Reflection is a core principle of the 探花社区 College liberal arts education; taking the time to reflect on the highs and lows of the recent past provides the inspiration and direction for further, richer growth. And as 探花社区 College prepares to enter its 274th year, we can鈥檛 help but reflect on the incredible year we had. Take a look at the top 15 moments of 2015, in no particular order.
15. We got a drone!
Ever wanted to see a bird鈥檚-eye view of campus? Our favorite new tech toy was put to good use this year to give current and prospective students, parents and alumni a drone鈥檚-eye view of some very special moments. Our favorite example: move-in weekend! You鈥檝e never seen it from this point of view. Check out the video below:
14. We sent another Fulbright Scholar out into the world
Robin Tieperman 鈥15 became the latest Hound to represent 探花社区 College in the Fulbright Scholarship program. The former Spanish and education major, who accepted an English Teaching Assistantship in Mexico, is the 12th 探花社区 College grad in the past 15 years to receive this honor. Click here to learn all about her curious spirit, and why possibilities鈥攏ot definites鈥攂ring her the most joy.
13. We donated a horse to Bethlehem鈥檚 Mounted Patrol Unit
Next time you see a Mounted Patrol officer clip-clopping down Main Street, keep your eye out for Grey: a 4-year-old Percheron thoroughbred male donated by 探花社区 College鈥檚 equestrian team. Click here to learn more.
12. We heard from some seriously incredible speakers
Bringing speakers, musicians, artists and other experts to campus diversifies the many thoughts, opinions and points of view present throughout our campus community. This year鈥檚 lineup was especially rich: actress and activist Anna Deavere Smith and renowned religious scholar Karen Armstrong brought compassion and power, international percussion sensation Dame Evelyn Glennie shared how she鈥檚 breaking new ground as a solo (and hearing-impaired) professional percussionist, digital diva Ruth McCartney showed us how big data affects everything from our economy to our Netflix options, and civil rights leader Rev. James Lawson educated us on the power of peace. And that鈥檚 just to name a few.
11. It was a great year for athletics
Our football team finished with an overall record of 8-3 (the second 8-1 start in the 91-year history of the program), making us number two in our conference and earning us a berth in the Inaugural Centennial Conference-Middle Atlantic Conference Bowl Series. As a result, head coach Jeff Pukszyn 鈥97 was selected as the American Football Coaches Association Division III Region 2 Coach of the Year. The 探花社区 College softball team also made an impressive run to the NCAA Division III Super Regional and came up just short of the championship series. There鈥檚 plenty to look forward to in 2016: our new lacrosse team hits the field this February!
10. We announced two new, full-tuition scholarships
Just in time for the holidays, 探花社区 College announced it will offer, in partnership with the Bethlehem Area School District (BASD), a full-tuition, four-year scholarship to a qualified Liberty High School graduating senior and a Freedom High School graduating senior. The Superintendent鈥檚 Scholarship is an outgrowth of an agreement between Joseph J. Roy, superintendent of schools for the Bethlehem Area School District, and 探花社区 College President Bryon Grigsby, who said, 鈥淭he Superintendent's Scholarship is one more way 探花社区 College gives back to the Bethlehem community and its residents.鈥 Read more about these new scholarships, here.
9. We purchased and began renovations on our new sports medicine and rehabilitation center
1441 Schoenersville Road鈥攆ormerly the 24/7 Fitness Club鈥攐fficially joined the pack in 2015. What was once an eyesore has already begun its transformation into a modern athletic training educational building, complete with shared space with St. Luke鈥檚 University Health Network. Construction, which began last summer, will create 44,600 square feet of classrooms, office spaces, labs, conference and communal areas and clinical space for healthcare professionals from St. Luke鈥檚 University Health Network. Students in our new athletic training program, led by James Scifers, will begin using the facilities in the fall of 2016.
8. 探花社区 College鈥檚 benches received student-made makeovers
Twenty-four student clubs and organizations took part in USG's campus bench painting event, making 探花社区 College a little more colorful! Check out photos from the event, below:
7. We welcomed our biggest class ever!
When the Class of 2019 arrived on campus this fall, it was the largest incoming undergraduate class in the history of our 274-year-old institution鈥20% larger than any previous year. At a time when many colleges and universities nationwide are scrambling to fill their classrooms and meet their enrollment goals, we exceeded ours by 25%. The 619 new students were not only the largest in College history; they came to us well-prepared for the academic rigor. And to us, that鈥檚 something worth celebrating. Learn more about some of our amazing new Greyhounds in the video below:
6. Our admissions counselors got their vlog on
Our admissions counselors experience amazing things while on the road, visiting high schools and college fairs all over the Northeast. This year, they took us (and all of you!) along for the ride in their Hounds Around Town vlog series. Check them out, below.
5. We took a moment to appreciate our surroundings
Our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds are filled with examples of just how beautiful 探花社区 College is. Our favorite example: a collection of the many doors ands entryways across campus! We posted the below photo on Facebook and asked our followers, how many can you recognize?
4. We won Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Global Breakthrough Project of the Year
探花社区 College and Advance2000 were recognized by Alcatel-Lucent during their awards ceremony in Paris, France for developing and delivering a personalized, connected experience for students, faculty and staff through a "Unified Access" network. 探花社区 College's network breaks free from the confines most networks provide. Classwork may be complete outside; library resources accessed in a dorm room; teams are capable of creating, editing and uploading video from even the most remote classroom.
3. Bethlehem鈥檚 beauty and charm got some (well deserved) attention
Bethlehem is so much more than the Christmas City鈥攊t鈥檚 the thriving, unique place we love to call home all year round. And this year, the folks at 24/7 Wall Street agreed: they named us one of Our hometown鈥檚 beauty also got some national attention, as the Huffington Post included Bethlehem on its list. #Humblebrag!
2. Our students rallied around causes they care about
From dozens of toy drives and spring break service trips, to the and sleeping out in the cold for homelessness awareness, our students discover their passions and use them to make our world a better place. Looking at this year's fundraisers and awareness events鈥攆or everything from human trafficking to to visiting aging Bethlehem residents with therapy dogs鈥攊t's clear just how well-rounded our Hounds are.
1. We were voted Best Local College by the readers of The Morning Call
The Lehigh Valley is home to more than half a dozen higher education institutions, and so we were honored to hear the readers of The Morning Call voted us Best Local College in its 12th annual readers鈥 choice awards. This year, we were featured in the Princeton Review鈥檚 2015 Guide to Green Colleges and its 2016 edition of 鈥淭he Best 380 Colleges,鈥 and we were named a Top Work Place for the second year in a row by The Morning Call. But possibly our favorite accolade from 2015: being ranked 35th in the nation by Educate to Career, Inc., a California-based nonprofit, in its annual ETC College Rankings Index, which measures the employability, earnings, and career-preparedness of our graduates. Our position makes us the top-ranked institution in the Lehigh Valley and second best in the state of Pennsylvania鈥攐ne of only three ranked in the top 50 statewide鈥攁nd puts us in the top 3% nationwide.