Rowan University facts for kids
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Former names
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Glassboro Normal School (1923–1937) New Jersey State Teachers College at Glassboro (1937–1958) Glassboro State College (1958–1992) Rowan College of New Jersey (1992–1997) |
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| Motto |
Eruditio spes mundi (Latin)
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Motto in English
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"Education, hope of the world" |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | September 24, 1923 |
| Accreditation | MSCHE |
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Academic affiliations
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Sea-grant · Space-grant |
| Endowment | $240.0 million (2020) |
| Budget | $519 million |
| President | Ali A. Houshmand |
| Provost | Anthony Lowman |
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Academic staff
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2,294 |
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Administrative staff
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2,425 |
| Students | nearly 23,000 |
| Undergraduates | 16,011 |
| Postgraduates | 3,607 |
| Location |
,
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United States
39°42′39.30″N 75°07′06.38″W / 39.7109167°N 75.1184389°W |
| Campus | Large suburb, 800 acres (320 ha) |
| Other campuses | |
| Newspaper | The Whit |
| Colors | Brown and gold |
| Nickname | Profs (Professorial Owls - a nod to the University's founding) |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division III - NJAC |
| Mascot | Whoo RU the Prof |
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Rowan University is a large public university in Glassboro, New Jersey. It also has campuses in Stratford and Camden. The university started in 1923 as the Glassboro Normal School. It was built on land given by 107 local residents. Over the years, its name changed several times. It was known as Glassboro State College from 1958 to 1992. Then it became Rowan College of New Jersey before becoming Rowan University in 1997.
Rowan University has 14 different colleges and schools. About 19,600 students attend, including those studying for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. The university offers many programs, including 85 bachelor's degrees and 46 master's degrees. It is known for its high level of research activity.
Contents
Rowan University's History
In the early 1900s, New Jersey needed more trained teachers. So, the state decided to build a two-year "Normal school" in South Jersey. A Normal school was a college that trained teachers. Glassboro was chosen because it was easy to reach by train. Also, the town offered to donate 25 acres of land for the school. Local residents raised money to buy the land from the Whitney family, who owned a glass factory nearby.
In 1923, the Glassboro Normal School opened its doors. Its first class had 236 students, mostly women. By 1934, the school offered a four-year program. In 1937, it was renamed The New Jersey State Teachers College at Glassboro. Soon after, both men and women could attend.
The college was one of the first to offer special programs. These included training teachers for reading difficulties (starting in 1935). It also had programs for physical therapy (starting in 1944). Glassboro State became well-known for its work in special education. After World War II, more soldiers returned to school. This helped the college grow. By 1958, it was renamed Glassboro State College.
The Famous Hollybush Summit
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A very important meeting happened at Glassboro State College in 1967. It was called the Cold War Glassboro Summit Conference. U.S. President Lyndon Johnson met with Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin. This meeting took place from June 23 to 25 at Hollybush Mansion on campus. The college was chosen because it was halfway between New York City and Washington, D.C.
The college president, Dr. Thomas E. Robinson, had only 16 hours to prepare. He quickly turned his home on campus into a safe place for the two world leaders. This meeting was a big deal for the college.
Growth and Changes After the Summit
After the summit, the campus continued to be a lively place. The famous rock band Black Sabbath played their first U.S. concert here in 1970. Students also held peaceful protests during the Vietnam War. These protests were common at many colleges during that time.
In 1986, the college made national news during its "Spring Weekend." There were large gatherings off campus that police had to help manage.
Becoming a University
In 1992, a big change happened. President Dr. Herman James led the college's transformation. This was thanks to a huge donation from industrialist Henry M. Rowan, Jr. and his wife. They gave $100 million to the college. This was the largest gift ever given to a public college at that time! In their honor, the college changed its name to Rowan College of New Jersey.
The gift had a special condition: the college had to open an engineering school. This allowed Rowan to offer many more courses and programs. Because of this growth, it officially became a full university in 1997. This was also because Rowan started offering a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership.
After Dr. James retired in 1998, Dr. Donald Farish became president. He continued to expand the Glassboro campus. New buildings were added, including a modern Science Hall in 2003. A building for the College of Education opened in 2005. The university also bought more land, which became the West Campus.
During President Farish's time, the university also focused on improving student life. They worked to make the campus a more academic environment.
West Campus Development
In 2006, there was a plan to build a large sports complex on the West Campus. It would have included a 20,000-seat soccer stadium. This was a joint project with Major League Soccer (MLS). However, due to state budget issues, the plan did not happen. The stadium project later moved to Chester, Pennsylvania.
The West Campus is still growing. It now includes the South Jersey Technology Park. There are also new practice fields for sports like football, soccer, and field hockey. These fields opened in 2015. A new medical center, Inspira Medical Center, also opened near the West Campus in 2019.
South Jersey Technology Park
Rowan University started building the South Jersey Technology Park (SJTP) in 2006. This park is a place for science and technology companies. It also helps with academic research. The SJTP is planned to be 188 acres. It will have many buildings for new and established companies. The first building, the Samuel H. Jones Innovation Center, is already full.
Cooper Medical School
In 2009, Rowan announced a partnership with Cooper University Hospital. They decided to create a new four-year medical school in Camden. This new school, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, opened in 2012. It was the first new medical school in New Jersey in over 30 years.
Changes in Medical and Health Sciences Education
In 2012, new state laws brought more changes to Rowan.
- Rowan University was given "Research University" status. This meant it would get more money from the state for research.
- Rowan University took over the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford. This school was part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). Now, Rowan is one of the few universities in the country with both a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) and an MD (Doctor of Medicine) medical school.
- A new board was created to help Rowan and Rutgers-Camden work together on health science programs.
Student Support and Well-being
Rowan University has worked to provide more support for students' mental health. They have increased the number of counselors available. They also partnered with TogetherAll, which offers 24/7 mental health support online. In 2019, the university received a grant to start The Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program. This program brings therapy dogs to campus to help students with stress and anxiety.
Academics and Learning
Rowan University has 18 different colleges and schools. These include:
- Rohrer College of Business
- Ric Edelman College of Communication and Creative Arts
- College of Education
- Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering
- John H. Martinson Honors College
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- College of Performing Arts
- College of Science and Mathematics
- School of Earth and Environment
- Global Learning and Partnerships
- Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
- Virtua Health College of Medical and Life Sciences
- Rowan-Virtua School of Nursing and Health Professions
- Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
- Rowan-Virtua School of Translational Biomedical Engineering & Sciences
- Rowan University School of Veterinary Medicine
- School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
How Students Join and Learn
In the fall of 2017, Rowan had over 15,400 undergraduate students. It also had more than 2,000 graduate students. These students came from 38 states and 34 countries. About 53% of students who apply are accepted. The average GPA for accepted students in 2016 was 3.46.
University Rankings
Rowan University is recognized in many national rankings.
- U.S. News & World Report ranked Rowan among the top national universities.
- It was ranked #2 in the United States by the Social Mobility Index. This ranking looks at how well colleges help students from lower-income backgrounds succeed.
Sports and Athletics
Rowan University has 18 sports teams. These include 8 men's teams and 10 women's teams. Many teams play at Coach Richard Wackar Stadium. Basketball, volleyball, and swimming teams play at Esbjornson Gymnasium. Soccer and lacrosse teams play at the Rowan Soccer and Lacrosse Complex. Baseball and softball have their own fields.
Rowan's teams are called the Profs. This is short for "Professors," a nod to the university's start as a teacher training school. The mascot's name is Whoo RU.
Rowan is part of the NCAA Division III. They compete in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). Rowan's teams have achieved great success:
- The football team has played in the national championship five times.
- The women's field hockey team won the national championship in 2002 with a perfect season.
- The men's basketball team won the national title in 1996.
- The men's soccer team has won national titles in 1981 and 1990.
- The baseball team won national championships in 1978 and 1979.
Rowan also has many club sports teams. These include archery, ballroom dance, ice hockey, rugby, and ultimate Frisbee.
Student Life at Rowan
Student Center
The Chamberlain Student Center is a busy place on campus. It has many dining options like the Owl's Nest restaurant and popular food chains. It's also where students can find the Student Government Association, the Mailroom, and get their RowanCard ID.
Campus Media
Rowan University has its own award-winning radio station, Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM. It started in 1964. The Rowan Television Network (RTN) is a student-run TV station. It broadcasts student-produced shows and covers campus events 24 hours a day.
The Whit is the campus newspaper. It has been covering school news, student life, and sports since 1938. It comes out every week during the school year. Avant is a student-led magazine that publishes poetry, stories, and artwork. Image is the annual Rowan yearbook. Other student publications include Halftone (an online entertainment magazine) and At My Whit's End (a zine).
Rowan Boulevard
Rowan Boulevard is a special area that connects the university to downtown Glassboro. It's a lively street with businesses, bookstores, restaurants, and student housing. It feels like a small city within the campus.
Student Housing
Rowan offers housing for over 6,500 students. There are 13 university-owned housing complexes and 5 other affiliated units. Students can choose between halls, apartments, or townhouses. Full-time students who don't live at home must live on campus for their first two years. After that, they can enter a lottery for housing.
Because the university is growing, new housing is often being built. The student-run Residence Hall Association helps represent students who live on campus.
Student Clubs and Groups
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Rowan University has more than 100 clubs and organizations. There are also over 30 Greek organizations (fraternities and sororities).
Some popular clubs include the Rowan Television Network, the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), and the Rowan College Republicans and Democratic Club. The Student University Programmers (SUP) plan fun events for students. The Cinema Workshop, a student film club, has been around for over 30 years.
Getting Around Rowan
You can reach Rowan University by New Jersey Transit buses. The campus is also split by U.S. Route 322. There are plans for a new light rail system called the Glassboro–Camden Line. This line would have a stop at the university.
Famous People from Rowan
Many successful people have attended Rowan University:
- Dan Baker (born 1946), a well-known sports announcer for the Philadelphia Phillies.
- Betty Castor (born 1941), a politician and former university president.
- Adam Chazen (born c. 1985), who worked on visual effects for Game of Thrones.
- Ric Edelman, a famous financial planner and radio host.
- Stink Fisher (born 1970), a football player and actor.
- Robert Hegyes (1951–2012), an actor known for his role as Juan Epstein in Welcome Back, Kotter.
- Kenneth Lacovara, a paleontologist who discovers new dinosaur species.
- Trymaine Lee, a reporter who won a Pulitzer Prize.
- Patti Smith (born 1946), a famous musician, singer, and poet.
- Shaun T (born 1978), a motivational speaker and fitness trainer.
Notable Teachers at Rowan
Here are some notable people who teach at Rowan University:
- David Bianculli, a television critic who teaches about TV and film history.
- Marvin Creamer, a geography professor who was the first person to sail around the world without any navigation tools.
- Neil Hartman, a sports personality who directs Rowan's Center for Sports Communication.
- Melissa Klapper, a historian and storyteller.
- Gordon Turk, a talented organist who has been a faculty member since 2013.
See also
- Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
- List of colleges and universities in New Jersey
- Rowan College at Burlington County
- Rowan College at Gloucester County
- Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
