Saint Michael's College
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Saint Michael's College is a private, residential, liberal arts Catholic college located in Burlington, Vermont, a popular college town and cultural center in Vermont. The 440-acre campus is also near Montreal, Canada. Saint Michael's College was founded in 1904 by the Society of Saint Edmund, a French order of Catholic priests. The main campus is on a hill that provides views of the Green Mountains to the east and the Adirondack Mountains of New York to the west. The mission of the College is "to contribute through higher education to the enhancement of the human person and to the advancement of human culture in the light of the Catholic faith." (http://www.smcvt.edu)
History
In 1904, priests from the Society of Saint Edmund opened Saint Michael's Institute with an initial investment of $5,000. 34 students aged 10 to 22 enrolled, with a tutition and board fee of $105. Gradually, the school transistioned from an academy with old military barracks as dorms to a traditional residential college.
In 1942 Elsa Kiel Sichel became the first full-time female faculty member, teaching Biology. The faculty of Saint Michael's College is presently 46% female.
In 1952 the federal government gave the College a $10,000 grant for a cancer research project. In 2005, the College spent nearly one million dollars in grants for research and other projects.
In 1954 the College began the what is now the School of International Studies, where students from around the world study. To date there have been 15,000 graduates from the SIS.
In 1969 a SMC athlete died of a heart attack during an athletic event. Members of the College community responded to form the Saint Michael's College Fire and Rescue Squads. The volunteer squads respond to an average of 2,000 emergency calls a year.
In 1974 Patrick Leahy, from the Class of 1961, was elected to the United States Senate, becoming the youngest-ever Senator from Vermont to win the post. Among all SMC graduates, government services is ranked among the top 10 career fields.
In 1989 SMC was first included in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings as a “top northern university.” In '2005 SMC appeared in The Princeton Review's Best 361 Colleges guidebook.
In 2000 The Luce Foundation awarded Saint Michael’s College $224,000 in support of women’s pursuit of science, math, or engineering careers. Awards cover complete educational costs for the junior and senior years.
Academics
Admission into Saint Michael's College is competitive. The college is also one of 270 colleges and universities nationwide allowed to host a Phi Beta Kappa chapter on campus. With a student-faculty ratio of 12:1, classes are small and hands-on learning is emphasized. For three of the last six years, a Saint Michael’s professor has been named Vermont Professor of the Year.Curriculum
Liberal arts. 29 major fields of study. Emphasis on: honors, independent study, independent research, internships and study abroad. Saint Michael's houses the following honors: Phi Beta Kappa; Delta Epsilon Sigma (Catholic honor society); Pi Sigma Alpha for Political Science; Omicron Delta Epsilon for Economics; Phi Alpha Theta for History; Kappa Delta Pi for Education; Psi Chi for Psychology; Sigma Xi for Science and Technology; Pi Mu Epsilon for Mathematics; Kappa Tau Alpha for Journalism and Mass Communication; and Sigma Beta Delta for Business, Management and Administration. Eligible students can also participate in the College's Honors Program.
Accreditation
Saint Michael's College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.Motto
The motto of Saint Michael's College is Quis ut Deus, which translated from Latin into English means “Who is like unto God.” In art, Saint Michael is sometimes depicted carrying a shield, and often the shield is emblazoned with the words Quis ut Deus, the Latin translation of his name in Hebrew.Atmosphere
Nearly 90% of students live on campus in residence halls, theme houses and townhouses. More than 40 student organizations, 21 varsity sports (10 for men, 11 for women), 28 intramural teams. No fraternities or sororities exist at SMC. Several student activities exist, such as: student government association wilderness program, campus radio station, club sports, student musical and play productions, the Saint Michael’s Chorale, Open Mike nights and the Wind and Jazz Ensembles. Christmas and spring semi-formal dances are held. Big-name bands such as “Train” have performed on campus in recent years. Anybody in the Saint Michael’s community can write articles, features, essays or letters for [The Echo] (online magazine) or [The Defender] (online magazine). The campus ministry and volunteer programs send students to work in communities across the United States and the world during school breaks, or to help out in the local community during the school year. Athletics facilities include a fitness room, racquetball and an indoor track and swimming pool. Trails surround the campus for cross-country running or mountain-biking.
Ski & Ride Program
Beginning in fall of 2004, Saint Michael's undergraduate students became the first in the nation to have unlimited access to a major winter resort as part of their college experience. The agreement is with Smugglers’ Notch Resort in Jeffersonville, Vermont, only 50 minutes from campus. Saint Michael's will provide all undergraduate students in good academic standing with a season pass to Smugglers' Notch for just a minimal processing fee. The Saint Michael's student pass comes with discounts on group lessons and rental equipment. Students will have access to weekend bus transportation from campus to Smuggs through the winter months. Smugglers' Notch has three mountains, the highest vertical drop in Northern Vermont (2,610 feet) and 78 trails suitable for all levels of skier and rider from novice to expert. Smuggs also features the only triple black diamond in the East, The Black Hole.Study Abroad
Saint Michael's was ranked 14th in the United States in "Leading Institutions by Estimated Participation in Study Abroad: Top 20 Master's Institutions, 1999/00." Saint Michael’s was also recognized for commitment to study abroad by Open Doors, a publication of the Institute for International Education. The costs of studying abroad is the same as a semester on campus. The tuition does not change, financial aid applies, and the College pays the airfare. Students can choose a program by location or language, or can choose from a variety of special Saint Michael's programs. [link]
Career Counseling
The Student Resource Center offers courses in job search skills and opportunities for career exploration through internships and volunteer work.International Students
Special English as a Second Language programs are offered for international students through the School of International Studies, including a progam that assists international students in the transition to college-level course work.Graduate Students
Five master's degree programs in Administration and Management; Clinical Psychology; Education; Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language and Theology and Pastoral Ministry.Athletics
Saint Michael's sports teams are called the Purple Knights and the school colors are purple and gold. Varsity teams participate in the NCAA's Division II Northeast Ten Conference. Approximately 25% of students participate in a varsity sport. For men: Basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, hockey, lacrosse, skiing (alpine, nordic), soccer, swimming and diving, and tennis. For women: basketball, cross country, field hockey, lacrosse, skiing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, ice hockey, and volleyball. Student-led programs include billiards, ping pong, volleyball and indoor soccer. Tournaments are also scheduled throughout the academic year. Yoga, jazzercise, kickboxing, cardio step and pilates courses are offered weekly. First Aid and CPR training/certification is also offered. [link]Facilities
Two campuses, Main and North. Main is the original and largest campus; it houses virtually all the classrooms, administration buildings and most residence halls, as well as the McCarthy Arts Center, the Durick Library, Alliot Student Center, the Ross Sports Center and Tarrant Recreation Center. North Campus, one mile from the Main campus, features residence halls, some apartments and studio arts facilities.
Awards
Saint Michael's has been labeled by Newsweek magazine as a “hidden treasure” that “deserves more national recognition.” [link] Additionally, Saint Michael's has been identified by U.S. News and World Report for 16 consecutive years as one of the 15 finest master’s universities in the North.[link]Notable alumni
- James Fallon, adult stem cells, schizophrenia, and brain imaging neuroscientist
- Tom Freston, President and CEO of Viacom
- Patrick Leahy, Senior U.S. Senator from Vermont
- Richard Tarrant, founder of IDX Systems Corporation
- Loung Ung, peace activist
See also
- List of colleges and universities in the United States
- List of colleges and universities in Vermont
External links
- [Saint Michael's College official website]
- [Saint Michael's Fire and Rescue]
- [The online magazine of Saint Michael's College]
- [The online edition of Saint Michael's newspaper]
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