Messiah College At-A-Glance

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Messiah College is a nationally ranked private Christian college with a socially, denominationally and politically diverse student body of 2,932 undergraduate and graduate students, located in Grantham, Pa., just 12 miles from the state capital, Harrisburg.

Identity and Mission

Messiah College is a Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences. Our mission is to educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society.

Campus Locations

• Main Campus - Scenic 471-acre suburban campus located in central Pennsylvania (Grantham, Pa.) providing easy access to urban centers such as Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
• Philadelphia Campus - In 1968, Messiah College launched a satellite campus in inner-city Philadelphia, affiliated with Temple University-the first partnership of its kind between a private Christian college and a state-affiliated university.
• Harrisburg Campus - In 2008, Messiah College opened the Harrisburg Institute, a residential facility that promotes community service, research and consultancy work.

Academic Excellence

Messiah College awards Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in more than 80 majors in the liberal arts and applied programs. Specialized programs include extensive off-campus study, individualized majors, independent study, service learning, internships, 3+ programs in partnership with other institutions and a flourishing College Honors Program. In addition, the College recently launched graduate programs including a Master of Arts in counseling, a Master of Arts in art education and a Master of Music in conducting, Master's in Education with emphasis and optional Pennsylvania teaching certification in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) or special education and a Master of Arts in youth and young adult ministries.

• In head-to-head competition with public and private colleges and universities, Messiah College consistently ranks among the top 10 "Best Regional Colleges" in the northeastern U.S., according to U.S. News and World Report.
• Messiah is ranked third in its region as a "Great School at Great Price" by U.S. News and World Report.
• Messiah is ranked 14th in the U.S. among all undergraduate institutions sending students to study abroad, according to the Institute of International Education. Messiah strives to make international programs accessible to all students. Last year, 401 students earned academic credit by studying abroad in more than 40 different countries.
• Messiah's Internship Center is nationally recognized for excellence in training students for today's workforce. More than 415 colleges and universities use Messiah's training materials or model their internship program after Messiah.
• Ninety-nine percent of Messiah's past-year graduates surveyed are employed full-time, attending graduate school, or serving as volunteers within six months after graduation.

President

Kim S. Phipps, Ph.D., began her term as the eighth president of Messiah College in December 2004. She holds a doctorate in communication studies from Kent State University. Dr. Phipps represents the College's commitment to civic engagement by serving in leadership roles on a variety of local, regional and national boards. In 2010, Dr. Phipps was named one of the 25 most influential women in central Pennsylvania by the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal.

Notable Community

The Messiah College community of students, educators and alumni are committed to seeking increased understanding of the Christian faith and applying that faith to specific academic disciplines and world problems.

• In April 2008, Messiah College was selected to host The Compassion Forum, a nationally televised, unprecedented conversation with presidential candidates on the integration of faith and public policy. The Forum was viewed by millions on CNN and the Church Communication Network and provided a unique civic educational opportunity for Messiah students to participate in the 2008 presidential election.
• Messiah College hosts prominent national speakers, recently including Tony Dungy, Jim Wallis, Dinesh D'Souza, Philip Yancey, Jonathan Kozol, Anna Quindlen, E.J. Dionne, David McCullough, Tracy Kidder, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Fred Barnes, and Richard Stearns.

Distinguished Educators

Messiah educators are dedicated scholars and accomplished professionals committed to supporting students in their educational experiences.

• Messiah College's 175 full-time faculty hold degrees from nationally and internationally recognized graduate schools -including prestigious institutions such as Oxford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania.
• A culture of scholarship exists among Messiah's community of educators. Our faculty members are actively contributing research, scholarly writing and artistic works that inform their academic disciplines and the national conversation on faith in the academy and broader culture. 
• Messiah educators are often sought by local, regional and national journalists for their commentary, insight and expertise. Recent examples include coverage in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Fox News.com, New York Daily Times, CNN Belief Blog, AOL News, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Associated Press.

Student Profile 2011-2012

Enrollment

• Undergraduate Students 2,805
• Male/Female Ratio 39%/61%
• Graduate Students 171
• Full-Time Students 2,976
• Living in On-Campus Housing 2,619
• Out-of-State Students 42%
• States Represented 34
• Countries Represented 32
• Students from Underrepresented Racial, Ethnic and Cultural Populations 8.2%
• International Students 2.1%

First-Year Class Profile 2011-2012

• Total applied 3,162
• Total accepted 64%
• Total enrolled 802

SAT Scores Middle 50% Average

• Verbal 520-630 577
• Math 510-640 579
• Composite 1040-1240 1156

ACT Scores Middle 50% Average

• Composite 23-39 25

High School Class Rank

• Top 10% --39%
• Top 25% --68%
• Top 50% --91%

Retention and Graduation
Percentage of first-year students who:

• Returned for 2nd year 83.2%
• Graduated within 4 years 70.3%
• Graduated within 6 years 74.1%

Note: Students are not tracked who transfer from Messiah College and graduate from another institution.

Faculty Profile 2011-2012

Messiah College selects its educators for their Christian commitment as well as their proven teaching ability. They are outstanding scholars, authors and experts in their chosen fields.

• Full-Time Faculty 177
• Male/Female 57%/43%
• Hold Terminal Degree 81%
• Student/Faculty Ratio 13:1

Spiritual Formation

Messiah weaves opportunities for spiritual growth throughout students' college experience - including chapel
and worship services, discipleship groups, ministry outreach teams, community service, mission trips and a variety of other special programs. For more information, visit messiah.edu/ministries/spiritual formation.

Community Engagement

Messiah College teaches students to engage their Christian faith, to build community, to serve as agents for peace and reconciliation and to champion the rights of the poor and the dispossessed.

• Messiah College has earned the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching's prestigious Community Engagement Classification for Curricular Engagement and Outreach and Partnerships. 
• Messiah's commitment to service-learning and civic engagement earned recognition on the national President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction for exemplary service to disadvantaged youth.
• Messiah's ongoing sustainability initiatives - an on-campus, organic, community garden; composting; and exploration of alternative energy sources, for example -have been recognized by the Princeton Review, the U.S. Building Council, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the national "green" student movement Renewal.
• The Agapé Center for Service and Learning cultivates experiences with community partners to prepare individuals for lifelong service. In 2010, an estimated 98% of the graduating class participated in some form of community service through the Agapé Center.
• Students and educators in the College's Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research partner with regional and international organizations for projects in mathematical and informa¬tion sciences, engineering and business that empower the poor, promote justice for the oppressed, reconcile adversaries and care for the earth.
• The Harrisburg Institute integrates Messiah's community involvement in the capital region through intentional engagement with the city. In 2009, the Institute founded the Mentoring Partnership of Central PA to help city agencies fund and deliver quality services to at-risk young people.
• Messiah's Philadelphia Campus situates students in a major city and provides access to Christian higher education in the urban context, engages the wider academy and addresses the challenges and potential of the urban world.
• The Ernest L. Boyer Center, named for one of Messiah's most notable alumni who served as the U.S. Commissioner of Education, promotes excellent and accessible education that enriches lives and revitalizes society.
• The Center for Public Humanities brings together academic, civic and cultural communities to engage contemporary issues and to promote learning through symposia, lectures, film series, conferences and partnerships with school districts and literacy outreach programs.
• The School of the Arts fosters extensive connections with visiting artists and arts organizations locally, such as the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra and internationally. Messiah also contributes to the cultural life of the region through affiliations with its accomplished artists-in-residence: jazz musician Tim Warfield, the Susquehanna Chorale and the Mendelssohn Piano Trio.
• Messiah's Oakes Museum features Smithsonian-quality collections of North American and African wildlife, seashells, bird eggs, insects, minerals and fossils and last year had more than 15,000 visitors.

Athletic Achievements and Championships

Intercollegiate athletics at Messiah College set standards for excellence in NCAA Division III college programs while developing the Christian character of its athletes. Characterized by outstanding facilities and competitive scheduling, the program has emerged as a highly respected entity among its peer institutions. Our athletes turn in All-American performances and have been featured in USA Today, Sports Illustrated, TheNewYorkTimes.com and on national network television.

• The Messiah Falcons are eight-time NCAA Division III national champions in men's soccer (2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2002 and 2000); four-time national champions in women's soccer (2011, 2009, 2008 and 2005); 2009 national champions in softball; two-time national runners-up in women's basketball; and eight-time national runners-up in field hockey. A total of six national championships have also been won by Falcons' athletes in the sports of wrestling, men's track & field, and women's track & field.