Photo: Davidson College. Retrieved from: www.forbes.com
Davidson College is a private liberal arts institution with fewer than 2,000 students. The school is located in a suburban area, and the campus is picturesque. Many of the building structures are reminders that the school was founded in the early 1800s. Different majors are offered in over 20 fields, with the most popular being Art, Biology, Economics, English, History, Political Science, Psychology and Spanish.
Davidson also offers several minors and self-designed interdisciplinary majors. The school is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, which played a big role in the school’s founding. The motto of the school reflects its dedication to the liberal arts education of its students, “Let Learning Be Cherished Where Liberty Has Arisen“.
School History
The college, like the town of Davidson, was named after Brigadier General William Lee Davidson, a Revolutionary War Commander, and the first benefactor of the college. The land used for the campus belonged to him, and was donated to the institution by his son. The charter for the college was granted in 1837. Presbyterian leaders have spearheaded the campaign for a new school in the region and maintain an affiliation with the college.
Throughout the 1800s, Davidson benefited from a slew of generous donations from businessmen and successful alumni. One notable donation was from Maxwell Chambers, and the amount was $250,000. This amount of endowment made Davidson one of the wealthiest colleges of the time. The fifth of May, 1972 was historic for Davidson because the school accepted women enrollees after a century of being an all-male college.
Campus Life
Davidson College student services include health insurance, tutoring, late-night transport and escort services and controlled residence hall access. Over 95% of the students live on-campus, in the many houses reserved for students of all year levels. Each residence hall is committed to supporting the academic performance and social growth of the residents. There are nearly 150 student organizations in Davidson, and some of these clubs are particularly geared towards enriching a student’s academic and social life. Besides joining the Greek system, there is a plethora of ways for students to get involved.
Davidson is a school for those that like to volunteer. There is a Center for Civic Engagement, which handles the service side of the college, and through this program students can find a way to give back to the community. Every year, the Center hosts a fair where students, faculty members and civic organizations meet to discuss volunteer work opportunities.
One of the most popular clubs around is the Outdoors Club. Students, faculty and staff that love the outdoors can join this group and plan trips and activities that involve mountain biking, climbing, canoeing, rafting and backpacking.
Financial Aid
Davidson College recently set up Davidson Trust, which made it possible for the institution to become the first national liberal arts college to replace student loans with grants when it comes to financial aid packages. The switch from student loans to grants and scholarships was significant, given the reality that so many graduates of the best universities routinely end up saddled with a huge amount of debt after graduation. Thus, a package of financial aid options from Davidson may soon be made up of only scholarships, work-study programs and grants.
Davidson financial aid packages may also include student employment opportunities. The college accepts students based on merit and not on their capacity to afford the education. The average debt after graduation is around $25,000.
Rankings
2017 College Rankings
