Geneva College

Last updated • 10 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Geneva College
Geneva College Logo updated July 2022.png
MottoPro Christo et Patria
Motto in English
For Christ and Country
Type Private college
Established1848;176 years ago (1848)
Religious affiliation
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
Academic affiliations
CCCU
CIC
NAICU
Endowment $44.2 million (2019) [1]
President Calvin L. Troup
Academic staff
96 [2]
Students1,418 [3]
Location, ,
U.S.
CampusSuburban, 110 acres (45 ha)
Colors     Gold, white and charcoal
Nickname Golden Tornadoes
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division IIIPAC
MascotTurbo the Tornado
Website www.geneva.edu

Geneva College is a private Christian college in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1848, in Northwood, Ohio, the college moved to its present location in 1880, where it continues to educate a student body of about 1400 traditional undergraduates in over 30 majors, as well as graduate students in a handful of master's programs. The only undergraduate institution affiliated with the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA), the college's undergraduate core curriculum emphasizes the humanities and the formation of a Reformed Christian worldview.

Contents

History

A stone marking the original campus in Northwood, Ohio Northwood Stone.jpg
A stone marking the original campus in Northwood, Ohio

Geneva College was founded in 1848 in Northwood, Ohio, by John Black Johnston, a minister of the RPCNA. The college was founded as "Geneva Hall", and was named after the Swiss center of the Reformed faith movement. After briefly closing during the American Civil War, the college continued operating in Northwood until 1880. By that time, the college leadership had begun a search for alternate locations that were closer to urban areas. After considering several locations in the Midwest, the denomination chose the College Hill neighborhood of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. The college constructed its current campus on land donated by the Harmony Society. Old Main, the oldest building on campus, was completed in 1881.

The Rapp Technical Design Center was completed in 2002. A major project to reroute Pennsylvania Route 18, which runs through the campus, was completed in November 2007. [4] Improvements to Reeves Stadium and the construction of a campus entrance and pedestrian mall were completed in 2009. [5]

Presidents

  • John Black Johnston (1848–1850)
  • William Finney George (1850–1852)
  • James Renwick Willson Sloane (1852–1856)
  • Calvin Knox Milligan (1856–1858)
  • John Calvin Smith (1858–1860)
  • Nathan Robinson Johnston (1865–1867)
  • Samuel John Crowe (1867–1871)
  • William Milroy (1871–1872)
  • Henry Hosick George (1872–1890)
  • William Pollock Johnston (1890–1907)
  • William Henry George (1907–1916)
  • Renwick Harper Martin (1916–1920)
  • Archibald Anderson Johnston (1920–1923)
  • McLeod Milligan Pearce (1923–1948)
  • Charles Marston Lee (1948–1956)
  • Edwin Cameron Clarke (1956–1980)
  • Donald William Felker (1980–1983)
  • Edwin Cameron Clarke (1983–1984)
  • William Joseph McFarland (1984–1992)
  • John H. White (1992–2004)
  • Kenneth A. Smith (2004–2015)
  • Calvin L. Troup (2016–Present)

Administration

Geneva College is located in the College Hill neighborhood of Beaver Falls, north of downtown. South End View of Geneva College.jpg
Geneva College is located in the College Hill neighborhood of Beaver Falls, north of downtown.

Two bodies oversee the administration of the college, the Board of Corporators and the Board of Trustees; while the Corporators are the legal owners of the college, in practice most authority is delegated to the Trustees, who are elected by the Corporators. Both Boards drafted the philosophical basis on which the college rests, known as the Foundational Concepts of Higher Education. [6] The RPCNA still takes an active sponsorship and oversight role in the college: the college president, chaplain, and chairman of the Department of Biblical Studies must be members of the RPCNA, and all members of the Board of Corporators and the majority of the Board of Trustees must be RPCNA members. All professors and lecturers in the Department of Biblical Studies must subscribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith, and all full-time faculty and staff members must submit a written statement confessing faith in Jesus Christ and the Christian religion.

The university was granted an exception to Title IX in 2014 which allows it to legally discriminate against LGBT students. [7]

Academics

Old Main, Geneva College's central building Geneva Old Main.jpg
Old Main, Geneva College's central building

Geneva offers undergraduate degree programs in the arts and sciences, such as elementary education, business, engineering, student ministry, biology, and psychology. In 2006, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) rated the Business and Accounting undergraduates in the 95th percentile amongst American colleges.

Historically, Geneva offered a Degree Completion Program (DCP) for degrees in Human Resource Management, Community Ministry or Organizational Development for adult students mainly at off-campus locations. Geneva also established the Center for Urban Theological Studies in Philadelphia and has sister colleges in Taiwan (Christ College) and South Korea (Chong Shin College and Theological Seminary).

Geneva also offers graduates studies in several fields and degrees including a Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Higher Education, Master of Arts in Counseling, and a Master of Science in Cybersecurity. [8]

Geneva established the Center for Technology Development in 1986 for providing research, prototyping and technical support to local industries and entrepreneurs. The center was awarded first prize in the Consolidated Natural Gas Company's Annual Award of Excellence competition in 1990.

Online Courses

Geneva offers online degree programs for adult students. Currently, Geneva offers online Bachelor of Professional Studies degrees in Child and Family Services, Human Resources, Management, and Organization Leadership. The College also offers an online Associate's Degree in general studies. [9]

Geneva partners with Portage Learning to offer online college courses on their platform. These online college courses are offered to visiting students seeking to transfer courses to their home institution where they intend to pursue a degree. Courses completed prior to matriculation may be used by Geneva students to fulfill degree requirements. [10]

Affiliations and accreditations

Geneva College is a member institution of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, Council of Independent Colleges, [11] and National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. [12] Accreditations include the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. The chemistry degree is certified by the American Chemical Society.

Athletics

Reeves Field Geneva College Reeves Stadium stands.jpg
Reeves Field

Geneva's sports teams are called the Golden Tornadoes. The college is a dual member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III and National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division I. [13] The Golden Tornadoes compete as a member of the Presidents' Athletic Conference. Geneva was a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for many years and competed in the now-defunct American Mideast Conference. Geneva joined the NCAA as a provisional member in 2007 and during the transition process was not eligible for post season play or conference Player of the Week honors until gaining membership in July 2011. [14]

The school offers a range of men's and women's varsity sports, including football, baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, track and field, cross country, tennis, and soccer. [15]

Geneva has also offered rugby as a club sport since 1994.

Football

Football competition began in 1890 under head coach William McCracken. Over the years, the football team has amassed an all-time record of 496 wins, 437 losses, and 48 ties with five appearances in the Victory Bowl. The current football coach is Geno DeMarco.

Culture and traditions

Students must attend a designated number of weekly college-sponsored chapels to qualify for graduation. Alcohol is banned from the campus, and tobacco use is restricted from the entire campus. Greek letter fraternities and sororities are not permitted.

One of the earliest college basketball games in the United States occurred at Geneva College on April 8, 1893, when the Geneva College Covenanters defeated the New Brighton YMCA. [16] Geneva commemorates this event through the athletic slogan of "The Birthplace of College Basketball". Geneva also has one of the oldest basketball courts in collegiate sports in the Johnston Gymnasium.

Geneva was founded by Scottish and Scots-Irish immigrants. Many names of campus buildings and areas bear Scottish names:

Geneva sports teams were nicknamed the Covenanters until the 1950s. Members of the RPCNA are sometimes referred to as Covenanters because the denomination traces its roots to the Covenanting tradition of Reformation era Scotland. The modern sports nickname of Golden Tornadoes commemorates the "Golden Tornado" of May 11, 1914, when a major tornado struck the college, most notably taking the gold colored roof from the top of Old Main, which was the origin of the associated color. Although the storm caused significant damage to the campus, there were no serious injuries. College students and faculty rejoiced at what they believed was a sign of God's mercy.

Geneva's traditional sports rivalry is with Westminster College in nearby New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. [17]

Homosexual behavior is prohibited in the student handbook; students must confess and change their behavior or be suspended. [18] [ non-primary source needed ]

Facilities

Offices and classrooms

Campus-level view of Alexander Hall Geneva College Alexander Hall front.jpg
Campus-level view of Alexander Hall
McCartney Library McCartney Library.jpg
McCartney Library
Old Main (West Entrance) Old Main Geneva College.JPG
Old Main (West Entrance)
Johnston Gym Johnston Gym 07.JPG
Johnston Gym

Sports and student life

Residence halls

Full-time undergraduate students between ages 17 and 23 are required to live in college housing, [37] with the exception of commuters and some seniors. [38] Six dormitories — Clarke, Geneva Arms, McKee, Memorial, Pearce, and Young — house resident students. [39] Geneva Arms and Young are apartment-style options divided into women's and men's wings. The college also owns a few smaller houses nearby campus, primarily for upperclassmen, that are available depending on residential need. [40]

On December 15, 2006, the college filed a federal lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, alleging that a decision by the state to block the college from participating in the state sponsored CareerLink job service amounted to a violation of the college's First Amendment rights. Although the state argued that the college's requirement that faculty and staff members subscribe to the Christian religion amounted to discrimination, the lawsuit was settled. Geneva's right to access to CareerLink was restored and the college retains a statement on its employment applications stating "Compliance with Geneva's Christian views is considered a bona fide occupational qualification ... and will have a direct impact on employment consideration." [41]

Obamacare

In 2012, the college sued the federal government over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") contraceptive mandate, which requires employers to provide health insurance coverage for their employees that includes contraception, which Geneva College "considers abortion, abortifacients and embryo-harming pharmaceuticals" and objects to on religious grounds. [42] The college, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom in the litigation, prevailed in its case, obtaining a permanent injunction in 2018. [42] [43]

Notable alumni

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenville University</span> Private university in Greenville, Illinois, U.S.

Greenville University is a private university in Greenville, Illinois, United States. It is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church. Established as Greenville College in 1892, the institution was renamed Greenville University in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maranatha Baptist University</span> Private Baptist university in Watertown, Wisconsin

Maranatha Baptist University is a private Baptist university in Watertown, Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Commonwealth University</span> Private university in Barbourville, Kentucky, U.S.

Union Commonwealth University is a private university in Barbourville, Kentucky. The university was founded in 1879 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Union's approximately 825 undergraduate students represent 27 states and nine countries. In March, of 2024, it was announced that the school would be renamed from Union College to Union Commonwealth University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union University</span> Christian university in Jackson, Tennessee, US

Union University is a private Baptist university in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown and Hendersonville. The university is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention. It is a union of several different schools: West Tennessee College, formerly known as Jackson Male Academy; Union University of Murfreesboro; Southwestern Baptist University; and Hall-Moody Junior College of Martin, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kutztown University of Pennsylvania</span> Public university in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, US

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinity Christian College</span> Private Christian college in Palos Heights, Illinois, U.S.

Trinity Christian College is a private Christian college in Palos Heights, Illinois. It was founded in 1959 by a group of Chicago businessmen who wanted to establish a college providing students with a Christian higher education in a Reformed tradition as a college in Illinois. The college offers degrees in more than 70 programs of study. In 2023-2024 they reduced the employees by 10 percent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluefield University</span> Baptist university in Bluefield, Virginia, US

Bluefield University is a private Baptist university in Bluefield, Virginia. It offers 22 majors and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The 82-acre (330,000 m2) campus is about 150 ft (46 m) from the state line between Virginia and West Virginia. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Bluefield University merged with Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine which is on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campbellsville University</span> Christian university in Campbellsville, Kentucky, US

Campbellsville University (CU) is a private Christian university in Campbellsville, Kentucky. It was founded as Russell Creek Academy and enrolls more than 12,000 students. The university offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southeastern University</span> Christian university in Lakeland, Florida, US

Southeastern University is a private Christian university in Lakeland, Florida. It was established in 1935 in New Brockton, Alabama, as Southeastern Bible Institute, relocated to Lakeland in 1946, and became a liberal arts college in 1970. It is the largest Assemblies of God educational institution in the United States.

Mid-America Christian University (MACU) is a private Christian university in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. MACU is an endorsed agency of the Church of God and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. MACU was initially founded as the South Texas Bible Institute in 1953 in Houston Heights, Houston, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown</span> Public university in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, US

University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown is a state-related college in the Johnstown, Pennsylvania area. It is a baccalaureate degree-granting regional campus of the University of Pittsburgh. The university is located in Richland Township, a suburban area near Johnstown city, and was founded in 1927 as one of the first regional campuses of a major university in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regis College (Massachusetts)</span> Catholic college in Weston, Massachusetts, US

Regis College is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Sisters of St. Joseph in Weston, Massachusetts. Regis was founded as a women's college in 1927. In 2007, Regis became co-educational; it was the last Catholic women's college in the Boston area to start admitting men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado Christian University</span> Christian university in Lakewood, Colorado

Colorado Christian University (CCU) is a private Christian university in Lakewood, Colorado, United States. CCU was founded by Clifton Fowler in 1914 as the Denver Bible Institute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Aloysius College</span> Catholic college in Cresson, Pennsylvania, US

Mount Aloysius College is a private Catholic college in Cresson, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1853 and is conducted under the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy. The college is located on a 193-acre campus in the Allegheny Mountains.

Central Christian College of the Bible is a private Christian college in Moberly, Missouri. Founded in 1957, it is accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education and focuses on biblical instruction and practical training for its students. It offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees and certificates in ministry-related programs. In 2020, Central began offering a graduate program for a Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership degree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwood, Logan County, Ohio</span> Unincorporated community in Ohio, United States

Northwood is a small, unincorporated community crossroads village in northern Logan County, Ohio, United States. It lies along the line between Richland Township and McArthur Township, approximately two miles south of the village of Belle Center and near the South Fork of the Great Miami River. Northwood was founded in the early 19th century, during the early years of settlement in Logan County. Its primary significance lies in its being the original site of Geneva College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reeves Field</span>

Reeves Field is a football stadium located on the campus of Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. It was named in honor of local banker John T. Reeves, whose heirs donated land for the complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon State University–Cascades</span> University branch campus in Bend, Oregon, US

Oregon State University–Cascades (OSU–Cascades) is a branch campus of Oregon State University (OSU) in Bend, Oregon. It is the only university in Central Oregon that offers both baccalaureate and graduate programs. OSU–Cascades also offers professional pathways and certificate programs. The 30-acre campus is the first public university to open in Oregon in more than 50 years. The campus plans to expand academically with new degree programs over a 10-year period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Main (Geneva College)</span> Academic building in PA , United States

Old Main is an academic building on the campus of Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States. The structure was also the first building constructed on the campus, after the college left its original location in Northwood, Ohio.

The 2009 Geneva Golden Tornadoes football team represented Geneva College in the 2009 NCAA Division III football season and finished as NCCAA champions. The Golden Tornadoes played their home games at Reeves Field.

References

  1. "Geneva College". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  2. "Geneva College - Fast Facts".
  3. "U.S. News".
  4. New Route 18 Open, Geneva College, 2007-11-19. Accessed 2007-11-27.
  5. 'Experience Geneva Night' mentions wrap-up of construction projects, Geneva College. Accessed 2009-08-31.
  6. Geneva College – Foundational Concepts, Geneva College. Accessed 2009-03-02.
  7. "Worst List: The Absolute Worst Campuses for LGBTQ Youth". Campus Pride. May 17, 2019. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  8. "Geneva College - Graduate Degrees". Geneva College.
  9. "Geneva College - Online Degree Programs". Geneva College.
  10. "Geneva College - Portage Courses". Geneva College.
  11. CIC membership directory Archived 2011-09-20 at the Wayback Machine , Accessed 2009-08-06
  12. Geneva's NAICU member profile Archived 2009-06-07 at the Wayback Machine , Accessed 2009-08-06
  13. "NCCAA Members". NCCAA . Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  14. Brown, Gary (June 30, 2011). "DIII Membership Committee recommends four new active members". NCAA . Archived from the original on July 5, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  15. Geneva College – Athletics, Geneva College. Accessed 2009-03-02.
  16. Carson, David M.(1997). Pro Christo et Patria. (2nd Ed.) Virginia Beach: The Donning Company ISBN   978-1-57864-006-5
  17. "Fight Breaks Out At D-III Rivalry Game After Dude Gets Thrown To The Deck". Deadspin. February 16, 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  18. "Geneva College offers Amnesty". Geneva College. Retrieved August 23, 2021. Students who struggle with issues that violate the Student Handbook are encouraged to seek support and help. Examples include, but are not limited to, pregnancy, drugs, alcohol, pornography, sexual relationships, eating disorders and homosexual behavior....When students request Amnesty, according to the above guidelines, they are not suspended for behaviors they have engaged in prior to their confession. The behavior in question will have to eventually change for the student to remain at Geneva College.
  19. Alexander Hall, Geneva College.
  20. Alumni Music Hall, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  21. Fern Cliffe, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  22. Johnston Gymnasium, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  23. Geneva College - About the Library, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  24. Northwood Hall, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  25. Old Main, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  26. Geneva College, Pennsylvania Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Accessed 2009-09-06.
  27. Rapp Technical Design Center, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  28. The Science & Engineering Building, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  29. The Bagpiper Theatre, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  30. The Merriman Athletic Field Complex, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  31. Metheny Field house, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  32. "Geneva College Athletics – Official Athletics Website". Geneva College Athletics. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  33. Reeves Field, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  34. "Beaver Falls High School – Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania". Larence County Memoirs. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  35. The Student Center, Geneva College. Accessed 2007-09-08.
  36. WGEV
  37. Geneva College. Geneva College 2009-2010 Student Handbook. Beaver Falls: Geneva College, 2009, p. 30.
  38. Geneva College. Geneva College 2009–2010 Student Handbook. Beaver Falls: Geneva College, 2009, pp. 36–37.
  39. Geneva College. Accessed 2009-10-02.
  40. "Geneva Housing". Geneva College. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  41. Pound, Michael (April 29, 2007). "Geneva settles advertising lawsuit". Beaver County Times . Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
  42. 1 2 J.D. Prose, Federal judge’s order shields Geneva College from contraception mandate, Beaver County Times (July 9, 2018).
  43. Geneva College v. Azar, Case No. 2:12-cv-00207, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Order Granting Permanent Injunction & Declaratory Relief (July 5, 2018).

40°46′16″N80°19′16″W / 40.771°N 80.321°W / 40.771; -80.321