honor Code ensures that the focus of students is on learning, not competing with other students.

In 2005, Lawrence University began the Lawrence Fellows Program, selecting initially eight recent Ph.D.s to teach and research at Lawrence for a period of two to three years. The goal is to expand the program to twenty recent Ph.D.s.

Student Body

Lawrence enrolls about 1,400 students. The School's students hail from nearly every U.S. state, though the majority of them are from Wisconsin and other Midwestern states.

The school has a low number of American minority students: over 80% of the students are white. Lawrence does have a significant population of international students compared to its total student body and small size, about 10%.

Distinguished alumni

Presidents of Lawrence

External links

Universities and colleges in Wisconsin | Associated Colleges of the Midwest | Liberal arts colleges | Educational institutions established in 1847 | Lawrence University | Lawrence University

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Lawrence University".

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