Middlebury College facts for kids
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| Latin: Collegium Medioburiense Viridis Montis | |
| Motto | Scientia et Virtus (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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Knowledge and Virtue |
| Type | Private liberal arts college |
| Established | November 1, 1800 |
| Accreditation | NECHE |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $1.47 billion (2022) |
| President | Laurie L. Patton |
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Academic staff
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377 (2021) |
| Undergraduates | 2,773 (2022) |
| Location |
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United States
44°00′32″N 73°10′38″W / 44.00889°N 73.17722°W |
| Campus | Rural, 350 acres (140 ha) |
| Colors | Blue and White |
| Nickname | Panthers |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | Panther |
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Middlebury College is a private college in Middlebury, Vermont. It focuses on a type of education called liberal arts. This means students learn about many different subjects.
The college was started in 1800 by a group of people called Congregationalists. It was the first college or university to open in Vermont. In 2020, about 2,773 students from all over the world studied there.
Middlebury offers 45 different majors in subjects like art and history. It also has special programs for engineering. Beyond its main college, Middlebury has graduate schools. These include the Middlebury College Language Schools and the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. It also has international programs called C.V. Starr-Middlebury Schools Abroad.
Middlebury's sports teams are called the Middlebury Panthers. They have 31 varsity teams and compete in NCAA Division III sports. They are part of the NESCAC.
History of Middlebury College
How Middlebury College Started
Middlebury College officially started on November 1, 1800. It grew out of a school called the Addison County Grammar School, which began in 1797. The college's first president, Jeremiah Atwater, started classes just a few days later. This made Middlebury the very first college to open in Vermont.
The college was founded by local leaders, not just religious ones. It was seen as "the Town's College." Two important founders were Seth Storrs and Gamaliel Painter. Seth Storrs had the idea for the college. Gamaliel Painter gave a lot of money to help it grow. When students graduate, they get a copy of Gamaliel Painter's walking stick. The college president carries the original stick at important events like graduation.
Important Firsts at Middlebury
In 1823, Alexander Twilight graduated from Middlebury. He was the first Black person to graduate from any college or university in the United States. He later became the first African American elected to public office in Vermont.
In 1804, Middlebury gave an honorary master's degree to Lemuel Haynes. This was the first advanced degree ever given to an African American.
In 1883, Middlebury made an important decision. They voted to allow women to be students. This made Middlebury one of the first all-male colleges in New England to welcome both men and women. The first woman to graduate was May Belle Chellis in 1886. In 1899, Mary Annette Anderson became the first African-American woman chosen for the honor society Phi Beta Kappa.
Growth in the 20th Century
Around 1900, the college started to build more. New buildings like the Egbert Starr Library (1900) and Warner Hall (1901) were added. As more students enrolled, the campus kept growing. Buildings like McCullough Hall (1912) and Voter Hall (1913) were built. They used local stone like limestone and granite.
In 1915, Middlebury started its first Language School for German. This began a tradition of summer language programs. Today, these schools teach 10 different languages. About 1,350 students attend them each summer.
In 1923, Middlebury College donated a large tree for the first National Christmas Tree at the White House. President Calvin Coolidge, who was from Vermont, turned on its lights.
The Bread Loaf School of English started in 1920. It is a graduate school for English studies. The famous poet Robert Frost was a big part of this school for many years. The Bread Loaf Writers' Conference also began in 1926. It is a well-known conference for writers.
Middlebury's international study programs, the C.V. Starr-Middlebury Schools Abroad, began in 1949 in Paris. Now, they have programs in 38 places around the world. In 1965, Middlebury started the first Environmental Studies program for college students in the U.S.
Middlebury College in the 21st Century
In 2004, Middlebury received a very large gift of $50 million. This was the biggest cash gift the school had ever gotten. The money helped the college grow even more.
In 2005, Middlebury joined with the Monterey Institute of International Studies. This is a graduate school in California. In 2010, it officially became a graduate school of Middlebury College. It was later renamed the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.
In 2017, there was an incident on campus during a talk by a political scientist. Some students protested, and the talk had to be moved. After the talk, there was a physical incident where a professor was injured. The college president said the school would take action against students who broke college rules. The college later took disciplinary action against 74 students.
Academics at Middlebury
Middlebury College has about 2,500 undergraduate students. They come from all 50 states and 70 countries. The college offers 40 different majors and programs. Middlebury was the first college in the U.S. to offer a major in environmental studies in 1965.
Some of the most popular majors for students graduating in 2021 were:
- Economics
- Computer Science
- Political Science
- Environmental Studies
- Neuroscience
The school year has two main semesters. There is also a special "Winter Term" in January. During Winter Term, students can take one intense course, do their own research, or work at an internship.
Language Schools
The Middlebury College Language Schools started in 1915. They offer very focused classes in 10 languages during the summer. About 1,350 students attend these schools each summer.
The schools use an immersion method. This means students promise to only use the language they are studying while they are at the school. This promise is called the "Language Pledge."
Languages offered include Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, and Spanish. They also offer Abenaki.
Other Programs
The Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey is a graduate school in California. It teaches subjects like international relations, international business, and language teaching.
Middlebury also offers a special Doctor of Modern Languages degree. This degree helps teachers become experts in two modern foreign languages.
The Bread Loaf School of English is located on the college's Bread Loaf Mountain campus. It offers summer courses in literature and creative writing.
The C.V. Starr-Middlebury Schools Abroad run study programs in 17 countries. These programs are for college students from many different U.S. schools.
The Rohatyn Center for Global Affairs holds talks and presentations about international topics. The Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity studies how race and ethnicity affect people. The Center for Social Entrepreneurship helps students create new ways to solve social problems.
Bread Loaf Writers' Conference
The Bread Loaf Writers' Conference is held at the Bread Loaf campus. It is for experienced writers. It started in 1926 and is known as one of the oldest and most respected writers' conferences in the country. Many famous writers have been involved with it.
College Rankings
| USNWR Liberal Arts College | 11 (tie) of 186 |
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| Washington Monthly Liberal Arts | 19 of 199 |
| Forbes | 53 of 500 |
U.S. News & World Report ranked Middlebury as tied for 11th among all liberal arts colleges in the U.S. in 2023. It was also ranked highly for "Best Undergraduate Teaching" and "Best Value."
Washington Monthly ranked Middlebury 19th among liberal arts colleges in 2023.
Admissions and Costs
Middlebury College is known for being very selective. For the class entering in 2026, only about 15% of students who applied were accepted.
Middlebury accepts about 600 students to start in the fall and another 100 to start in the spring. Students who start in the spring are called "Febs." They often use the fall semester to travel or work before starting college. Febs graduate in a special ceremony in the middle of the year.
For the 2022–23 school year, the cost for tuition, room, and board was about $79,800. Middlebury helps many students with financial aid. The average financial aid grant for new students in 2022–23 was about $57,078. The college is "need-blind" for U.S. students. This means they do not consider a student's ability to pay when deciding whether to admit them.
Campus Life
The main campus is about 350 acres. It is located in the Champlain Valley of Vermont. The Green Mountains are to the east, and New York's Adirondack Mountains are to the west. The campus sits on a hill near the village of Middlebury.
Middlebury College has a "One Percent for Art" policy. This means that one percent of the cost of new buildings or renovations goes towards buying and caring for public art on campus. There are 19 public artworks at Middlebury. These include sculptures by famous artists like George Rickey and Tony Smith.
Middlebury College Museum of Art
The college's art museum opened in 1992 inside the Mahaney Arts Center. It has a collection of art and is recognized by the American Association of Museums.
Caring for the Environment
Middlebury College is committed to protecting the environment. The college plans to be carbon neutral by 2016. This means they will not add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
In 2009, Middlebury opened a modern biomass plant. This plant helps cut the college's carbon dioxide output by 40 percent. It also reduces how much fuel oil they use.
In 2010, Middlebury started a project to invest in sustainable businesses. These businesses focus on things like clean energy and green building projects. The college also explored using bio-methane gas from farms to help heat the campus.
Student Life and Traditions
In 2013, Princeton Review ranked Middlebury as one of the top schools for "best quality of life." There are over 140 student organizations at Middlebury. Students can join clubs that interest them during the Fall Activities Fair.
The Middlebury Campus is the student newspaper. It started in 1900 and is run entirely by students. The Local Noodle is a student satire publication. WRMC-FM is the student-run radio station.
Student Body
In 2019, about 53% of students were women and 47% were men.
Fun Traditions
Middlebury's Winter Carnival is the oldest student-run winter carnival in the country. It started in 1923. This weekend-long event includes a bonfire, fireworks, ski races at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl, and a Winter Ball.
Students who graduate in the middle of the year, often "Febs," have a special tradition. They ski down the Middlebury College Snow Bowl in their caps and gowns to get their diplomas.
Middlebury Outdoor Programs organizes outdoor trips for new students. These trips involve hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, and other activities in nature.
In 2018, Middlebury started a new tradition called Panther Day. It is held during Homecoming Weekend and includes a parade of student clubs to build school spirit.
New England Review
The New England Review (NER) is a literary magazine published by Middlebury College. It publishes poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Many writers who have won major awards have had their work published in NER.
Sports at Middlebury
Middlebury's sports teams, the Panthers, compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). The Panthers have won the most team championships in the NESCAC, with 33 titles.
Middlebury has a long-standing rivalry in football with Hamilton College. Their game is called the "Rocking Chair Classic."
The real-life sport of Quidditch was created at Middlebury College in 2005 by students Xander Manshel and Alex Benepe. It has grown into a popular sport around the world.
In 2016, Princeton Review ranked Middlebury's athletic facilities as among the best in the United States.
Famous People from Middlebury
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Eve Ensler
Playwright, performer
Graduated 1975 -
Ari Fleischer
White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush
Graduated 1982 -
Julia Alvarez
Poet, novelist, author of How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
Graduated 1971 -
Ron Brown
Secretary of Commerce for President Clinton
Graduated 1962 -
Vendela Vida
Novelist
Graduated 1993 -
Jeff Lindsay
Creator of the Dexter series
Graduated 1975 -
Roger Easton
Inventor of GPS
Graduated 1943 -
Shawn Ryan
Creator of The Shield
Graduated 1988 -
Jim Douglas
Former Governor of Vermont
Graduated 1972 -
Dan Schulman
CEO of PayPal
Graduated 1980 -
Jason Mantzoukas
Comedian, writer, and actor
Graduated 1995 -
Bill Maris
Founder and CEO of Google Ventures
Graduated 1997 -
Lado Gurgenidze
Former Prime Minister of Georgia
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College Presidents
Here are the people who have served as president of Middlebury College:
- Jeremiah Atwater, 1800–09
- Henry Davis, 1809–18
- Joshua Bates, 1818–40
- Benjamin Labaree, 1840–66
- Harvey Denison Kitchel, 1866–75
- Calvin Butler Hulbert, 1875–80
- Cyrus Hamlin, 1880–85
- Ezra Brainerd, 1885–1908
- John Martin Thomas, 1908–21
- Paul Dwight Moody, 1921–43
- Samuel Somerville Stratton, 1943–63
- James Isbell Armstrong, 1963–75
- Olin Clyde Robison, 1975–90
- Timothy Light, 1990–91
- John McCardell Jr., 1991–2004
- Ronald D. Liebowitz, 2004–15
- Laurie L. Patton, 2015–present
See also
In Spanish: Middlebury College para niños
