Wilson College (Pennsylvania) facts for kids
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Former names
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Wilson Female College (1869–1920) |
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| Motto | ARS, SCIENTIA, ET RELIGIO (Arts, Sciences and Religion) |
| Type | Private college |
| Established | March 24, 1869 |
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Religious affiliation
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Presbyterian Church (USA) |
| Endowment | $43.4 million (2020) |
| President | Wesley R. Fugate |
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Academic staff
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45 full-time |
| Students | 1,620 |
| Location |
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U.S.
39°56′53″N 77°39′11″W / 39.948°N 77.653°W |
| Campus | Nearly 300 acres (121.4 ha) |
| Colors | Silver and blue |
| Nickname | Phoenix |
| Mascot | The Phoenix |
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Wilson College
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Wilson College Harry R. Brooks Complex
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | 1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, Pennsylvania |
| Area | 55 acres (22.3 ha) |
| Built | 1870 |
| Architect | Larson, Leslie; Furness, Evans & Co., et al. |
| Architectural style | Second Empire, Colonial Revival, Late Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000888 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | July 21, 1995 |
Wilson College is a private college located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. It is connected with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The college was started in 1869 by two Presbyterian ministers.
It was named after Sarah Wilson, who was a big helper in its early days. She gave $30,000 to buy the land and home of Alexander McClure. For 144 years, Wilson College was only for women. In 2013, the college decided to welcome both male and female students. Male students started living on campus in the fall of 2014.
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College History: A Timeline
Early Years: 1869–1900
Wilson College first opened as the Wilson Female College. It was founded by Reverend Tryon Edwards and Reverend James W. Wightman. They were pastors from nearby Presbyterian churches. The college officially received its charter on March 24, 1869.
In 1920, the college changed its name to Wilson College. It was one of the first colleges in the United States to accept only female students. In 1870, the college said it wanted women to be "leaders, not followers." Classes began in 1870, and the first degrees were given out in 1874. The college was inspired by Vassar College.
Key Moments: 1900–2000
In 1911, Anna Jane McKeag became Wilson's first woman president. She served until 1915. In 1967, the Wilson College sailing team won a big national championship. This was the first time a women's sailing event had a national championship.
In the 1970s, two tropical storms, Agnes (1972) and Eloise (1975), caused floods. Some buildings on campus were damaged.
The college almost closed in 1979. But students, teachers, parents, and former students worked together. They filed a lawsuit and managed to keep the college open. This was a rare success story for a college facing closure. To remember this, Wilson College chose the Phoenix as its mascot. The phoenix is a mythical bird that rises from ashes, symbolizing survival.
In 1982, Wilson started a program for adults who wanted to go back to school. In 1996, it became one of the first colleges to offer housing for single mothers with children. This allowed them to live on campus while studying.
Recent History: 2000–Present
In 2006, Wilson College began offering its first graduate degree. This was a Master of Arts in Teaching for elementary school teachers. Today, the college offers six different graduate degree programs.
Some men attended Wilson College briefly after World War II. This happened because many colleges were full. Later, men could earn degrees through the Adult Degree Program. However, the main undergraduate college stayed for women only. In 2013, the college decided to become fully coeducational. This means both men and women could attend all programs. Male students started commuting in fall 2013. The first male students living on campus arrived in fall 2014.
Exploring the Campus
The Wilson College campus is located on the edge of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. It is split by the Conococheague Creek. The land was bought from Alexander McClure. His home, Norland, was burned down in 1864 by soldiers during the Civil War. The home was rebuilt before it was sold to the college.
What You Can Study
Wilson College offers many different subjects to study. There are 34 main subjects (majors) for undergraduate students. There are also 40 smaller subjects (minors). You can also earn master's degrees here.
Some of the most popular subjects include:
- Agriculture and agricultural sciences
- Animal-assisted therapy
- Biological sciences
- Nursing
- Veterinary/animal health
Sports and Teams
Wilson College's sports teams are called the Phoenix. The college is part of the NCAA Division III. This is a level of college sports in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Wilson College rejoined the United East Conference (UEC) for the 2023-24 school year. Before that, they were in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC).
Wilson has 11 different sports teams:
- Men's sports: baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, and volleyball.
- Women's sports: basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, and volleyball.
There are also club sports like archery, equestrian (horse riding), and pep talk. The women's equestrian team competes in many events.
Men's sports started at Wilson College in the 2014–15 school year. This was when the college became coeducational. Basketball and golf were the first men's sports. Soccer, volleyball, and baseball were added later.
Basketball and volleyball teams play in the Gannett Memorial Field House on campus. Softball, lacrosse, and soccer teams play at fields in Kris' Meadow. Baseball plays at Henninger Field in downtown Chambersburg. This field was updated in 2019.
Famous People Who Attended Wilson College
Many notable people have studied at Wilson College. Here are a few:
- Betty Andujar, a politician from Texas.
- Emily Bacon (1891–1972), a doctor.
- Elisabeth Ann Hudnut Clarkson (class of 1947) (1925-2020), an author and former chair of the Wilson College board.
- Pauline Morrow Austin, a meteorologist who studies weather.
- Pauline Donnan (1885–1934), an opera singer.
- Martha Gandy Fales (1930–2006), an art historian and museum curator.
- Amy Gilbert (1895–1980), a historian.
- Zack Hanle, a cooking author and journalist.
- Katherine Laich (1910–1992), a librarian.
- Kate Hevner Mueller (1898–1984), a psychologist and educator.
- Irene Neal, a painter.
- Mary Lawson Neff (1862–1945), a neurologist who studies the nervous system.
- Hannah J. Patterson (1879–1937), a suffragist who worked for women's right to vote.
- Bonnie Lineweaver Paul, an attorney and politician.
- Sally Hoyt Spofford (1914–2002), an ornithologist who studies birds.
- Elizabeth Schofield (1935–2005), an archaeologist and classical scholar.
- Rosedith Sitgreaves (1915–1992), a statistician and professor.
- Delia Velculescu, an economist who studies how money and goods are made and used.
- Frances Wick (1875–1941), a physicist who studies how the world works.
