14 reasons to join Richmond’s Class of ‘14

I thought I would RE-POST this article from the University of Richmond Admissions Blog site...

From the...
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND
ADMISSIONS BLOG

14 reasons to join Richmond’s Class of ‘14

Enrollment confirmations have just started to arrive! As we build the Class of 2014, here are 14 reasons you should choose Richmond:

#1. Small school, big opportunities. On the one hand, an average class size of 17 students with 100% professor-taught courses. On the other: 75 study abroad programs, 275 student clubs, hundreds of internship and community engagement opportunities in the U.S. and around the world, more than $200,000 in undergraduate research funding every year… you get the picture.

#2. Liberal Arts and D-I Athletics. Looking for a liberal arts college that can boast a national championship in Division I football and a trip to March Madness within the last 15 months? I haven’t checked officially, but I’m pretty sure we’re the only one.

#3. We’re hot. Not just the hottest school for international studies, or hot in terms of the temperature (which is actually more of a pleasant warm during most of the academic year), but on-the-rise-hot. We’ve got new majors, new buildings, a recent football championship, and our national reputation is skyrocketing (as reflected in our upward trend through many top rankings).

#4. Undergrads are central. You’re the center of our attention, the main population we’re serving here at Richmond. Where else can you take a first-year seminar taught by the president of the university, by a law school professor (three of ours are teaching first-year seminars this fall), or by some of the most distinguished faculty from a top-ranked business school or a cutting-edge leadership school?

#5. PPEL. Our new major, integrating Politics, Philosophy, Economics, and Law, is just one example of how the University’s strategic plan fosters connections between all our schools and disciplines, to better study how things really work in the world (see also: IQ Science, Arts Management, Leadership Studies).

#6. Our mascot. The only Spiders in the country. Tiny but deadly, much like our size vs. Division I athletic presence.

#7. A new international center. Opening August 2010, and bringing all things international — study abroad, international education, international studies, modern languages — under one roof. Also, a new international café right across the street from the admission office. (Not that I’m looking forward to it or anything.)

#8. A new wing of the business school. Queally Hall will open its doors in January of 2011, vastly expanding the Robins School and including a mock trading floor and lots of collaborative space for professors, students, and employers. Taking our #15 business school to the next level.

#9. A new football stadium. Spider Football is coming home to campus. Robins Stadium is well underway and will be ready for our opening home game in the fall of 2010.

#10. Even more new buildings. As long as we’re listing new buildings, keep in mind that in the last four years we’ve opened a new science center, a new dining hall, a new recreation and wellness center, a new residence hall for Living and Learning Communities, and a newly-renovated student commons.

#11. Leadership Studies. The first and only institution of its kind in the world (with a full-time, multi-disciplinary faculty dedicated to the pursuit of new insights into the complexities and challenges of leadership), our Jepson School is coming up on its 20th anniversary of going where no school has gone before.

#12. Living and Learning. The newest addition to our thriving living and learning communities is our Sophomore Scholars in Residence program, which gives you the chance to live with other students around a common area of interest, take a class downstairs with a professor who doubles as your hall’s advisor, and probably do some related travel on the University’s tab.

#13. An awesome city. Sure, you get the beauty (and close-knit community) of a residential suburban campus, but you’re only 15 minutes from downtown Richmond— state capital, home to six Fortune 500 companies, largest center for federal court activity outside of D.C., and the only U.S. city with Class IV rapids flowing through city limits. Richmond’s got it all, from abundant outdoors opportunities to rich history to an incredible restaurant scene to a burgeoning non-profit sector to vibrant culture, arts, and festivals.

#14. Friends from all over. And we’re not just talking geography (see our Google Map for up-to-date Class of 2014 enrollment). Our students come from all types of backgrounds and all walks of life, each with unique interests, passions, experiences, and goals. It’s what makes the Richmond community so dynamic — from the classroom to the residence hall, from the library to D-Hall. You’ll make friends that will change you — and change the world.