Catawba College
Encyclopedia
Catawba College is a private, coeducational liberal arts
college in Salisbury
, North Carolina, USA. Founded in 1851 by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in Newton
, the college adopted its name from its county of origin, Catawba County, before moving to its current home of Salisbury in 1925.
Today, Catawba College still holds loose ties with the successor to the Reformed Church, the United Church of Christ
, and offers more than thirty undergraduate degrees.
In 2009, Catawba College was listed as 17th in the U.S. News and World Report in the category "Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the South." Catawba College has been consistently named as one of the "361 Best Colleges" by the Princeton Review, and the school's theatre program is consistently rated as one of the top 10 in the nation. In 2008 and 2009, In Tune Monthly
named Catawba College one of the best music schools in the country.
in 1851. The years following the opening of the college were years of growing prosperity for the school, but the Civil War
changed this as funds and students became less available. During the war years, the College became an academy, operating as Catawba High School from 1865 until 1885, whereupon it resumed operations under its original charter as Catawba College. After the Civil War ended, Catawba continued to make changes to itself, including becoming coeducational in 1890. Even with the addition of women to the student body, the College struggled to overcome the depletion brought on by the war. Responding to the offer of a partially constructed dormitory-administration building and several acres of land in Salisbury, trustee, college, and church officials closed the campus in Newton in 1923 and re-opened in Salisbury in 1925.
The college is now affiliated with the United Church of Christ
, the successor to the Evangelical and Reformed Church
, itself the successor to the Reformed Church in the United States.
A variety of minors are also available. Students may also be invited to participate in the College's Honors Program. Other programs include the Lilly Center for Vocation and Values, Leadership Catawba, the Center for the Environment, the Center for Career and Service Learning, and Summer School.
For working adults, Catawba's School of Evening and Graduate Studies offers the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), with concentrations in Business Management, Information Systems, and Administration of Justice. In conjunction with the Department of Teacher Education, the Bachelor of Arts in Education (B.A.E.) degree may be earned with a major in Birth – Kindergarten Education; at the graduate level, the Master of Education degree in elementary education is also offered.
The sustainable building that houses the Center, which opened in 2001, was hailed by the top state environmental official as “the wave of the future in resource and energy efficiency.” Everything about the building – from site design to the environmentally friendly building materials and green furnishings, from energy and water conservation issues to recycling and waste management – is grounded in principles of sustainability. It is a three-dimensional incarnation of the Center’s curriculum – an excellent teaching tool as well as an environmentally sound project. Adjacent to the Center is the college’s 187-acre ecological preserve which, along with its 300-acre wildlife refuge, gives Catawba students ample opportunities for analyzing ecosystems and learning about conservation management.
as the Catawba College Indians; named after the Catawba Indian tribe that was native to the original location of the school.
Catawba features 18 NCAA Division II sports teams. The men's teams are Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Tennis, and Swimming. The women's teams are Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, and Volleyball.
The Catawba College football team holds the distinction of winning not only the inaugural, but 2nd annual Tangerine Bowl, now known as the Capital One Bowl
, without allowing the opposing teams to score a single point. On Jan. 1, 1947, they defeated Maryville College
31–0 and on Jan. 1, 1948 they defeated Marshall University
7–0.
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
college in Salisbury
Salisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury is a city in Rowan County in North Carolina, a state of the United States of America. The population was 33,663 in the 2010 Census . It is the county seat of Rowan County...
, North Carolina, USA. Founded in 1851 by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in Newton
Newton, North Carolina
Newton is a city located in Catawba County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 12,560. It is the county seat of Catawba County.Newton is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, the college adopted its name from its county of origin, Catawba County, before moving to its current home of Salisbury in 1925.
Today, Catawba College still holds loose ties with the successor to the Reformed Church, the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
, and offers more than thirty undergraduate degrees.
In 2009, Catawba College was listed as 17th in the U.S. News and World Report in the category "Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the South." Catawba College has been consistently named as one of the "361 Best Colleges" by the Princeton Review, and the school's theatre program is consistently rated as one of the top 10 in the nation. In 2008 and 2009, In Tune Monthly
In Tune Monthly
In Tune Monthly is a magazine that seeks to enrich the band, orchestra, choral and general music curriculum. It is written for middle and high school music students for whom the publication is typically purchased by music educators...
named Catawba College one of the best music schools in the country.
History
Catawba College was founded by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in the United StatesReformed Church in the United States
The Reformed Church in the United States is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. The present RCUS is a conservative, Calvinist denomination. It affirms the principles of the Reformation: Sola scriptura , Solo Christo , Sola gratia , Sola fide , and Soli Deo gloria...
in 1851. The years following the opening of the college were years of growing prosperity for the school, but the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
changed this as funds and students became less available. During the war years, the College became an academy, operating as Catawba High School from 1865 until 1885, whereupon it resumed operations under its original charter as Catawba College. After the Civil War ended, Catawba continued to make changes to itself, including becoming coeducational in 1890. Even with the addition of women to the student body, the College struggled to overcome the depletion brought on by the war. Responding to the offer of a partially constructed dormitory-administration building and several acres of land in Salisbury, trustee, college, and church officials closed the campus in Newton in 1923 and re-opened in Salisbury in 1925.
The college is now affiliated with the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
, the successor to the Evangelical and Reformed Church
Evangelical and Reformed Church
The Evangelical and Reformed Church was a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. It was formed in 1934 by the merger of the Reformed Church in the United States with the Evangelical Synod of North America . After the 1934 merger, a minority within the RCUS seceded in order to...
, itself the successor to the Reformed Church in the United States.
Academics
Through its residential day program, Catawba College offers the B.A., B.S., and B.F.A. degrees in over 30 undergraduate majors, with 22 concentrations available, in a variety of disciplines, including athletic training, biology, business administration, chemistry, communication, education, English, environmental science, French, history, mathematics, medical technology, music, musical theatre, physical education, political science and pre-law, pre-med, pre-ministerial, pre-pharmacy, psychology, recreation, religion, philosophy, sociology, Spanish, sports management, sustainable business and community development, and theatre arts.A variety of minors are also available. Students may also be invited to participate in the College's Honors Program. Other programs include the Lilly Center for Vocation and Values, Leadership Catawba, the Center for the Environment, the Center for Career and Service Learning, and Summer School.
For working adults, Catawba's School of Evening and Graduate Studies offers the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), with concentrations in Business Management, Information Systems, and Administration of Justice. In conjunction with the Department of Teacher Education, the Bachelor of Arts in Education (B.A.E.) degree may be earned with a major in Birth – Kindergarten Education; at the graduate level, the Master of Education degree in elementary education is also offered.
Shirley Peeler Richie Academy for Teaching
As part of an ongoing emphasis on teacher education, Catawba announced the creation of the West Scholars Program in 2006. The highly competitive program offers a substantial scholarship, up to $15,000 for North Carolina residents, in addition to "leadership seminars, community, service, scholarly researched presentations" and various other benefits. In addition to the West Scholars, Catawba added the distinction of being one of only 18 institutions in North Carolina to offer a N.C. Teaching Fellows program for the 2009–2010 academic year. Promoting education in North Carolina, the program offers a full tuition award to the participants.Center for the Environment
The Center for the Environment was established in 1996 to educate students, faculty, staff and the public about environmental stewardship and sustainability. A catalyst for advancing sustainable solutions, it has assumed a leadership role in the region, serving as a model and lending its expertise on issues ranging from air and water quality to land preservation and sustainable development. Since its inception, it has provided opportunities for students to work with community members in addressing issues of sustainability.The sustainable building that houses the Center, which opened in 2001, was hailed by the top state environmental official as “the wave of the future in resource and energy efficiency.” Everything about the building – from site design to the environmentally friendly building materials and green furnishings, from energy and water conservation issues to recycling and waste management – is grounded in principles of sustainability. It is a three-dimensional incarnation of the Center’s curriculum – an excellent teaching tool as well as an environmentally sound project. Adjacent to the Center is the college’s 187-acre ecological preserve which, along with its 300-acre wildlife refuge, gives Catawba students ample opportunities for analyzing ecosystems and learning about conservation management.
Athletics
Catawba's athletic teams compete in the NCAA Division II South Atlantic ConferenceSouth Atlantic Conference
The South Atlantic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the southeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division II...
as the Catawba College Indians; named after the Catawba Indian tribe that was native to the original location of the school.
Catawba features 18 NCAA Division II sports teams. The men's teams are Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Tennis, and Swimming. The women's teams are Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, and Volleyball.
The Catawba College football team holds the distinction of winning not only the inaugural, but 2nd annual Tangerine Bowl, now known as the Capital One Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
, without allowing the opposing teams to score a single point. On Jan. 1, 1947, they defeated Maryville College
Maryville College
Maryville College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Maryville, Tennessee, near Knoxville. It was founded in 1819 by Presbyterian minister Isaac L. Anderson for the purpose of furthering education and enlightenment into the West. The College is one of the fifty oldest colleges in the...
31–0 and on Jan. 1, 1948 they defeated Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
7–0.
Indians nickname
In 2005, the NCAA cited Catawba College as a school with a "hostile" and/or "abusive" nickname. While the NCAA cannot force a school to change a nickname, it promised to deny post-season hosting privileges to schools in violation. In response to the designation, Catawba College officials filled a formal appeal to continue use of the Catawba Indian mascot. Citing the approval of the remaining members of the Catawba Indian tribe, the NCAA granted the appeal on the condition the college use the tribe specific nickname of the Catawba Indians when referring to the nickname as opposed to simply the "Indians."Notable alumni
- Bill Graham, 1983, Catawba College trustee, and 2008 Republican candidate for Governor of North CarolinaGovernor of North CarolinaThe Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
- T. J. RooneyT. J. RooneyT.J. Rooney is the former chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.He is a graduate of West Essex High School in North Caldwell, New Jersey...
, Former chair of Pennsylvania Democratic Party, and member of PA House of Representatives. - Phil KirkPhil KirkPhillip J. Kirk, Jr. is a North Carolina political figure. He is a former chairman of the North Carolina State Board of Education and a former president of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce .Kirk, a native of Rowan County, North Carolina and a graduate of Catawba College, worked as a...
, former chairman of NC Board of Education, Vice President of External Relations for Catawba College - Pat McCrory, Mayor of Charlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
from 1995–2009,and 2008 Republican nominee for Governor of North CarolinaGovernor of North CarolinaThe Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:... - Dave Robbins, retired basketball coach for Virginia Union UniversityVirginia Union UniversityVirginia Union University is a historically black university located in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It took its present name in 1899 upon the merger of two older schools, Richmond Theological Institute and Wayland Seminary, each founded after the end of American Civil War by the American...
. Won over 700 games and three National championships. - Charlie CoinerCharlie CoinerCharlie Coiner is the defensive line coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels football program of the ACC.-Coaching career:Coiner is the current defensive line coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels.-External links:*...
, Tight Ends Coach for the Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL - Rodney WallaceRodney Wallace (fighter)Rodney Wallace is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He previously fought in the UFC's light heavyweight division. Rodney currently competes for the Canadian based MFC promotion in the light heavyweight division...
, finished college football career as school's all-time leading rusher, former UFC light heavyweight fighter - Bucky PopeBucky PopeFrank Buckley "Bucky" Pope is a former professional American football wide receiver in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams and the Green Bay Packers.He is mostly known for his nickname,"The Catawba Claw." He currently ranks 2nd all-time in the NFL with 31.44 yards per catch, 1964...
, National Football League: Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers, "The Catawba Claw" - Johnny TempleJohnny TempleJohn Ellis Temple was a Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Redlegs/Reds ; Cleveland Indians , Baltimore Orioles and Houston Colt .45s . Temple was born in Lexington, North Carolina. He batted and threw right-handed.Temple was a career .284 hitter with 22 home runs and 395 RBI...
, Major League Baseball, second baseman for the Cincinnati Redlegs, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles and Houston Colt .45's. - Jasika NicoleJasika NicoleJasika Nicole is an American actress and illustrator from Birmingham, Alabama. She is most famous for portraying the character of Astrid Farnsworth in the TV series Fringe....
, actress currently on FringeFringe (TV series)Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The series follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation "Fringe Division" team based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security...
. - Jerry SandsJerry SandsGerald R. Sands is an American professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 25th round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of Catawba College...
, outfielder/first basemen for the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
External links
- Catawba College – official website
- IndianHuddle.com – Catawba football fan site
- The Pioneer- Catawba College Online School Newspaper
- Catawba Athletics – official Catawba athletics website
- The School of Evening and Graduate Studies