Geneva College facts for kids
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| Motto | Pro Christo et Patria |
|---|---|
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Motto in English
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For Christ and Country |
| Type | Private college |
| Established | 1848 |
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Religious affiliation
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Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America |
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Academic affiliations
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CCCU CIC NAICU |
| Endowment | $44.2 million (2019) |
| President | Calvin L. Troup |
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Academic staff
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96 |
| Students | 1,418 |
| Location |
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U.S.
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| Campus | Suburban, 110 acres (45 ha) |
| Colors | Gold, white and charcoal |
| Nickname | Golden Tornadoes |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division III – PAC |
| Mascot | Turbo the Tornado |
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Geneva College is a private Christian college in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1848 in Northwood, Ohio, and moved to Pennsylvania in 1880. The college has about 1,400 students.
Students can choose from over 30 subjects to study, called majors. The college focuses on teaching subjects like history and art, known as the humanities. It also teaches from a Reformed Christian point of view. Geneva College is connected to the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America.
Contents
History of the College
Geneva College was started in 1848 in Northwood, Ohio, by a minister named John Black Johnston. It was first called "Geneva Hall." The name comes from the city of Geneva in Switzerland, which was an important center for the Reformed Christian faith.
The college closed for a short time during the American Civil War. It reopened and stayed in Ohio until 1880. By then, the college leaders wanted to move to a location closer to a city. They chose Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. The land for the new campus was a gift from the Harmony Society. The oldest building on campus, Old Main, was finished in 1881.
Over the years, the campus has grown. The Rapp Technical Design Center was built in 2002. In 2007, a major road that ran through the campus, Pennsylvania Route 18, was moved. In 2009, the college improved its sports stadium and built a new entrance.
How the College is Run
The college is guided by its Christian faith. The school's leaders, professors, and staff must all agree with the college's Christian beliefs. The college is owned and overseen by members of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA).
The president of the college and the head of the Biblical Studies department must be members of the RPCNA. All full-time teachers and staff must state their belief in Christianity.
What You Can Study at Geneva
Geneva offers many degree programs for undergraduate students. These include subjects like education, business, engineering, biology, and psychology. The college's business and accounting programs are highly rated.
The college also offers master's degrees in subjects like business, counseling, and higher education.
For adults who are already working, Geneva has special programs. It also has partner colleges in other countries, like Taiwan and South Korea.
Online Learning
Geneva College offers online classes for adult students. They can earn degrees in subjects like Human Resources and Management.
The college also works with a program called Portage Learning. This allows students from other colleges to take online courses and transfer the credits to their own school.
College Sports
Geneva's sports teams are called the Golden Tornadoes. The college is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III and the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).
The Golden Tornadoes play in the Presidents' Athletic Conference. The school has teams for many sports, including football, baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and tennis.
The football team started in 1890. Over the years, the team has won hundreds of games. The current football coach is Geno DeMarco.
Campus Life and Traditions
Students at Geneva are expected to attend weekly chapel services. There are also rules about behavior on campus to support the college's Christian values.
Birthplace of College Basketball
One of the first college basketball games ever played in the U.S. happened at Geneva College. On April 8, 1893, the Geneva team beat the New Brighton YMCA. Because of this, Geneva is sometimes called "The Birthplace of College Basketball."
Scottish Heritage
The college was founded by people from Scotland and Ireland. This Scottish heritage can be seen in the names of buildings on campus.
- Skye Lounge, a student meeting area, is named after the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
- McCartney Library is named for Dr. Clarence E. Macartney, whose parents were from Scotland.
- The Brig, a campus restaurant, is short for Brigadoon, a play about a mythical Scottish village.
The Golden Tornadoes Nickname
The sports teams were once called the "Covenanters," a name from Scottish history. In the 1950s, the nickname was changed to the "Golden Tornadoes." This name remembers a real tornado that hit the campus on May 11, 1914. The tornado tore the gold-colored roof off the Old Main building. No one was seriously hurt, and people saw it as a sign of God's protection.
Campus Buildings
Classrooms and Offices
- Alexander Hall: This building has offices for admissions and financial aid. It also has the main dining hall.
- Alumni Hall: This is the main building for the music department.
- McCartney Library: The college library has over 371,000 items. It also has a special collection of historical documents.
- Old Main: This is the oldest classroom building on campus, finished in 1881. It contains classrooms and the president's office.
- Northwood Hall: This building has classrooms for business and psychology.
- Rapp Technical Design Center: This is the newest classroom building, used for technical classes.
- Science and Engineering (S&E): This building has labs and classrooms for science and engineering students.
Student and Sports Facilities
- Reeves Field: The football field. It was once the home field for famous football player Joe Namath when he was in high school.
- Metheny Fieldhouse: This building has gyms, locker rooms, and offices for sports staff.
- Student Center: This is a place for students to relax. It has lounges, a coffee shop, a restaurant, and the campus bookstore.
- Residence Halls: Most students live on campus in dorms. There are six main dorm buildings.
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Old Main
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Reformed Presbyterian Church
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Stone marking the original campus in Northwood, Ohio
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Campus-level view of Alexander Hall
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Johnston Gym
Legal Issues
In the past, Geneva College has been involved in legal cases to protect its ability to operate based on its religious beliefs.
One case was about the college's hiring practices. The college requires its employees to be Christian. A state agency disagreed with this, but the issue was settled. The college is still allowed to hire people who share its Christian views.
Another case was about a federal healthcare law. The college disagreed with a rule that required employers to provide health insurance that covered certain things the college objected to on religious grounds. The college won the case and does not have to follow that rule.
Notable People from Geneva
Many successful people have graduated from Geneva College. Here are a few:
- Norman Clyde, a famous naturalist and mountain climber.
- John Steuart Curry, a well-known American painter.
- William Fitzsimmons, a singer and songwriter.
- Cal Hubbard, a Hall of Fame athlete in both professional football and baseball.
- David Shedd, the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
- Caleb Stegall, a judge on the Kansas Supreme Court.
