What is a quick history of Davidson College?
Founded in 1837 as a manual labor institute, Davidson College is now widely regarded as one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the United States. Established by Presbyterians, Davidson has consistently maintained its intent to educate students without regard to their denominational affiliation. Even in Davidson's earliest days, students came to the college from a variety of religious and regional backgrounds. Women were first admitted as degree candidates in 1973, and today, Davidson enrolls some 1,650 talented young people from nearly every state and nearly 40 other countries. The full-time teaching faculty numbers just over 160.
Academic excellence has been central to Davidson's history. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars, and in 1923, Davidson was the third college in North Carolina to be chartered for a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Davidson’s curriculum has consistently focused on a broad liberal arts education. Majors became part of the curriculum in the 1920s. Recent academic program changes include increased opportunities for specialization, independent academic work, study abroad, and interdisciplinary programs. The college has expanded the number of concentrations and the options for a second major or minor in many departments, developed small classes designed to help first-year students make the transition to college-level work and writing, and established centers for leadership, speaking and writing.
Recent renovations and expansion of campus facilities have supported the college’s growth in athletics, the visual arts, the sciences, residential life, student and community activities, and the performing arts.
In 2007, Davidson was the first liberal arts college in the country to replace loans with grants in all of its financial aid packages. This initiative, named The Davidson Trust, allows all students, regardless of socio-economic background, to graduate debt-free.